This time the Giants didn't fumble the ball on the one-yard line. Since they fired Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season, the Jints have gone through no less than five head coaches: Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll. Five coaches in ten years; all dismal failures. This time, they didn't dick around. They set their sights on one man - the right man - and they landed him.
They sent Steve Tisch in his private jet to pick him up; they brought out the top guns - Eli, Coughlin, Jaxson Dart, the fucking ghost of Lombardi - to impress him; they wined and dined him; they did everything but kidnap him; and it worked.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
To be honest, I was starting to have my doubts. When I went to bed around midnight, all indications were that John Harbaugh was on his way back to Baltimore and was scheduled to meet with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Flacons at his home over the weekend. Fuck, I thought. Another one bites the dust.
Instead what happened was that both sides worked well into the evening on an agreement to bring the former Ravens head coach to MetLife. The exact terms have not yet been released but the contract is believed to be for five years at just under $100 million, making Harbaugh one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL. It also gives him the power to hire his own assistants.
One of those assistants will undoubtedly be Todd Monken. The former offensive coordinator of the Ravens worked under Harbaugh the last three years. How good is Monken? In 2024, Baltimore became the first NFL team with 4,000 plus passing yards and 3,000 plus rushing yards in a single season, leading the league in total offense and yards per play.
So how did the Giants do it? How did they convince the most coveted coach since Andy Reid to sign with them on the first visit? As I wrote in an earlier piece, it came down to two things. The first was Dart. There is simply no substitute for having a franchise quarterback. Harbaugh was clearly impressed with the rookie and believes he can win with him.
The second reason is more complicated. On paper, the Giants were a bad team, but on the field, between the Xs and Os, they were much better than their record indicated. Five times this season, they lost a game in which they held a double-digit lead; four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. Every one of those losses could just as easily have been a win. Harbaugh obviously felt the same way.
Which brings us to the sixty-four thousand dollar question. How is Harbaugh going to improve a defense that folded like a cheap tent this season? By bringing in a competent defensive coordinator, that's how. One of the names being mentioned is Jim Schwartz. Over the last nine seasons, Schwartz has worked for the Bills, Eagles and Browns. Twice his defenses were top five in the NFL: 2017 with the Eagles and 2023 with the Browns. Assuming he doesn't take the Ravens job, he would be the best DC Big Blue has had since the days of Spags.
If he's not available, Antonio Pierce might be a good second choice. The former Giants linebacker and former Raiders interim head coach interviewed for the Giants head coaching vacancy last week. He was well respected by his players and went 5-4 during his brief stint in Vegas. Bringing him back would be more than a symbolic gesture to a suffering fanbase; it would signal to the league that the Giants are serious about assembling a coaching staff that can take this team to the next level.
And what would the next level look like? Well, for starters, let's pump the brakes on making the playoffs. I expect the Giants will be considerably better under Harbaugh than Daboll, but making the playoffs in the NFC will be extremely tough, if not impossible. Excluding the four division winners, the Rams, 49ers and Packers will all be in the hunt in 2026, as will an improved Lions team. And don't forget about the Commanders. With a healthy Jayden Daniels, they should win 10 games easily. At best, I see this team winning 8 or 9 games.
For the time being, Giants fans will have to be satisfied with a team that is well coached and closes out games. Not bad, considering that Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin went 3-12-1 and 6-10 respectively in their first seasons as head coach.
Patience has become a four-letter word with this fanbase. This time around, it might actually pay off.
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