The New York Giants are closing in on their new head coach. They’ve landed the prime candidate of the coaching cycle with former Baltimore Ravens HC John Harbaugh.
The top prize is off the market (barring any setback), and New York will have a top coach to pair with their franchise QB Jaxson Dart.
New York Giants Nearing Deal to Hire John Harbaugh
The Giants moved on from Brian Daboll midway through the season because of their inability to close out games. Harbaugh knows how to do that.
Now, they will likely have a perennial winner at head coach and a Super Bowl champion to lead them into the future.
John Harbaugh and the Giants are working to finalize an agreement to make him New York’s next head coach and, barring a setback, a deal is expected, multiple sources tell ESPN.
The deal is not final and contract numbers still are being negotiated. “There still is a lot to work… pic.twitter.com/CQmSljImf9
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2026
All the details are still to be determined, but Harbaugh has agreed to be the head coach of the Giants after everything is finalized. Although it’s not official, Harbaugh will be swapping his purple and gold for some blue and white.
Dart will be a huge winner from this hire. A young franchise QB paired with an experienced head coach who has got it done at the highest level is exactly what the doctor ordered for Dart’s development. Dart showed promise in 2025, finishing as the 18th-ranked quarterback in PFSN’s QB Impact score with a grade of 76.5.
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho spoke about what this hire will do for Dart.
“I like this move because we know that John Harbaugh can make sure Jaxson Dart has the structure that he needs,” said Acho.
“I like this move because we know that John Harbaugh can make sure Jaxson Dart has the structure that he needs”
– @EmmanuelAcho on the breaking news of John Harbaugh finalizing a deal with the New York Giants pic.twitter.com/kHzUGhYfLd
— Speakeasy (@speakeasytlkshw) January 15, 2026
Dart could use structure in his offense. Although he had structure under Daboll, Harbaugh brings a different sense of experience and stability to a team. Harbaugh can help create a structure that will play to Dart’s strengths with his legs as well as his arm. He’s no stranger to quarterbacks who can move after spending years with two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Once Harbaugh finalizes his deal with New York, he’ll have to find coordinators. A story to watch will be whether he can get former Ravens OC Todd Monken to come with him to New York. Monken is no longer with Baltimore after Harbaugh’s departure, and Harbaugh’s loyalty to him played a role in his dismissal as he was unwilling to fire Monken (much to the dismay of Baltimore’s front office).
With Harbaugh’s commitment to Monken, they could end up being a package deal, which means New York could potentially land one of the premier offensive coordinators on the market in addition to the top head-coach candidate. Monken is by no means a lock to follow in Harbaugh’s footsteps, but their history makes it a strong possibility.
Monken could be a huge addition for Dart’s development as well. Monken worked with Jackson and helped him play some of the best football of his career. They aren’t quite the same player, but the similarities would make this an intriguing partnership.
The Giants have their guy, though, and they’ll be itching to get Harbaugh in the building as quickly as possible to implement his vision. And even if Monken isn’t hired, Harbaugh will certainly be able to attract a notable name as his offensive coordinator given his pedigree and the Giants’ young studs on offense.
