John Harbaugh did not linger in the in-between. One minute, he was the face of the Baltimore Ravens, the longest-tenured and most successful coach the franchise has ever known. Next, he was unemployed, briefly, before landing squarely in New York, where the Giants wasted no time handing him the keys to their future.
A reported five-year deal is nearly finalized, one that will place Harbaugh among the NFL’s highest-paid coaches and immediately reset expectations for a franchise starved for stability. But beneath the excitement, there is a question about whether this turn is as straightforward as it seems.
Stephen A. Smith on John Harbaugh As New York Giants HC
Sources confirmed that Harbaugh and the New York Giants expect to finalize the contract Thursday night, pending final legal review. While financial specifics remain undisclosed, the commitment speaks loudly enough.
New York moved with urgency, hosting Harbaugh at the team facility on Wednesday for meetings with ownership, general manager Joe Schoen, and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, the young arm expected to grow into the face of the franchise.
From a distance, the pairing feels logical. The Giants are coming off a 4-13 season and have only two winning campaigns in the last ten years. Harbaugh, in the meantime, brings a Super Bowl title, 18 years of experience, and a career winning percentage of .614.
Yet not everyone is convinced the story is that simple.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith offered a reminder that context matters, and that Baltimore did not part ways with Harbaugh on a whim. Smith was careful to say this wasn’t a “bad hire,” acknowledging the respect Harbaugh has earned over nearly two decades in the league.
But his concern was not about Harbaugh’s past success. It was about how his most recent chapter ended, and how quickly that ending is being brushed aside.
The Ravens fired Harubaugh two days after a 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game decided by a missed last-second field goal that eliminated Baltimore from the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Despite the timing, owner Steve Bisciotti said the decision had already been made, regardless of the outcome. To Smith, that detail matters. It suggests a fracture that had been forming long before the final whistle.
There’s some things the Giants need to address before getting too excited…
Full video: https://t.co/4gXhqieOH3 pic.twitter.com/gvyydIXCyG
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) January 15, 2026
Smith also discussed reports from Baltimore that players had grown restless. According to those accounts, changes were requested. Lamar Jackson, the team’s cornerstone, reportedly spoke directly with Harbaugh, only to be met with resistance.
According to Smith’s view, the Giants are not inheriting a decorated coach; they’re inheriting unresolved questions about adaptability, communication, and whether long success can sometimes calcify into stubbornness. None of this guarantees trouble in New York, however.
