Giants to hire John Harbaugh: Why fired Ravens coach chose NY over Falcons, Titans, others

After 18 years with one team, some coaches might want a break. When John Harbaugh was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, though, he quickly signaled he was ready to coach again in 2026.

What was at one point expected to be a quiet coaching cycle in the NFL quickly turned into madness when Harbaugh became available, and he drew interest from most of the teams with a vacancy.

After weighing his options, Harbaugh settled on New York as his new home on Wednesday night, as the sides were working to finalizing a deal for Harbaugh to become the Giants' next head coach, replacing Brian Daboll.

Harbaugh visited with Giants brass for a lengthy period on Wednesday, touring facilities and reportedly meeting franchise QB Jaxson Dart. He was scheduled to also interview with the Titans and Falcons in the coming days, but has chosen New York instead.

Terms of the contract were still being finalized Thursday morning, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, but the deal is expected to be finalized "barring a setback."

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Todd Monken, Harbaugh's offensive coordinator in Baltimore the past three season, is a "leading candidate" to join him in New York in the same role.

Here's what you need to know about why Harbaugh is joining the Giants as their next head coach.

MORE: Why did the Ravens fire John Harbaugh?

Why did John Harbaugh choose the Giants?

Their recent track record might not suggest it, but the Giants were one of the most attractive jobs this offseason for one reason: QB Jaxson Dart.

While the appeal of coaching in (or more accurately, near) New York in front of a passionate fan base likely played a role for Harbaugh, the chance to lead a team that already has what it believes is a long-term solution at quarterback was hard for the veteran coach to pass up.

With Malik Nabers returning from injury, key pieces in place on defense, and another high draft pick this year, the outlook for the Giants is fairly positive despite a messy 2025 season.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported in the days after Harbaugh's firing in Baltimore that he was already watching film on Dart and Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward. Both quarterbacks showed flashes in bad situations as rookies, with Ward gaining momentum late in the season, but Harbaugh ultimately chose to roll with Dart and take the reins of a team that has won championships under its current ownership setup.

Harbaugh "told at least one person the film study [of Dart] gave him a lot to be excited about," Russini reported.

The Titans have a reasonably attractive opening thanks to Ward, a new stadium coming in 2027, and significant cap space available in the years ahead. But the ownership situation in Nashville does not promise much stability. The Titans have fired either a head coach or general manager in each of the last four seasons—GM Jon Robinson in 2022, HC Mike Vrabel after 2023, GM Ran Carthon after 2024, and HC Brian Callahan in 2025—and they reorganized their front office again ahead of 2026.

That kind of turnover does not bode well for the next head coach, whereas Giants ownership has shown loyalty to GM Joe Schoen and likely would not be in a rush to push such an accomplished coach out the door if the organization's turnaround takes longer than expected.

Before Harbaugh attempts to become the first Giants coach since Tom Coughlin to reach a fifth season, he will aim to engineer a turnaround that begins with a more competitive 2026.

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John Harbaugh contract

Harbaugh is finalizing a five-year deal to become the next head coach of the Giants, according to multiple reports. The exact terms of the anticipated deal are not yet known.

Coaching salaries in the NFL can be tough to nail down, but Fox Sports reported Harbaugh’s asking price is believed to be in the range of $20M. The Giants “let Harbaugh know that they are willing to meet his asking price” early in the process, Fox Sports said, and reports indicate New York will allot him money to assemble any kind of staff he wants.

Harbaugh’s deal is expected to make him one of the highest-paid coaches in NFL history, according to Jordan Schultz.

John Harbaugh record

Harbaugh's 180 wins rank 14th in NFL history and rank third among all active coaches now that he is back in a head coaching role. He had only three losing seasons with the Ravens, including an 8-9 finish in 2025.

Harbaugh has a career 13-11 record in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl 47 win.

MORE: Updated 2026 NFL mock draft

John Harbaugh coaching timeline

• 1984-86: Western Michigan (RBs coach, OLBs coach)
• 1987: Pittsburgh (TEs coach)
• 1988: Morehead State: (special teams coach)
• 1989-96: Cincinnati (special teams coordinator)
• 1997: Indiana (DBs coach, special teams coordinator)
• 1998-2006: Philadelphia Eagles (special teams coordinator)
• 2007: Philadelphia Eagles (DBs coach)
• 2008-25: Baltimore Ravens (head coach)

While most coaches are used to shuffling from team to team, Harbaugh has made only two stops in his entire NFL career.

Harbaugh joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 1998 as special teams coordinator after getting started in the college ranks, and he spent nine years in the position before shifting to defensive backs coach in 2007. 

After Brian Billick was fired at the end of the 2007 season, the Ravens took a gamble on Harbaugh despite not having experience as an offensive or defensive coordinator. Ultimately, that gamble paid off, with Harbaugh lasting 18 years in Baltimore and winning a Super Bowl.

How old is John Harbaugh?

Harbaugh is 63 years old. He is older than his brother, Jim, and will rank as one of the NFL's oldest active head coaches again once the dust settles on this year's hiring cycle.

Though many NFL teams are preferring to go younger when they search for head coaches, Harbaugh still appears energized and drew serious interest across the league when he was fired by the Ravens.