The New York Giants advanced their head coaching search on Sunday when senior player personnel executive Chris Mara traveled to the Baltimore area and met John Harbaugh for lunch at the coach’s home. The meeting was confirmed by The New York Post’s Paul Schwartz and was the first in-person meeting between Harbaugh and any NFL team since he became available.
The visit followed an earlier contact last week, when Giants general manager Joe Schoen spoke with Harbaugh by phone on Thursday, the same day Harbaugh held conversations with other interested teams.
- The New York Giants became the first NFL team to meet John Harbaugh in person, with senior executive Chris Mara visiting him at his home in the Baltimore area on Sunday.
- There is confirmed mutual interest between Harbaugh and the Giants, supported by early meetings, phone calls, and detailed roster evaluation.
- Harbaugh conducted an extensive film study of the Giants’ 2025 season and came away saying it gave him “a lot to be excited about,” particularly regarding rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Harbaugh Becomes Available After 18 Seasons in Baltimore
Harbaugh became available last week after being fired by the Baltimore Ravens following 18 seasons as head coach. During his tenure, he led the Ravens to a Super Bowl championship in 2013, recorded nearly 200 career wins, and finished with a .609 career winning percentage, winning almost 61% of the games he coached, including the playoffs.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti called the move “an incredibly difficult decision.” Harbaugh later released a statement expressing “GRATITUDE & APPRECIATION.”
According to his agent, Bryan Harlan, Harbaugh received calls from seven NFL teams within the first 45 minutes after the firing. There are currently seven NFL head coaching openings, including Baltimore’s.
Giants Among Several Teams Showing Interest
Teams confirmed to have contacted or shown interest in Harbaugh include the Giants, Falcons, Titans, Browns, Raiders, Cardinals, and Dolphins. On Monday, Harbaugh spoke with Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan in what was described as an exploratory phone call.
The Giants are among the teams expected to receive an in-person interview later this week or early next week, though no formal interviews have been scheduled. Multiple sources described mutual interest between Harbaugh and the Giants. Harbaugh is believed to be at the top of the Giants’ list, while the Giants are believed to be near the top of Harbaugh’s preferred destinations, along with the Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Miami Dolphins. If the Green Bay Packers’ position were to open, it would also be considered a top option.
Sportsbooks Adjust as Giants Emerge as Favorite
As the Giants’ meeting and continued discussions became public, sportsbook odds moved quickly. At DraftKings, the Giants’ odds to hire Harbaugh opened at +500 and later shifted to -150, implying roughly a 60% probability based on the pricing. Another DraftKings-referenced update showed Harbaugh moving from 20/1 to -150.
In the same DraftKings coaching market listing, other candidates followed Harbaugh, including Kevin Stefanski at +200, Mike McCarthy at +600, Jeff Hafley at +850, and Kliff Kingsbury at +950.
A separate “next team” odds board listed the Giants at -150, followed by the Dolphins at +400, Falcons at +500, Raiders at +600, Titans at +900, Browns at +1000, and Cardinals at +1500. The movement coincided with reports of the Giants’ in-person meeting and ongoing talks.
Harbaugh Reviews Giants’ 2025 Film
According to The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor, Harbaugh conducted an extensive film study of the Giants’ 2025 season after his dismissal. The Giants finished that season with a 4–13 record.
Harbaugh focused closely on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and told at least one person that the film study gave him “a lot to be excited about.” Dart’s off-platform playing style stood out during the review.
Harbaugh is said to be seeking a team with a strong quarterback situation. Other teams under consideration present different quarterback situations:
- The Falcons have Michael Penix Jr., entering his third year after a third ACL repair.
- The Titans have Cam Ward, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, who finished the season strong and is known as a hard-working team leader.
- The Dolphins are dealing with uncertainty surrounding Tua Tagovailoa.
Draft Assets and Salary Cap Position
Draft resources are part of the evaluation. The Giants hold the fifth overall pick in the upcoming draft but do not have a third-round pick, which was used to acquire Dart in the 2025 draft. The Falcons do not have a first-round pick, while the Titans own the fourth overall pick and a full allotment of selections.
The Giants are projected to have just over $20 million in salary cap space this offseason, a figure expected to increase with roster cuts, and more than $100 million in cap space in 2027. Ownership structure and management have not been cited as issues, and general manager Joe Schoen has not been identified as a concern by sources close to Harbaugh.
Giants Continue Interview Process
While discussions with Harbaugh continue, the Giants have maintained an active interview process. Candidates who have interviewed or are scheduled to interview include Kevin Stefanski, Antonio Pierce, Raheem Morris, Klint Kubiak, Vance Joseph, Darren Rizzi, and Mike Kafka. Kubiak, Joseph, and Rizzi interviewed remotely because their teams remain in the playoffs.
Mike McCarthy, former head coach of the Packers and Cowboys, is expected to interview in person on Tuesday, while Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will interview via Zoom. Additional interviews are expected with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Some candidates have met with an ownership group consisting of John Mara, Steve Tisch, and Chris Mara. John Mara has remained involved in meetings while undergoing cancer treatments.
