Mike Tomlin didn’t sugarcoat the Giants’ decision to cut Najee Harris after the running back complained about his role in the offense, and that blunt edge was on full display during NBC’s Week 7 coverage.
The former Steelers head coach, now part of the Football Night in America crew, was talking through New York’s run-game turnaround during the Kansas City Chiefs-Seattle Seahawks matchup when he landed on one of his signature lines, describing Giants head coach John Harbaugh’s recent approach as “killing a mosquito with an axe.” But the quote that really got people talking came when Tomlin shifted to Harris, who was released after speaking out about the team’s rushing plan.
“Najee Harris spoke out about a lack of rhythm in run/carry opportunities,” he said. “And now he’s unemployed.
Message sent. You can always ease up and be buddy-buddy.
I just think it's important at the early stages to establish a rapport, and that's what he's (Giants HC John Harbaugh) doing.”
Tomlin coached Harris during the back half of the running back’s first four seasons in the NFL, so the comments carried extra weight. And while they certainly sounded sharp, they were aimed less at Harris himself and more at what a head coach sometimes has to do to set the tone early.
That’s the line Harbaugh has been walking in his first season with the Giants. He’s trying to install his scheme and shape the culture, even if it means making a harsh statement. The team took heat for its rushing issues earlier in the year, and things boiled over when Cam Skattebo, the Giants’ most impactful back, went through Week 6 without a rushing carry.
A week later, the ground game finally showed signs of life. Skattebo ran for 124 yards, Devin Singletary added 41 more, and Harris was no longer in the picture.
Tomlin’s point was plain: sometimes the message has to be loud, even if it looks extreme. The move may have felt like overkill, the kind of thing that looks like “killing a mosquito with an axe,” but the Giants did get the response they wanted. They improved to 4-2-1 after seven games, and Tomlin said the part many people would rather leave unsaid out loud on Sunday Night Football.
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Former Alabama Assistant Just Addressed Those Power Four Rumors
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Alabama Heads Into LSU Week With One Encouraging Trend Under DeBoer
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The encouraging part for Alabama is what has happened coming out of bye weeks under DeBoer. The Tide have won all four of those games and done so by comfortable margins, a useful trend to lean on as they head into a matchup that should carry real College Football Playoff weight. LSU, coached by Lane Kiffin, will bring plenty of attention and pressure with it, and Alabama's ability to reset this week could matter as much as anything else in what comes next. [Read more 🡒]