John Harbaugh is back in the NFL spotlight-this time in New York-and the buzz surrounding his exit from Baltimore hasn’t exactly quieted down.
Just hours after being introduced as the new head coach of the New York Giants, Harbaugh jumped on local sports radio to address the elephant in the room: his relationship with former quarterback Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP was at the center of swirling rumors that Harbaugh had grown “tired of” Jackson, a narrative that gained traction in the final days of Harbaugh’s tenure with the Ravens.
Harbaugh didn’t hesitate to set the record straight.
“Phenomenal relationship with Lamar,” Harbaugh said. “Everything has been absolutely positive.
Ask him, he’ll tell you. We love each other.
We tell each other we love each other. He’s one of my favorite human beings.
We revolutionized offensive football with Lamar Jackson. I don’t know why that doesn’t get written about more.”
That’s a strong statement-and one that paints a very different picture than the reports suggesting Harbaugh had lost the locker room in Baltimore. Whether or not that perception is fair, it’s clear that the internal dynamics in the Ravens’ building were shifting. Some players reportedly found offensive coordinator Todd Monken to be “increasingly standoffish and unwilling to collaborate,” and that disconnect may have contributed to the broader feeling of discontent.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti later acknowledged that he consulted with Jackson and several veteran players before making the decision to part ways with Harbaugh. But according to Bisciotti, Jackson maintained that he had no issues with either Harbaugh or Monken. Still, the optics of a franchise quarterback being looped into that kind of conversation inevitably raise questions-especially when the coach ends up out the door.
Now, Harbaugh turns the page and takes over in New York, where he’s tasked with revitalizing a Giants team that’s been searching for stability. And the next chapter could include a familiar face. Unless another team swoops in with a head coaching offer, Monken is expected to join Harbaugh in New York as the Giants’ next offensive coordinator.
That pairing would be central to the development of Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ first-round pick in 2025. Dart had a rollercoaster rookie season-flashes of big-time potential mixed with the kind of growing pains you’d expect from a young quarterback thrown into the fire.
But the early signs of his relationship with Harbaugh are encouraging. The two reportedly met at the Giants’ facility on January 14, and there’s a shared vision taking shape for how Dart can take the next step.
Of course, this is the NFL, and patience is always in short supply. Harbaugh is clearly being given the keys to the franchise, and if he decides that Dart isn’t the long-term answer, the Giants won’t hesitate to pivot. But for now, the focus is on building something sustainable-starting with a coach-quarterback pairing that has the potential to define this new era of Giants football.
The Harbaugh-Jackson saga may be in the rearview mirror, but its ripple effects are still being felt. And as Harbaugh begins this next chapter, the spotlight will follow-because in New York, it always does.