The New York Giants are finally making a move that suggests they’re ready to stop spinning their wheels and start building something real. After years of instability-both on the sidelines and under center-the team is taking a major step toward stability and credibility by hiring veteran head coach John Harbaugh. It’s a move that echoes what the Denver Broncos did not long ago when they brought in Sean Payton to steady their own ship.
Let’s take a step back. Since 2017, the Giants have posted just one winning season.
That’s not a typo. One.
And that nine-win campaign felt more like a flash of hope than a sign of sustained progress. Denver, for its part, went through a similar stretch from 2016 to 2023-also managing just one winning season in that span.
Both franchises struggled to find the right head coach, and both cycled through quarterbacks without landing on a long-term answer.
But now, the Giants might finally be turning a corner. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed real promise this past season.
He had flashes-moments that made you sit up and think, “Okay, this kid might have something.” And one of those moments came in Denver, where the Giants gave the Broncos a front-row seat to Dart’s potential.
He’s raw, sure, but there’s real talent there. The kind of talent that, with the right coaching, could blossom fast.
Enter John Harbaugh.
This isn’t a roll of the dice. This isn’t a first-time head coach learning on the fly.
Harbaugh brings 18 years of NFL head coaching experience and a 180-113 record to the table. He’s a proven leader, a Super Bowl champion, and someone who knows how to build a culture.
That’s the key word here: culture. And right now, the Giants need it more than anything.
The parallels to Sean Payton’s arrival in Denver are hard to ignore. Payton, like Harbaugh, had 18 years of experience when he took the Broncos job.
His record? 184-108.
Both coaches won Super Bowls within a few years of each other. Both walked into situations where the franchise had lost its way.
And both are tasked with not just winning games, but reestablishing a standard.
When Denver hired Payton, it was a clear signal: enough is enough. No more experiments.
No more short-term fixes. They wanted a coach with a track record, someone who could bring discipline, identity, and accountability.
The Giants are now sending that same message with Harbaugh.
Of course, the situations aren’t identical. The Giants play in the NFC East, not the AFC West, and their roster is built differently. But the blueprint is similar: pair a seasoned, respected head coach with a young quarterback who has upside, and let them grow together.
If Dart takes that second-year leap-and that’s a big “if,” but not an unreasonable one-then Harbaugh’s presence could be the stabilizing force that finally gets this franchise back on track. The Giants have talent.
What they’ve lacked is direction. Harbaugh brings that in spades.
For a team that’s been stuck in the mud for most of the last decade, this is a moment worth watching. It’s not just about hiring a big name.
It’s about signaling a shift in mindset. The Giants are done dabbling in rebuilds.
They’re ready to build something that lasts.
Time will tell if Harbaugh can pull off what Payton has started to do in Denver. But for the first time in a long time, the Giants look like they’re serious about winning again. And that, in itself, is a big step forward.