John Harbaugh didn’t stay on the market for long. Just over a week after his departure from the Baltimore Ravens, the Super Bowl XLVII champion and 2019 AP NFL Coach of the Year has found his next chapter - this time in the NFC, as the new head coach of the New York Giants.
It’s a significant move for both Harbaugh and the Giants. For Harbaugh, it’s a fresh start with a storied franchise that’s been searching for stability and identity in recent seasons.
For the Giants, it’s a bold hire - bringing in a proven winner with deep postseason experience and a reputation for building tough, disciplined teams. Harbaugh’s move from the AFC to the NFC also means his matchups with longtime peer Sean Payton will be fewer and farther between - at least for now.
Payton, now leading the Denver Broncos, weighed in on the news after practice on Thursday. His connection to Harbaugh goes back decades, with both coaches having crossed paths in Philadelphia in 1998. Payton also spent time with the Giants from 1999 to 2002, so this hire hits close to home for him in more ways than one.
“I saw that,” Payton said when asked about Harbaugh’s new gig. “I haven’t been in New York for years.
I’m real close with both the Maras and the Tisch family. I’m excited for John.
I consider him a close friend. Mike [Tomlin], the same way.
It happened fast.”
Payton shared that he had texted Harbaugh earlier in the week, and the two had discussed the possibility of connecting by phone. “He said, ‘Hey, if I want to call you,’ I said, ‘Call, yes, at any time.’
I think that moved quickly, and I’m happy for him,” Payton added. “I’m happy for the Giants just for those years there.”
Reflecting on his own early years in the league, Payton noted, “My first however many years in the league were Eagles, Giants, Cowboys for quite a while. Sometimes we can’t control our bloodlines, where we end up.
I’ve been blessed when you look at the programs, and here now and the tradition. Sometimes you don’t have control over that.
So I’m excited for him.”
Both coaches bring impressive resumes to the table. Among active head coaches with at least 100 games under their belt, Payton ranks fifth with a .623 winning percentage, while Harbaugh sits eighth at .609. That’s elite company - and a testament to the consistent success both men have achieved over the years.
While the Giants and Broncos won’t meet in the 2026 regular season, there’s a chance these two coaching heavyweights could square off again down the line. Denver is scheduled to host a same-place finisher from the NFC East in 2027, which could set the stage for a Harbaugh-Payton reunion on opposite sidelines.
For now, though, the focus shifts to what Harbaugh can bring to New York. If his track record in Baltimore is any indication, the Giants just landed a coach who knows how to build a winner - and isn’t afraid of the pressure that comes with coaching in one of the league’s most demanding markets.