The New York Giants are in the midst of a major front office shake-up, and it’s clear who’s steering the ship now: John Harbaugh. Since taking over as head coach earlier this offseason, Harbaugh hasn’t just brought a new playbook-he’s brought a new power structure. The Giants’ organizational chart has been redrawn, and Harbaugh’s name is sitting firmly at the top.
That raises a big question: where does this leave general manager Joe Schoen?
Schoen entered the offseason on shaky ground after a brutal 4-13 campaign in 2025, part of a three-year stretch that’s seen the Giants go just 13-38. But he managed to stay in the building-and not just as a placeholder. Schoen played a key role in recruiting Harbaugh to New York, reportedly going all-in during the early stages of the offseason to help land the former Ravens coach.
Now, with Harbaugh in the fold and the 2026 offseason looming, the two are working closely together. And publicly, at least, Harbaugh is giving his GM high marks.
“I had high expectations for Joe, and I would say he’s lived up to those high expectations,” Harbaugh said in an interview with The Athletic. “We’ve worked really well together.
We talk multiple, multiple times every day … and a lot of things come up. ‘We hired an analyst, so what are we paying him?
What did the Raiders or Eagles say when we asked for permission to speak to someone?’ Joe’s been a smart judge of tactics and situations.”
That’s a strong endorsement from a coach who could’ve easily lobbied for his own front office partner. There was plenty of speculation that Harbaugh would want to bring in his own GM wherever he landed. Instead, he’s chosen to roll with Schoen-for now.
But make no mistake: the Giants’ internal dynamics have changed dramatically.
According to multiple reports, including one from New York Daily News, Schoen’s role has been significantly narrowed. He’s now primarily focused on scouting, while much of the franchise’s operational power has shifted to Dawn Aponte, the newly hired senior vice president of football operations and strategy.
Aponte, formerly the NFL’s chief administrative officer, was reportedly handpicked by Harbaugh and now oversees analytics, salary cap management, and contract negotiations. And here’s the kicker-she reports directly to Harbaugh, not Schoen.
That’s a seismic shift in how the Giants operate. Traditionally, the GM has been the top football executive, with the head coach reporting to them. Now, with Aponte in the mix and Harbaugh at the top of the chain, Schoen finds himself squeezed into a more specialized role.
So what does this mean for the Giants moving forward?
It depends on how you view the setup. On one hand, this could be a smart, collaborative model that plays to each executive’s strengths. Harbaugh brings the leadership and vision, Aponte handles the financials and logistics, and Schoen focuses on talent evaluation-an area where he’s had some success, especially with last year’s draft picks like Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter.
On the other hand, it’s hard to ignore the optics. Schoen went from running the show during the Brian Daboll era to now overseeing just one slice of the football pie. And if things go south in 2026, it’s clear who’ll be held accountable-and who likely won’t be.
The Giants are in a tight spot with the salary cap and still have holes all over the roster. This offseason is going to be a defining one.
If Schoen can deliver another strong draft class, he might just carve out a long-term role in this new-look front office. But if the team stumbles again, the writing may already be on the wall.
For now, the message out of East Rutherford is unity. Harbaugh is praising Schoen, and the front office is presenting a united front.
But behind the scenes, the power dynamics have shifted. This is Harbaugh’s team now-on the field and off it.