Giants head coach John Harbaugh is casting a wide net in his search for a new offensive coordinator - and one of the more intriguing names on his radar is a familiar face: Alex Tanney.
Harbaugh has officially submitted a request to interview Tanney, currently the Colts’ passing game coordinator. The move adds another layer of intrigue to a search that’s already included a few notable names, including Davis Webb, the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and another former Giants signal-caller.
Tanney, 38, spent nearly a decade in the NFL as a backup quarterback, including his final three seasons with the Giants. Though he only appeared in two regular season games - one with the Titans in 2015 and another with the Giants in 2019 - Tanney has quietly built a strong résumé on the coaching side. His playing career may have been limited to just 32 total snaps, but his transition into coaching has been swift and impressive.
After retiring, Tanney broke into the coaching ranks with the Eagles in 2021 as an offensive quality control coach. He was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2022, and by 2023, he was leading the quarterback room in Philadelphia. From there, he moved to Indianapolis, where he’s spent the past two seasons helping shape the Colts’ passing game.
Harbaugh’s interest in Tanney - as well as Webb - suggests he’s looking for a fresh voice with a quarterback’s mindset, someone who can grow alongside Jaxson Dart, the team’s young and promising signal-caller. And make no mistake: the next offensive coordinator in East Rutherford will be calling plays. That’s a key part of the job, especially with Harbaugh now steering the ship.
Tanney’s coaching rise has been fast, but the question now is whether he’s ready to take the leap to a full-fledged play-calling OC. That’s a big step, especially in New York, where expectations are high and patience is thin.
Harbaugh had initially hoped to bring in Todd Monken - his former OC in Baltimore from 2023 to 2025 - but that plan was dashed when the Browns handed Monken their head coaching job. That’s forced Harbaugh to pivot, and Tanney is one of several names under consideration.
Jim Bob Cooter, the Colts’ current offensive coordinator, is also on Harbaugh’s interview list. While Cooter holds the OC title in Indianapolis, it’s head coach Shane Steichen who calls the plays, which makes Cooter’s candidacy a bit more nuanced. Still, his experience designing game plans and managing an offense could appeal to Harbaugh.
Other potential options include Kliff Kingsbury, who served as the Commanders’ offensive coordinator last season, and Charlie Weis Jr., now at LSU. Weis has a direct connection to Dart from their time together at Ole Miss, where Weis served as both his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. That familiarity could be a major asset - but prying Weis away from LSU won’t be easy, especially after he followed Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge with a lucrative deal in hand.
As Harbaugh weighs his options, the direction he chooses will say a lot about how he envisions the Giants’ offense evolving. Whether he goes with a rising star like Tanney, a more seasoned mind like Cooter or Kingsbury, or someone with a direct link to Dart like Weis, the decision will be pivotal - not just for the development of their young quarterback, but for the identity of the offense moving forward.
The Giants are in the early stages of a new era, and Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator hire will be one of the first major building blocks.