The New York Giants are finally addressing a position that’s been a glaring weakness for far too long: linebacker. After years of instability and underwhelming production at the second level of the defense, new head coach John Harbaugh is taking a meaningful first step to stabilize the group by bringing in veteran coach Frank Bush to oversee the linebackers.
Bush, who most recently coached the Tennessee Titans' linebackers, comes to New York with a wealth of experience and a résumé that speaks volumes. At 63, he’s been around the NFL block more than a few times-Denver, Houston, Arizona, St.
Louis, Miami, Atlanta, New York, and Tennessee-and he’s held just about every title a defensive coach can hold: linebackers coach, defensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and even interim DC with the Jets back in 2020. Simply put, Bush has seen it all.
This move also reunites Bush with defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who held the same position in Tennessee the past two seasons. Their familiarity should help smooth the transition as Wilson installs his system in New York.
It’s no coincidence Harbaugh is surrounding himself with trusted, experienced voices on defense-especially when you consider the linebacker lineage he worked with in Baltimore: Ray Lewis, C.J. Mosley, Roquan Smith, and Patrick Queen.
Harbaugh knows the value of having a tone-setting linebacker in the heart of a defense.
Now, let’s be clear: the Giants don’t have a Ray Lewis or Roquan Smith on this roster. Not yet, anyway.
But hiring Bush is about building the foundation. It’s about finally giving the linebacker room the attention and structure it’s been missing.
For too long, that unit has felt like an afterthought-rotating players in and out, never quite finding the right fit. With Bush now teaming up with assistant LB coach Matt Pees and outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen (assuming Bullen doesn’t get scooped up for a DC job elsewhere), the Giants are putting together a staff that can actually develop talent and bring consistency to a group that desperately needs it.
And here’s where things get interesting: Bush played a key role in the breakout rookie season of Cedric Gray in Tennessee last year. Gray, a fourth-round pick (106th overall), finished fourth in the NFL with 164 tackles.
That kind of production from a mid-round pick is no accident-it’s coaching, development, and scheme fit all coming together. The Giants just so happen to hold the 105th pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
Coincidence? Maybe.
But don’t be surprised if they’re eyeing a similar kind of player come April.
This hire may not grab national headlines, but it’s a smart, calculated move by Harbaugh to fix a problem that’s lingered far too long in New York. With Frank Bush in the building, the Giants are finally giving their linebackers a fighting chance to be more than just placeholders. They’re building a defense with purpose-and it starts from the middle out.