The New York Giants have been left furious with the Atlanta Falcons after the team announced they had completed an interview with John Harbaugh.Â
Earlier this week it was revealed that Harbaugh, who was fired by the Ravens, is on the verge of signing a five-year, nine-figure contract to take charge of the Giants.
However, as Giants fans waited with bated breath for an update on the deal, the Falcons announced on Monday that they had also interviewed Harbaugh.Â
It was later revealed to be an explanatory phone call with the former Ravens head coach, which the 63-year-old also conducted with a number of other teams.Â
According to The Athletic, the Falcons’ decision to ‘overplay’ their interactions with Harbaugh did not sit well with those in East Rutherford.
Ian O’Connor, a reporter for the outlet, revealed:Â ‘This was the day I realized the Giants would not be denied on John Harbaugh.
John Harbaugh is expected to sign a lucrative five-year contract with the New York GiantsÂ
The Giants are reportedly incensed with the Atlanta Falcons after they ‘overplayed’ claims that they had also interviewed Harbaugh (Pictured: Falcons owner Arthur Blank)
John Harbaugh (center) and GM Joe Schoen negotiated his Giants deal at a restaurant in New Jersey on Wednesday night
‘They were not happy with the Falcons overplaying a phoner with Harbaugh as an official interview (they weren’t alone) and Chris Mara went on the record with this.’Â
He also claimed that Giants owner Mara revealed that Harbaugh had an informal lunch at Harbaugh’s house on Sunday before his formal interview later in the week.
In another post on X later in the week, O’Connor also revealed: ‘My understanding is John Harbaugh and Chris Mara are forming a pretty good bond since their Sunday lunch & meeting at Harbaugh’s house.Â
‘Chris remains confident this gets done. Still a chance the Giants announce in the coming hours tonight, but no need for Harbaugh to rush it’.Â
The 63-year-old interviewed in person with the Giants on Wednesday, spending hours at the team facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He was flown in on the private jet of part-owner Steve Tisch.
Then he was treated to a delicious dinner at Elia, a restaurant the Giants have used a number of times to get major deals over the line, where general manager Joe Schoen and owner Mara made their final pitch to the Super Bowl winner.
‘When Joe walked in, you knew the deal was going to go down,’ owner Tim Salouros told The New York Post.Â
‘It was the first time that they called me to tell me the timing. They told me he had to be on a flight at 7:30. Before coach left, he said, “I’ll be back”.’Â
The Giants and John Harbaugh are reportedly working through some ‘issues’ in negotiations
New York has been without a permanent head coach since Brian Daboll’s firing in November
A picture emerged on Elia’s Instagram account on Thursday morning in the hours after news broke that a deal with Harbaugh was imminent.Â
They captioned the post: ‘Congratulations to John Harbaugh on becoming the new Head Coach of the New York Giants. Wishing you nothing but success in this next chapter. Thank you to the entire New York Giants organization for always including us as part of the process — it truly means a lot.’Â
The Super Bowl-winning former coach of the Ravens was believed to be New York’s top candidate in the search for Brian Daboll’s full-time successor.
Fired by the Ravens after missing the playoffs on a missed field goal attempt at the buzzer in the season finale, Harbaugh is on track to pick the Giants over other possible landing spots, including Tennessee and Atlanta.
The Ravens made the playoffs 12 times during 18 seasons with Harbaugh in charge and won the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, a year after the Giants’ most recent championship.Â
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New York Giants livid at NFL rival for sly move as John Harbaugh head coach talks start to drag