The two-day delay in finalizing an agreement added some consternation for a fan base that has so long been looking to return to legitimacy after just two postseason trips since the Giants’ last Super Bowl title during the 2011 campaign.
Harbaugh, 63, now officially the man for Big Blue, brings legitimacy in droves.
“John is a proven winner whose teams are disciplined, resilient, and prepared,” said Giants chairman Steve Tisch. “His passion for the game, his ability to connect with players, and his experience leading at the highest level made him an outstanding fit for us, and we’re excited to move forward together.”
A one-time Super Bowl champion, Harbaugh led the Ravens to the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons in Baltimore, with 11 of those campaigns netting double-digit wins and six resulting in AFC North titles. Known as a culture builder and guiding voice, things became stale for him with the Ravens before a missed postseason following a win-or-go-home Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers resulted in his firing.
Now, he gets a fresh start leading a team that hasn’t won the NFC East since the aforementioned 2011 season.
There’s plenty of talent for Harbaugh to work with, including a budding offensive trio of quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers, as well as an equally promising group of pass-rushing triplets in Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter.
It’s a stellar foundation for Harbaugh, who knows how to build and lead a winner.
Harbaugh, likely the shiniest name available for most teams, also garnered interest from the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans.
He worked through the coaching cycle and now a two-day period of breath-holding to officially agree to lead New York.
The Giants will be crossing their fingers it’ll be well worth the wait.