John Harbaugh was forced to come to terms with a reality he likely hoped to avoid. After the New York Giants finalized their hiring decision elsewhere, the reunion between Harbaugh and his preferred offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, suddenly fell apart when the Cleveland Browns named the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator as their new head coach. As a result, what once felt inevitable quickly turned into a missed opportunity, and Harbaugh was left addressing the loss of a key figure in Baltimore.

Soon after, Harbaugh made it clear there were no hard feelings, only respect. In fact, he did not hesitate to praise his former play caller while speaking publicly.

“Todd is an outstanding coach,” Harbaugh said. “He has worked his way up and paid his dues; he was invaluable in what we did the past three years in Baltimore. He deserves this opportunity. And I believe he will be successful. Todd is a good friend. I wish him all the best with the Browns.”

At 59, Monken finally gets his first head coaching job after decades of offensive success. More importantly, his recent resume speaks loudly. He guided Georgia to two national titles and later helped Lamar Jackson reach a second MVP in 2023 while overseeing the best season of Jackson’s career in 2024 with the Ravens.

Finally, the move also signals a clear direction for Cleveland. The Browns finished with the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL in 2024 and showed only minor improvement in 2025.

Because of that, turning to a proven offensive mind feels less like a gamble and more like a necessary reset. However, Harbaugh’s push to reunite with Monken makes complete sense once the numbers enter the conversation.

During Monken’s run calling plays, the Ravens quietly turned into one of the league’s most complete offenses. From 2023 through 2025, Baltimore consistently ranked inside the top five across multiple major categories. More specifically, they piled up 8,512 rushing yards, the best in the NFL, while averaging nearly 167 yards per game on the ground. They finished second in total scrimmage yards at 19,860, ranked third in scoring at 27.9 points per game, and sat near the top in both rushing and receiving touchdowns.

Monken’s impact also showed up most clearly under center. In his first season running the offense, Lamar Jackson captured his second AP NFL MVP award, a moment that validated the entire system.

But now, with Monken officially off the board, the Giants have no choice but to adjust quickly. Interestingly, Monken is not the only Ravens coach on Harbaugh’s radar as New York searches for answers.

John Harbaugh is set to hire a former Ravens coach

John Harbaugh reached back to bring former Ravens strength and conditioning coach Ron Shrift to New Jersey.

As first reported by NFL insider Aaron Wilson, “#Giants adding former #Ravens strength and conditioning coach Ron Shrift.”

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Shrift spent nine seasons with the Purple and Black, where he served as the team’s strength and conditioning coach. During that stretch, he played a central role in sports science planning, speed development, strength programs, and recovery work. More importantly, he worked hand in hand with coordinator Scott Elliott to keep players physically ready for the grind of an NFL season.

Before his time in Baltimore, Shrift laid his foundation in Pennsylvania. He sharpened his craft at Power Train Sports and also played college football at Juniata College. While there, he captained the team, earned strength and conditioning All-American honors, and stayed involved by assisting within the program.

Academically, his background is just as deep. Shrift earned his bachelor’s degree from Juniata, then added a master’s in recreation and sport management from Florida International University, where he worked as a graduate assistant strength coach. Later, he completed another master’s in exercise science, performance enhancement, and injury prevention from California University of Pennsylvania.

Beyond that, his resume includes an internship at Penn State and time as an assistant strength coach at North Carolina A&T. As a registered strength and conditioning coach with certifications in speed, agility, and recovery, Shrift brings proven structure and credibility to the Giants as their rebuild continues.