After 18 years, John Harbaugh has a new home, and it was almost Tennessee. During his pivotal conversation with John Mara, Harbaugh laid out a specific, structural demand he considered a deal-breaker. With the Titans’ offer still on the table, the Giants’ response to this one condition would ultimately decide the coach’s future.

“His [John Harbaugh] agent, Bryan Harlan, was still speaking with the Tennessee Titans, keeping them in the game just in case,” wrote Ian O’Connor of The Athletic.

The Ravens fired Harbaugh on January 6, 2026, failing to make it to the playoffs. It was not just the Ravens. Several franchises in the NFL had fired their head coaches after poor performances. Hence, there was a strong chance a team would soon swoop in for the HC. Several teams contacted him, but he shortlisted only a few to interview with.

However, he did not take the job instantly. During his conversation with John Mara, he specifically mentioned that he wanted to report to the ownership directly, not via any messenger. If this one condition hadn’t been met, he could very well have been with the Titans instead.

“He was trying to process it all, and I explained to John why it was important for me…” Harbaugh told The Athletic in an interview Saturday. “I agreed with him that it doesn’t really matter in how we operate, but it did matter to me. I already had that (direct report to ownership) in Baltimore. It wasn’t new. I wasn’t comfortable not being that way.”

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Not knowing what the ultimate decision would be, Harbaugh did not want to cancel all of his other plans. As a result, Harbaugh’s agent kept the Titans in the game. He had already finished doing an interview with the Titans. Moreover, Mara needed to agree to the only condition that the Super Bowl-winning head coach had. He received a 5-year contract valued at around $100 million.

Unfortunately for the Titans, the Giants’ owner and Harbaugh agreed, with the latter joining the Giants officially on 20th January. The Titans signed former New York Jets HC Robert Saleh.

Having changed the organization for the first time in almost two decades, the Giants’ HC needed to make the necessary changes. With him yet to complete a month as a new HC, a lot has already changed.

John Harbaugh has hired an array of assistants ahead of the new season

Coming to New York, Harbaugh faces a monumental task ahead. The Giants are without a postseason nod in three seasons, and it is up to him to bring them into the Super Bowl picture.

To make those expectations a reality, the new HC has hired several coaches to help him on his journey. His hirings include Matt Nagy (offensive coordinator), Brian Callahan (passing game coordinator & quarterbacks coach), Dennard Wilson (defensive coordinator), and many more.

“When putting together a staff, I look for the ability to create a vision and share the vision and to get everybody on the same page in your room,” said John Harbaugh. “Believe them into that standard, help them believe in themselves to make sure that every player knows that every coach is really in their corner.”

Matt Nagy helped the Kansas City Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 2022 and 2023. Before that, he coached the Chicago Bears to two playoffs. He also has experience in managing high-profile quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes.

Similar to Nagy, Callahan is also a Super Bowl winner. He won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos while serving as their offensive assistant. As an OC, he helped the Cincinnati Bengals reach the Super Bowl in 2021, losing to the Rams. Coming to Wilson, he has 14 years of experience in the NFL. He has had stints with the Rams, Eagles, and Ravens under Harbaugh.

Then there is also assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, Chris Horton. He has worked with Harbaugh for 12 years, mostly as a special teams coordinator. The new HC has already taken a major interest in his new role. With such an impressive list of assistant coaches, it will be interesting to see how he builds the roster with free agency and the draft coming up, and performs in the new season.