John Harbaugh was a hot commodity after his 18-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens ended, with multiple teams reaching out. But he ultimately landed with the New York Giants, a hire that has franchise legend Eli Manning’s full endorsement.

“I love John Harbaugh and that hire. I think that’s what we needed,” Manning said, in a conversation with Jon Gruden. “We needed that CEO of an organization that’s going to hold everybody accountable, and that’s, you know, not to say, ‘Hey, we got to get the exact Tom Coughlin guy, but Tom, everybody was accountable.'”

That’s an interesting parallel. Tom Coughlin was the Giants’ coach from 2004 to 2015 and led the team to two Super Bowls, both against the Patriots. There was a lot that went down in his tenure, but Coughlin’s coaching style was defined by his unwavering commitment to player accountability.

“This is as big a disappointment as we have had around here in a long time,” he said after a 17-10 loss to the Eagles. “I didn’t like the way we played. We have no first downs to show, no yardage to show, we have no rushing average with 29 yards, which is about as pathetic as it can get.”

The defeat to the Eagles dropped the Giants to 6–4 on the season, but after Coughlin’s words and a period of self-reflection, they finished the regular season 9-7, made it to the postseason, and capped it off by winning the Vince Lombardi trophy.

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Eli Manning believes that John Harbaugh can bring that sense of self-accountability back into the team. Harbaugh’s leadership style is something that Giants fans should be excited about, since he doesn’t just put the players on notice, but accepts that the buck stops with him.

“It stops with me,” said Harbaugh a while ago. “It’s my job to make sure we’re doing the things that we have to do, from a coaching standpoint, from a drill standpoint, from an emphasis standpoint.”

But his leadership style is not the only thing the fans are looking forward to. It’s not just Harbaugh’s demanding style that has Manning excited; it’s the proven track record of success that comes with it, including a .614 winning percentage, multiple conference championship appearances, and a Super Bowl ring.

Had a few results gone differently late in the season, there’s an argument Harbaugh might still be at the Ravens. Instead, he’s now in New York, and Eli Manning, in particular, is very excited about what he brings.

“You weren’t walking on eggshells, but you knew if you didn’t do your job, he wasn’t gonna sugar(coat)..,” Manning said, continuing to draw the parallel with Coughlin. “That’s just not just the players. That’s people in the equipment room. That’s the GM, that’s everybody, the weight room. He was going to be hard on you if you weren’t holding up to the standard that we expected. So I think that’s what John Harbaugh brings,” he added.

Manning believes Harbaugh will improve the standard for the entire organization, and he’s equally optimistic about the new hire on the other side of the ball: former Chiefs‘ offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

“I like Nagy in Kansas City,” he said. “You have a quarterback who can throw it down the field. He doesn’t mind buying time in the pocket to hit some deep stuff. You get neighbors running. Let him run loose. So I like that. You know you have that creativity to create those big plays.”

Nagy returned to Kansas City for his second stint with the Chiefs in 2022 and was part of the coaching staff during back-to-back Super Bowl wins. Most importantly, with incoming sophomore Jaxson Dart in the building, Nagy’s experience working with Patrick Mahomes is encouraging.

In 2022, Mahomes threw for 5,250 yards with 10 300-yard games, led the league in passing yards and touchdowns, and won his second MVP award. Eli Manning is hoping Dart can follow a similar trajectory.

Eli Manning makes a locker room demand

The Giants legend believes that the pieces are all there for next season. With Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers leading the offense, along with young contributors like Cam Skattebo and others across the roster, all the players need to do is live up to their potential.

“So, I think there’s some excitement,” Manning said. “You got some defense, and Brian Burns is getting sacks, and you got Abdul Carter, some young talent. You got, you know, big sexy Dexi in the middle. So, there’s some talent there and some guys. Now, it’s, hey, let’s get the most out of the potential. So I’m excited for that.”

It makes sense considering John Harbaugh had multiple options on the table, and he chose the Giants, primarily because of the potential.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “This was kind of the obvious one from the beginning. This is the one I wanted. I wanted it because we have an opportunity to win. I like these players, man.”

The potential Harbaugh sees is evident in the box score, even from an uneven season. Brian Burns provided elite pass rush with 16.5 sacks, while rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed promise, finishing with a 15-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 2,272 yards. Promising numbers for ayoung quarterback still developing.

John Harbaugh already knows how this team can reach what they’re capable of.

“What is it in football? It’s a bunch of guys who see the game the same way. It’s a bunch of guys who want to play the game together the same way. It’s a relentless brotherhood, having each other’s back. Being unwilling to give up because that guy next to you is unwilling to give up.”

The Giants’ front office has installed a culture of accountability with its new coaching staff; now, the focus shifts to acquiring the talent to match. If the roster decisions this offseason align with Harbaugh’s demanding standard, New York may finally have a team that doesn’t just hope for success but expects it.