Veteran coach John Harbaugh has been one of the most influential coaches in the NFL, and moments before Sunday night’s game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys were no different. He had an eccentric way of testing Malik Nabers’ toughness before their 28-20 win.
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“I saw that Coach Harbaugh tackled him during walkthrough. Yeah, we were all just chilling on the sideline,” star quarterback Jaxson Dart said after the win, according to SNY Giants. “We didn’t know exactly what was going to happen.
And me and Coach Harbaugh just kind of had some conversations. He’s like, ‘You know what, I think that once he gets hit for the first time and realizes that he’s okay, then he’s going to feel confident.'”
While the team is “super protective ” of Nabers, they didn’t react when they saw that the one who tackled Nabers was none other than Harbaugh himself. Dart explained how after Harbaugh tackled Nabers, he got up and said, “See, you’re all good,” to Nabers.
While this certainly was an unconventional way of testing one of his wide receivers, it certainly did work out, as Nabers made six catches for 69 yards. After the game, he opened up about how he has “been fighting a battle” and was happy to give it his all on the field.
The No. 6 overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft tore his ACL and meniscus in Week 4 last season, the same game where Dart made his debut; he underwent surgery on October 28, 2025, and has been rehabilitating since then. He also underwent a second “clean-up” procedure in the offseason to remove scar tissue causing knee stiffness.
After two surgeries, Nabers skipped the PUP list and practiced fully on Wednesday. He addressed the injury on August 31 and said that he was “healthy enough to play all four quarters.” Harbaugh commented on the Pro Bowler’s readiness before the game as well, thinking that he was “ready to go.”
But after Sunday’s performance, Harbaugh was extremely pleased with Nabers. Although he didn’t mention Nabers’ pregame shenanigans, as Dart did, Harbaugh emphasized that Nabers needed to feel confident.
“He had been cleared medically, but he had to feel right,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He had to feel like he was ready to go and could protect himself and perform the way he wanted, and he did.”
Harbaugh led the Giants to their first victory this season. With him also being new to the team’s traditions, this win was “really special” to him because the team believed in him. He also ranked this victory No. 1 among his 205 victories in the NFL, as the win was “the one right now.” He also recalled how his father, Jack, says, “You never had a better win than that” after every game Harbaugh wins, but noted that this time he “might be true.”
It was certainly a huge win from Harbaugh’s perspective, reinforcing his early belief that the team trusted him. Dart echoed that sentiment when he told the media how much respect the team has for Harbaugh, and “will do whatever he says” because they have faith that he will put them “in the best situation.”
Giants owner John Mara also presented Harbaugh with a game ball, mentioning “his first victory as New York Giants head coach.”
Harbaugh’s Super Bowl pedigree and unconventional tactics signal his commitment to the Giants. His willingness to tackle Nabers before his return shows he’s already invested in the team’s success.