John Harbaugh watch: Where things stand in the NY Giants coaching search

Aggressive Giants await word on when they can meet with coach thought to be their primary target.

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What is the story about?

To use a basketball term, the New York Giants are putting the full-court press on John Harbaugh in their effort to convince him to become the team’s next head coach.

The latest twist is that Ian O’Connor of The Athletic reported Monday night

that Chris Mara, the team’s senior player personnel executive and brother of president and CEO John Mara, went to Harbaugh’s house on Sunday for lunch and an informal meeting.

O’Connor also reported that general manager Joe Schoen has “been in near-constant contact

with the coach’s camp.”

Harbaugh has not yet scheduled any full in-person interviews, though almost every team with an opening in interested in the former Baltimore Ravens coach. He did hold a virtual meeting on Monday with the Atlanta Falcons.

The lunch with Chris Mara is Harbaugh’s only known face-to-face contact with anyone from a team interested in making him their next head coach.

O’Connor reported that Harbaugh remains “very interested” in the Giants’ job, with the Falcons expected to be the biggest threat. Atlanta recently hired Matt Ryan as president of football, but has yet to replace fired general manager Terry Fontenot.

ESPN’s Jordan Ranaan listed the things Harbaugh is said to be looking for:

Strong quarterback situation. The Giants have Jaxson Dart. The Falcons have Michael Penix coming off a third ACL injury.
Draft capital. The Giants have the fifth pick in the 2026, but no second-round pick. The Falcons do not have a first-round pick, and don’t select until No. 48.
Salary cap space. Over The Cap currently shows the Giants with just more than $5 million in space based on an estimated 2026 cap of $295.5 million. That will grow when the Giants make a handful of salary cap cuts. New York is expected to have more than $100 million in 2027 cap space. The Falcons currently have an estimated $22 million in 2026 cap space.
Ownership, management structure and general manager. The Giants will score well here, despite what fans may think of Schoen. There have been no reports that Harbaugh would be reluctant to work with the Giants’ GM. O’Connor recently told Big Blue View that Harbaugh has “tremendous respect” for John Mara. Ranaan also reported that John Mara, who is battling cancer, has been well enough to participate in coaching interviews held at the Giants’ facility.

What else is going on?

The Giants will conclude their interview with former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on Tuesday. They will also conduct a virtual interview with Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who also interviewed for the head coaching job in 2022. The Giants have requested but not scheduled an interview with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula.