John Harbaugh moved quickly to install Matt Nagy as the New York Giants' offensive coordinator this offseason and delivered a pointed message that addressed Nagy's recent professional setbacks head-on.
After Todd Monken accepted the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job, Harbaugh reached out to Nagy. The former Chicago Bears head coach and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator had been feeling low after missing out on head coaching opportunities in the most recent hiring cycle, including with the Tennessee Titans.
Those experiences added to scars from his 2018-21 tenure in Chicago and a mutual parting from Kansas City following a 5-11 season.
"Let's let those scars go to work..." Giants OC Matt Nagy was--by his own admission-- feeling pretty low.
He'd just missed out on all the jobs in the head coaching hiring cycle and was feeling some self-doubt about the whole experience. Where others saw someone different, John… pic.twitter.com/z4bAikrKeB
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 28, 2026
In a candid conversation, Harbaugh delivered a poignant message to Nagy.
"Let's let those scars go to work," Nagy recalls Harbaugh saying, adding that the exchange led to a swift decision.
"We had a very candid conversation, and within 24 hours he hired me," Nagy added.
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity and the confidence Harbaugh placed in him from the start.
"I'm so appreciative of coach Harbs for giving me an opportunity when the time came up," Nagy said. "He believed in me, and he understands that I am a coach that has scars."
The hire fit into a broader staff construction that also included Brian Callahan and Greg Roman.
Through the Giants' most recent three games, the offense has ranked seventh in yards per play at 5.8 while operating with J.J. McCarthy as the third starting quarterback of the season.
Nagy's comments underscored how the quick process and Harbaugh's direct approach reshaped his outlook heading into the role.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' John Harbaugh had poignant message for Matt Nagy before hiring
