New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that he left a message for Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk as part of the team’s trade-deadline efforts, emphasizing that the organization remains open to conversations with anyone.
Harbaugh said trade discussions are not his primary focus during the bye, noting that general manager Joe Schoen and the front office handle most of those calls.
When asked directly about contacting Strunk, he acknowledged doing so in an attempt to explore every available option.
"I did, I did. I left a message because you're turning over every stone, going to try everything," Harbaugh said. "I mean, I'll put it out there, man. We're open for any call. Anybody who wants to call us or call anybody,
call."
That call drew anonymous criticism around the league, but the Giants coach shrugged it off.
Harbaugh said that the Giants do not follow any informal restrictions on who can speak with whom across the league. He said he never spoke directly with Strunk and framed the outreach as part of a broader willingness to pursue information from any source.
"We're not part of any secret society oath that says you can only talk to somebody. We're not in that. We didn't get memoed on that. We're not in that agreement," Harbaugh said. "So, like I said, anybody can call us. We won't be adhering to that particular agreement."
Harbaugh indicated the team will continue evaluating opportunities while keeping its focus on preparation for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' John Harbaugh says he's not bound by 'secret society oath' after Titans call
