Looking at three likely candidates for the next New York Giants head coach job, including John Harbaugh.
Even though the regular season just ended and the NFL Playoff schedule is about to get started, there is still a lot of musical chairs going on around the league. The next New York Giants head coach job has been one of the most covered gigs over the last few weeks. With the Giants having what they believe to be their franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart and a stud young running back in Cam Skattebo, there are reasons to believe in this team.
While there is still plenty to fix in East Rutherford, plenty of coaches are still salivating at the opportunity to be the one to turn this team around. These are the three most likely New York Giants head coach candidates.
Likely New York Giants Head Coach Candidates | New York Giants Rumors
John Harbaugh | Former Ravens HC
The moment John Harbaugh was let go by the Baltimore Ravens, he instantly became the most sought-after coach in the league. While his time with the Ravens ended poorly, he has a resume that no other possible candidates can even touch. He is a true head coach and has a knack for making sure his team is on solid ground. While he may not be a Bill Belichick-type coach who has only ever won, the Ravens were always in contention under his watch.
For a team like the New York Giants, Harbaugh is the perfect fit. Since parting ways with Tom Coughlin in 2015, the Giants have had six coaches in 10 years and have never struck gold. They need a complete culture reset, and Harbaugh would give that to them. The best part about Harbaugh will be his expertise in special teams. He was brought in to Baltimore as a special teams specialist, and under his watch, the Ravens became one of the most consistently solid units in the NFL. While offense and defense are big parts of the game, special teams can be just as important at times. If they can shore up that part of their game, they’ll be a tough team to beat.
Kevin Stefanski | Former Browns HC
Much like with John Harbaugh, the moment Kevin Stefanski was relieved of his duties by the Cleveland Browns, he quickly became one of the top options for multiple head coaching vacancies. The New York Giants head coach position is no different. Although many NFL fans likely group him with the complete dumpster fire that is the Browns, the team started really well under his care until the Browns made their infamously bad trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson. In his first year with the Browns, Stefanski led them to an 11-5 record and a playoff win, culminating in him winning Coach of the Year honors. He went about .500 for the next two years before a 11-6 record in 2023 that led to another playoff berth and his second Coach of the Year award.
The stink of Cleveland is so bad that fans are completely discounting a two-time winner of Coach of the Year. Kevin Stefanski himself may admit to having done things differently if it was up to him, but again, the big issue that handicapped his team had nothing to do with him. Stefanski is a great offensive mind who would make a great offensive pairing with Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo. With the hiring of the right coordinator, they could have one of the better minds in all of the NFL on both sides of the ball. With a chance at a fresh start and no Deshaun Watson to get in his way, the New York Giants job could be the perfect fit for Kevin Stefanski.
Jeff Hafley | Packers DC
Until the firings of Harbaugh and Stefanski, it was largely expected that Jeff Hafley would be the heavy favorite to take the New York Giants job. Born and raised on the East Coast, Hafley just fits with the New York identity. While the past two years as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers are his only experience as a coordinator at the NFL level, he has thrived in his role. Even though some will balk at how badly his defense was gashed by the Baltimore Ravens, he deserves a lot of credit for how his defense has played at the tail end of the season without the services of Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt.
The best part about Hafley is that he would bring a sort of tenacity that the Giants have been missing for quite some time. In addition, the Giants’ defense has some really good players that Hafley could definitely get the best out of. With Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence, the Giants aren’t many pieces away from having a very scary defense. With plenty of young talent on the offensive side of the ball, the Giants could become a solid team real quick under Hafley’s leadership.
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