It might be the Giants’ biggest win since Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.
John Harbaugh is coming to New York.
The Giants are expected to hire Harbaugh as their next head coach, according to a report late Wednesday night by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Giants became the first team to hold an in-person interview with Harbaugh on Wednesday. And while Harbaugh flew home to Baltimore in the evening, negotiations continued and a deal is expected to be finalized barring a setback.
Harbaugh, 63, is arguably the best head coach on the open market since Andy Reid left the Eagles in 2013. Harbaugh ranks 14th all-time with 180 wins, which he racked up over the past 18 seasons with the Ravens. He led Baltimore to its second Super Bowl title in 2013, won the AFC North division title six times, and made the playoffs 12 times.
He brings the type of credibility and leadership that has eluded the Giants since they parted ways with two-time Super Bowl champion Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season.
Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll had a combined record of 52-101-1 as the Giants’ head coaches over the past 10 seasons.
Harbaugh reportedly had a chance to meet Wednesday at the Giants’ facility in East Rutherford with quarterback Jaxson Dart, who was undoubtedly a major selling point in the opportunity to restore one of the NFL’s flagship franchises back to prominence.
Although eight other NFL teams have head coach vacancies, only the Falcons and Titans have been viewed as serious threats to the Giants’ relentless pursuit of Harbaugh. The Falcons met virtually with Harbaugh on Monday, while the Titans were scheduled to meet with Harbaugh at his Baltimore home on Thursday.
But it appears as though the Giants and Harbaugh are determined to finalize the numbers on a contract that could go down as a seminal moment in Big Blue history.