Jan. 24, 2026, 8:01 a.m. ET
The NFL coaching carousel is in full swing, and a total of 10 teams will be making changes this offseason, including the New York Giants.
They’re already done, though, as they knocked over the first domino by hiring John Harbaugh, whom the Baltimore Ravens dismissed after 18 seasons.
Harbaugh didn’t last long on the market — the Giants made sure of that. To lure Harbaugh into the fold, they had to cede some organizational power to him. They also had to blow him away financially.
They managed to do both. Harbaugh will now have a say in personnel, a departure from the Giants’ century-long way of doing things, and his new contract puts him at the top of the market.
From Sportico:
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The New York Giants signed Harbaugh to a five-year deal worth roughly $100 million, tying the Kansas City Chiefs’ Andy Reid as the highest-paid coach in American sports by average annual value (AAV). Harbaugh joined Reid and Bill Belichick as the only U.S. coaches to ever reach the $20 million club.
For those who are miffed at the way Harbaugh’s Baltimore exit went, they should take a deep breath. He’s landed on his feet and may end up having more success in New York than he would have had in Baltimore.
Harbaugh is now being paid more than the other recent high-profile NFL coaching hires, such as Denver’s Sean Payton ($18 million AAV) and John’s brother, Jim, who is the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers ($16 million).
