Feb. 1, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET
You don’t coach the same team for 18 years in the NFL and not garner any respect from your peers. That is the case for John Harbaugh, the former head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who has been hired in the same role with the New York Giants.
Ron Rivera, who was a linebacker on the Chicago Bears’ vaunted defense under Buddy Ryan that won the Super Bowl in 1985, is a huge proponent of Harbaugh’s and believes he’ll have a huge impact on the Giants.
“Oh, I think John can make a huge impact. I really do,” said Rivera, who served as a head coach in both Carolina and Washington in his career. “The biggest thing about Coach Harbaugh is he has a plan and an idea of how to do things. He knows how important that offensive coordinator is, so he’s interviewing people, looking forward to bringing in the kind [of] guy who will make the impact for (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart).
“This young man is very dynamic, understands football. And the thing that Coach Harbaugh said in his press conference that really reflects who Jaxson Dart is, ‘I want guys that love football.’ That’s one of the key things about finding the types that really fit into your system and style of football.”
Rivera served as an NFL head coach for 13 seasons, nine with the Panthers and four with Washington. He has a win-loss record of 102-103-2.
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