The New York Giants have entered the most critical phase of their offseason, and if there was any doubt about general manager Joe Schoen’s commitment to landing a big fish, those doubts should be silenced now.
On a recent exclusive episode of Fireside Giants, I sat down with NFL insider Ian O’Connor of The Athletic, who dropped a nugget regarding the team’s pursuit of John Harbaugh.
Giants GM Joe Schoen’s ‘Relentless’ Pursuit
According to O’Connor, Schoen has been “relentlessly” recruiting the former Super Bowl-winning head coach.
“John Harbaugh is the most likely candidate where Joe Schoen is going to have to take a backseat, and Schoen knows that… and yet, my understanding is, he’s been relentless in recruiting Harbaugh.
“… They know that John Harbaugh has to have some say over that roster. It doesn’t make sense to pay him $18-21M per year and not give him what he wants to win successfully, so I suspect those conversations have already been had.”
The most telling aspect of O’Connor’s report is Schoen’s willingness to check his ego at the door for the betterment of Big Blue. O’Connor noted that Harbaugh is likely the one candidate where Schoen would “have to take a backseat” regarding roster construction—a reality the GM is fully aware of.
Despite the potential loss of personnel power, Schoen’s pursuit has been described as “relentless,” proving he understands that Harbaugh’s championship pedigree (180 regular-season wins, 13-11 postseason record) is exactly what this organization needs to stabilize.
It’s a bold move for a sitting GM to actively court a coach who would command such authority, but it underscores just how eager the Giants are to bring Harbaugh in.
The Mutual Interest: Why Harbaugh Wants Big Blue
The interest isn’t one-sided; the allure of the New York Giants’ job is stronger than many national pundits realize.
O’Connor revealed that Harbaugh has a deep respect for the Mara family and views the Giants as a “storied franchise” capable of adding a significant chapter to his legacy.
“When you have a dynamic young quarterback in the biggest market in the country, with a franchise that is considered a storied franchise… An owner who’s respected all over the league in John Mara. That’s a pretty good combination, so I think it’s a strong lure for Harbaugh.
“…I think that Harbaugh has the Giants at the top of his list right now. That could change, though. He’s studying the tape as we speak.”
The Jaxson Dart Factor
Harbaugh is studying promising young quarterback Jaxson Dart and likes what he sees. Dart flashed promise as a rookie, racking up 25 total TDs with just five INTs.
With a dynamic quarterback in place and an owner in John Mara who commands league-wide respect, O’Connor labeled the Giants as the current “leaders in the clubhouse” for Harbaugh’s services.
Closing the Deal
As we look ahead to what could be a fast-moving process, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
While teams like Atlanta offer an easier path to a division title in the NFC South, the Giants offer the biggest stage and the chance to resurrect a flagship NFL franchise.
O’Connor mentioned that Harbaugh will likely whittle his list down to three finalists soon, but with Schoen aggressively pushing for a deal, it feels like New York is positioning itself to close the deal.
If Schoen pulls this off, it won’t just be a home run hire—it could be the moment the Giants officially turned the corner.
This article just barely scratches the surface of the information that O’Connor shared in my conversation with him. To hear the full conversation, check out the Fireside Giants podcast, which can be found on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.