The New York Giants’ coaching search has centered on a high-stakes pursuit of John Harbaugh, but they face intense competition around the league.
Emerging from the competition is the presence of the Atlanta Falcons, who are also hot on the pursuit of Harbaugh. As Harbaugh plans to make his rounds this week before coming to a decision on where he will be coaching next, one report suggests that Atlanta and New York are the two finalists.
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Atlanta Falcons Threaten Giants’ Pursuit of John Harbaugh
According to SNY’s Connor Hughes, there is a “belief” among other coaching candidates that John Harbaugh will land with either the Giants or the Atlanta Falcons.
“The Atlanta Falcons are a team to monitor, sources said,” Hughes reported. “There is belief amongst other coaching candidates that it’s the Giants and Falcons for Harbaugh, with the loser of those sweepstakes landing Kevin Stefanski.
“The Miami Dolphins have Harbaugh interest, too, although they already made their general manager decision (Jon-Eric Sullivan). There could be additional vacancies opening after Wild Card Weekend.”
Hughes mentions the Giants, Falcons, and Dolphins as top landing spots for Harbaugh, with some in league circles believing Atlanta and New York will be the finalists.
The Falcons offer a win-now roster featuring young star playmakers like Bijan Robinson and Drake London, competing in a weak NFC South that was just won with an 8-9 record. Harbaugh might be attracted to the opportunity as he could see the 8-9 Falcons as an overnight rebuild.
Competing in the NFC South, Harbaugh would have a chance to immediately clinch a postseason berth with the Falcons, whereas that task might be more challenging for the Giants in the competitive NFC East.
Ian O’Connor of The Athletic reported something similar during a recent interview on the Fireside Giants podcast:
“The one team that I look at that might scare me, maybe more than others, would be Atlanta, simply because Matt Ryan is there now. I think that’s attractive to John Harbaugh,” O’Connor said. “Obviously, [Bijan] Robinson is an all-world running back. You’ve got also really, maybe more importantly, the easiest road to a division championship. So if Harbaugh is looking to give himself the best chance next year to win a division, that division was just won with an 8-9 record.
“…I think it’s right now those five franchises you’re looking at, the Giants, the Falcons, the Titans, the Dolphins, and the Browns. My suspicion is he will try to whittle that down to about three and then make those visits.”
The Falcons announced on Monday afternoon that they had completed an interview with Harbaugh, his first interview of this cycle.
Giants Have a Fallback Option
Kevin Stefanski has emerged as the clear Plan B for Big Blue. The presence of Stefanski as a secondary option suggests a strategy focused on established NFL experience rather than another first-time coordinator.
If Harbaugh opts for Atlanta, the Giants could pivot immediately to Stefanski. Despite back-to-back losing seasons in Cleveland (3–14 in 2024 and 5–12 in 2025), Stefanski remains highly regarded for his two NFL Coach of the Year awards and his ability to maintain competitive offensive units despite starting 13 different quarterbacks during his Browns tenure.