Following his abrupt departure from the Ravens, John Harbaugh quickly found himself back to work. His new challenge now places him in the NFC, specifically at the helm of the New York Giants. While he knows turning the franchise around won’t be easy, the first step will be aiming to take down one of the team’s longtime rivals.
The message was clear and aimed at one specific target: the Philadelphia Eagles. While the coach understands that winning the NFC East will also require getting past the Commanders and the Cowboys, measuring up to Philly would put the Giants on an entirely different level.
“It starts with the Eagles. I mean, let’s just be honest about it. The Eagles are defending champs,” Harbaugh said on The Howard Eskin Show. “I remember when my dad would tell us that when Bo Schembechler took the job at Michigan in 1969, when Michigan was down and Ohio State was the reigning national champion.
“It was like, we have to beat Ohio State. Everything we do, every decision we make, is with his Ohio State in mind. And they ended up building a team like Ohio State. And they beat them the very first year.“
He also added: “So, you gotta build a team to beat the Eagles. Yeah, you gotta beat the Commanders and you gotta beat the Cowboys, but the Eagles are the champs. So, we have to build a team to beat the Eagles. And everything we do, every practice we have, every film session will be with that in mind.”
Young talent ready to break out for the Giants
John Harbaugh’s arrival as the new head coach of the New York Giants marks a seismic shift in the NFC East, as he inherits a young, high-upside roster primed for a 2026 breakout.
With a healthy Malik Nabers returning to anchor the receiving corps and the physical, “hammer” running style of Cam Skattebo providing a reliable ground game, Harbaugh has the tools to implement a tough, disciplined culture in East Rutherford.
Most importantly, the development of rookie standout Jaxson Dart—who showed flashes of elite dual-threat ability in 2025—gives Harbaugh a dynamic centerpiece to build around, positioning the Giants as a legitimate threat to dethrone their division rivals.