The New York Giants expected momentum. Instead, they found friction. What began as a promising pursuit of John Harbaugh has slowed to a crawl, not because of money or contract length, but because of who would ultimately hold the power inside the building.
For a franchise searching for direction, Harbaugh represented credibility and stability. His rsum speaks for itself, built on more than a decade of consistency and accountability in Baltimore. The Giants were ready to move quickly. The problem is that Harbaugh was ready to move carefully.
Jaxson Dart blunt response when asked about Giants future
According to reporting from the New York Daily News, internal tension has surfaced over how the Giants’ leadership would be structured if Harbaugh arrives. At the center of it is general manager Joe Schoen, and how much control he would retain under a new head coach with strong ideas about roster construction.
“There still is a lot to work through…
From there, the conversation shifts from interest to leverage. Harbaugh has plenty of it.
John Harbaugh: A coach used to having a voice
Harbaugh’s time with the Baltimore Ravens shaped his expectations. He spent years working directly with respected executives like Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta, collaborating on personnel decisions rather than simply executing them. That model delivered results, and it is not something Harbaugh appears willing to abandon at this stage of his career.
League sources told the Daily News that Harbaugh is seeking significant authority, possibly including a reduction of Schoen’s role or a restructuring of the current front office. One source described negotiations as personal, suggesting the relationship between the two sides has become strained rather than procedural.
Complicating matters further are issues beyond the front office. Certain departments within the Giants organization, including training, video, and public relations, have remained largely untouched through past regime changes. These groups have longstanding ties to ownership, and any attempt by Harbaugh to bring in his own staff would likely create discomfort internally.
Multiple reports have indicated that Harbaugh’s arrival is not guaranteed, despite early optimism. The pause came when discussions moved from theory to contract language, and unresolved questions suddenly mattered more.
For the Giants, this is the crossroads. Commit fully to Harbaugh’s vision, or protect the existing structure and risk watching their top candidate walk away. For now, the deal remains unsigned, and the power struggle unresolved.
