The John Harbaugh Sweepstakes are heating up as the New York Giants compete with over half a dozen other NFL teams to hire the former Baltimore Ravens head coach.
Plenty of rumors and speculation have surrounded Harbaugh amidst this unfolding news cycle. Some reports indicated that Harbaugh might want to hand-pick his own general manager — a potential conflict for the Giants, who just recently confirmed Joe Schoen would remain in that position. However, Schoen could be willing to adjust his role to secure Harbaugh.
On a recent exclusive episode of Fireside Giants, I sat down with NFL insider Ian O’Connor of The Athletic, who provided some clarity on Joe Schoen’s role in the recruitment of John Harbaugh.
Giants GM Could Undergo Role Adjustment to Secure John Harbaugh
The Giants confirmed at the start of this offseason that Schoen will remain the team’s general manager despite their poor record over the last three seasons and the overwhelming disapproval from the fan base. But, amidst their pursuit of Harbaugh, there has been speculation that the former Ravens head coach could require his own general manager, potentially leading to a role change or removal of Schoen.
O’Connor confirmed that Schoen could “adjust his role” to secure Harbaugh and explained that the Giants’ GM is not getting in the way of the Harbaugh hire by any means.
“Joe Schoen was smart enough to survive 13-38 the last three years… He’s also smart enough to know if the same people who spared him now want to hire John Harbaugh… he’s not getting in the way of that.
“They may decide they have to make a change to make this happen, then they’ll do it. I think Joe Schoen is smart enough to adjust his role,” O’Connor shared.
The notion that a general manager could adjust their role in order to secure the right head coach is not completely unfounded. In the 2023 offseason, Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio stated that he was willing to change his role within the organization in order to hire “the right guy.” Granted, he did not need to change his role, but there was a willingness.
Schoen might have a similar willingness this time around as the Giants pursue a coach in Harbaugh, who will undoubtedly require a level of control over the roster.
“And if you’re Joe Schoen, happy that you still are employed by the New York Giants and understanding that this is a special set of circumstances here with this candidate, I think he’d be willing to share the authority,” O’Connor stated. “I don’t know what the contract language would be, but there would be an understanding that you have to play ball here. And my guess is that Joe Schoen would play ball.”
Joe Schoen Has Been a “Relentless Recruiter” of John Harbaugh
Despite a potential role adjustment, O’Connor reports that Schoen has been “relentlessly” recruiting Harbaugh to join the Giants this offseason.
“Let me say this: [Schoen] has been a relentless recruiter in this process. Why would he do that? He knows that this conversation is coming if John Harbaugh is the guy,” O’Connor explained. “…[John Harbaugh] is the most likely candidate where Joe is going to have to take a backseat, right? And Schoen knows that. He’s been around the league long enough. He knows how things work. And yet, my understanding is he’s been relentless in recruiting him.
“To me, if I’m a Giants fan looking at this, worried about, okay, what does this mean for Schoen? And would the Giants actually take a pass on Harbaugh because they want to protect Shane? Those conversations have likely already happened because everybody knows the deal here,” O’Connor explained.
“John Harbaugh has to have some say over that roster. It doesn’t make any sense to pay him $18 to 21 million a year, whatever it turns out to be, and to bring in a coach that accomplished and not give him what he wants to win consistently. I suspect those conversations have already been had.”
Any possible relief of authority is not preventing Schoen from pursuing and recruiting Harbaugh — welcomed news for Giants fans. Both Schoen and the rest of the Giants’ brass understand that Harbaugh will want authority and control of the roster, and they are willing to give him what he wants.
Will the Giants Land Harbaugh?
The next phase of the John Harbaugh Sweepstakes is kicking off this week. Last week, teams began courting Harbaugh, reaching out to gauge his interest. The Giants are among a slew of teams in that mix, including but not limited to the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, and Miami Dolphins, among others.
This week, Harbaugh will begin interviewing with interested teams before making a decision on his future. The interest between Harbaugh and the Giants is mutual, so now it is up to Schoen and company to get the deal done.
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