John Harbaugh has officially turned the page to a new era for the New York Giants’ defense. In an exclusive interview with Ian O’Connor of The Athletic, Harbaugh revealed that he spoke “at length” with former Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan about the defensive coordinator vacancy before ultimately landing on Dennard Wilson for the job.
The Rex Ryan “What If?”
The conversation with Rex Ryan wasn’t just a courtesy call; Harbaugh viewed his former Ravens assistant (2008) as a serious candidate to fix a unit that struggled to find its identity in 2025
“I talked to Rex about that job at length,” Harbaugh said, per O’Connor. “Rex is a guy I love and have a lot of respect for.”
Harbaugh noted his respect for Ryan, who led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championships as a head coach in 2009 and 2010. However, the 63-year-old Ryan hasn’t been on an NFL sideline since 2016.
While his presence would have brought an immediate alpha energy to the building, the Giants ultimately decided to go with a younger option who has been coaching more recently and earning his reputation as a rising star in the NFL.
| Season | Team | Position | Total Def. Rank | Rush Def. Rank | Notable Stat / Milestone |
| 2016 | BUF | Head Coach | 19th | 29th | Dismissed prior to Week 17. |
| 2015 | BUF | Head Coach | 19th | 16th | Inherited No. 4 defense; dropped to 19th. |
| 2014 | NYJ | Head Coach | 6th | 5th | Finished 4-12 despite elite run defense. |
| 2013 | NYJ | Head Coach | 11th | 3rd | Allowed league-low 3.4 yards per carry. |
| 2012 | NYJ | Head Coach | 8th | 26th | Ranked 2nd in NFL in passing yards allowed. |
| 2011 | NYJ | Head Coach | 5th | 13th | Darrelle Revis: 1st Team All-Pro. |
| 2010 | NYJ | Head Coach | 3rd | 3rd | Back-to-back AFC Championship appearances. |
| 2009 | NYJ | Head Coach | 1st | 8th | Allowed only 252.3 yards per game (best in NFL). |
| 2008 | BAL | Asst. HC / DC | 2nd | 3rd | Promoted by John Harbaugh; reached AFCCG. |
| 2006 | BAL | Def. Coordinator | 1st | 2nd | Ravens went 13-3; led NFL in takeaways (40). |
| 2005 | BAL | Def. Coordinator | 5th | 9th | First season as NFL Defensive Coordinator. |
| 1999-04 | BAL | Defensive Line | Top 5* | 1st | Assisted 2000 Ravens: NFL record for fewest pts. |
The Minter Recommendation
The deciding factor in Dennard Wilson’s favor was a glowing recommendation from Jesse Minter, the man who recently replaced John Harbaugh as the Ravens’ head coach.
“But Harbaugh decided on another former Ravens assistant of his, Dennard Wilson, after receiving a strong recommendation from his successor in Baltimore, Jesse Minter,” O’Connor added in his report.
By choosing Wilson over Ryan, Harbaugh is betting on the same defensive blueprint that led the Ravens to a league-best 16.5 points allowed per game just two seasons ago.
Dennard Wilson is the Right Hire for the Giants
Wilson arrives in East Rutherford with a reputation for transforming secondaries. In 2023, his Ravens unit allowed a league-low 5.9 yards per pass attempt, a staggering number that Wilson will look to replicate with the Giants’ young core.
| Season | Team | Position | Total Def. Rank | Pass Def. Rank | Notable Stat / Milestone |
| 2026 | NYG | Defensive Coordinator | — | — | Hired to implement “Baltimore North” system. |
| 2025 | TEN | Defensive Coordinator | 21st | 20th | Struggles tied to league-high offensive turnovers. |
| 2024 | TEN | Defensive Coordinator | 2nd | 2nd | Titans’ best defensive yardage rank since 2000. |
| 2023 | BAL | Defensive Backs | 1st* | 6th | Triple Crown: 1st in Pts Allowed, Sacks, Takeaways. |
| 2022 | PHI | Pass Game Coord. / DBs | 2nd | 1st | Allowed NFL-low 179.8 passing yards per game. |
| 2021 | PHI | Defensive Backs | 10th | 11th | Allowed 5th-fewest explosive plays in NFL. |
| 2020 | NYJ | Pass Game Coord. / DBs | 24th | 28th | Marcus Maye: Career highs in TKL, PDEF, Sacks. |
| 2019 | NYJ | Pass Game Coord. / DBs | 16th | 17th | Jamal Adams: 1st Team All-Pro; 6.5 sacks. |
| 2017-18 | NYJ | Defensive Backs | 25th | 24th | Developed Adams/Maye into starting rookie duo. |
| 2015-16 | LAR | Defensive Backs | 9th | 10th | Stabilized unit during franchise move to LA. |
While Rex Ryan might have brought the headlines, Wilson brings the modern schematics to unlock a Giants defense that allowed over 2,470 rushing yards last season, proving that Harbaugh is building for the future, not the past.
Wilson had success most recently as the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, but he has been cutting his teeth and developing defensive backs for the last decade with different organizations and under several well-respected head coaches and defensive coordinators.
The Giants’ secondary underperformed and disappointed last season. The hope is that Wilson can step in and turn the unit around, leveraging the young, untapped talent in the defensive backfield and continuing to maximize the Giants’ pass-rushing strengths.
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