ExtremeRavens Posted Wednesday at 08:04 PM Posted Wednesday at 08:04 PM When there’s an available name with the gravitas and resume like John Harbaugh, the coaching carousel can spin quickly. Several teams with active coaches have already inquired. ESPN reported that nearly a quarter of the league’s teams called Harbaugh’s agent, Bryan Harlan, within 45 minutes of the Ravens firing their longtime coach. Among those teams in the market for a new leader is the New York Giants, who fired Brian Daboll in November after a 2-8 start. They reportedly wasted no time getting on the phone. From the Giants’ perspective, they look in the mirror and see a team 60 games under .500 since 2016, the last time they won at least 10 games. Then they look at Harbaugh, a pillar of stability who is 41 games over .500 in that same span. New York has tried and failed with four coaches since Tom Coughlin won a pair of Super Bowl titles. Stability is a priority. Harbaugh could be drawn to the Big Apple (New Jersey, more accurately) because of his appreciation for the history of the sport. His dad Jack was a college coach at Western Kentucky for many years while his brother, Jim, played and coaches in the NFL. The football family instilled a deep appreciation for the past. With that, Harbaugh sees the Giants as a legacy franchise carrying the kind of reputation that he’d likely prefer over a newer team with less investment. Harbaugh has a strong relationship with Giants president, CEO and co-owner John Mara. And New York isn’t completely bereft of talent. There’s a talented young quarterback in Jaxson Dart, a fiery rookie running back named Cam Skattebo and a foundation worth building on — those are important factors in Harbaugh’s decision-making process. The Giants also won all four of their Super Bowls with coaches of the same archetype as Harbaugh. Coughlin and Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, like Harbaugh, were equal parts passionate and dignified. It’s no surprise that New York is on a full-court press for another. Asked who the Giants should consider to be their next coach, wide receiver Darius Slayton told local reporters, “Somebody that’s Tom Coughlin-esque. I feel like he brought a lot of things to this organization. I think it’s no mistake why he won when he was here. “It was his personality and the way he went about his business. I think it takes a certain type of person to be a head coach in New York. It’s a tough job, obviously comes with a lot of scrutiny. But I think you need to have a certain disposition to get the job done effectively, and I feel like [Coughlin] probably embodies a lot of the qualities that we require now.” Harbaugh built a career record of 193-124 in Baltimore over 18 seasons, one of which ended hoisting a Lombardi Trophy. Although his tenure ended with a trifecta of Super Bowl-caliber teams sent home on one devastating play, he was the image of perennial contention in the NFL; an envy of the league. Now another team will have a shot at what Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti described as “a steadfast pillar of humility and leadership.” Harbaugh could certainly sit out a year, take a TV gig and wait for his pick of the litter in the next coaching cycle. But it seems more likely he’s eager to get back in the ring. On Wednesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said on the “Rich Eisen Show” that he believes that Harbaugh “will be very successful” if he chooses to coach elsewhere, but in today’s NFL, there’s “not a lot of patience in the entertainment component of what it is that we do. There’s just not a lot of longevity.” Jim Harbaugh told Chargers reporters that his older brother will be a head coach somewhere next year. “John is the best coach I know, the best coach I’ve ever seen,” he said Wednesday. “Whatever team he goes to is going to be formidable, and I just hope it’s in the NFC.” Geographically, the Browns would make sense. Harbaugh was born and spent part of his childhood in Toledo, Ohio. He grew up a Browns fan. Both his parents are from the Cleveland area. The AFC North rival would open up their wallet to land who would be their most high-profile coach in years. It could also mean a bi-annual reunion with the Ravens. The Titans would likely be willing to grant Harbaugh the most power of any interested franchise. Harbaugh, a CEO coach in Baltimore, would be a welcomed hire for the rocky three-win team in Tennessee. He’d also have his former defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson as his defensive coordinator. Harbaugh showed interest in replacing Mike Macdonald with Wilson before hiring Zach Orr. Like New York, the Titans have a talented young quarterback in former No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward and Harbaugh’s personality would mess well in Nashville. Since Tuesday evening, there’s been smoke wafting from Miami. Could the Dolphins move on from Mike McDaniel in favor of Harbaugh? Owner Stephen Ross, who has a close relationship with the former Ravens coach, already chose to retain McDaniel and fire general manger Chris Grier this season. Harbaugh’s firing has a chance to sway Miami decision makers. Ross has owned the Dolphins since 2009. In that span, the team hasn’t won a playoff game or a division title. They’ve tanked and tried to rebuild four times. Even with pieces of a talented roster, they’ve never been true contenders. The Dolphins would love a coach like Harbaugh who could at least coach them into contention. But are they willing to part ways with McDaniel, who seems a better fit in Miami than the guy 20 years his senior? Harbaugh’s Baltimore tenure ran its course. By all accounts, despite how it ended, he had a successful run that put him in fringe gold jacket territory. Now, one-fourth of the league is lining up for Harbaugh. He could be find a new home any day now. The carousel moves quickly. Baltimore Sun reporter Brian Wacker contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article Quote
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