John Harbaugh has known Giants co-owner John Mara for years from their time on the NFL Competition Committee and felt his longing for bringing a world championship to New York.
On Tuesday, Harbaugh promised to be part of that mission as he joined the organization with a five-year deal reportedly worth $100 million.
After 18 seasons with the Ravens, Harbaugh was fired less than two weeks ago. He said he is ready to build a physical and tough roster and never considered taking a year off because he felt like he “didn’t have time.”
“What an honor,” Harbaugh said at his introductory press conference on Tuesday. “They say New York is a different kind of place. I would say it’s probably true, man. … One of the most iconic franchises in all of sports. I wanted this job. To be on the biggest stage in the biggest sport. I know the challenges, I understand the expectations.”
Harbaugh said the talent on the existing roster was part of what made the vacancy attractive. He did exhaustive research, from Eli Manning to current quarterback Jaxson Dart, and felt general manager Joe Schoen’s commitment to collaboration.
Harbaugh said it was “a joy” to talk football with Schoen, who hired Brian Daboll and then became charged with replacing him in November when Mara and co-owner Steve Tisch made a decision to part with Daboll.
Harbaugh plans to build the best coaching staff he can, which could mean taking existing coaches from the current staff, his previous staff in Baltimore and elsewhere to find “the best teachers” for Dart and others.
“You build your team around your quarterback. You build around your players and what you do well,” Harbaugh said. “I like him as a quarterback. I like him as a person, what he’s all about. He’s all about football.”
Schoen said the Giants wanted a “proven winner and elite leader” and found both in Harbaugh.
“He’s a proven winner. When we set out to do this, we knew John was going to be the perfect person for the New York Giants,” Schoen said.
Several players lined the back of the room at the press conference on Tuesday.
As for changing the culture and a timeframe for competing in the NFC, Harbaugh said the individual will required to bring together a shared mission starts immediately.
“Change can be good,” Harbaugh said of the feedback he received from a former boss, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. “One of the things, the football principles are self-evident truths. Eighteen years, 42 years whatever it is. They’re not compromised. You always have them. The methods — those things are like drawing in the dirt. Play calls, defensive schemes, blitz patterns, how you lift weights. Those things are all going to change and continue to change every single day”
