Wednesday night marked one of the most groundbreaking moments in New York Giants' franchise history. The news may have broken pretty late at night, but it didn't change the impact, as Giants fans everywhere were waiting patiently for the John Harbaugh rumors to become a reality, and they did.
Big Blue is one of the NFL's premier franchises, but it has also been one of the worst since moving on from Tom Coughlin. Even still, they managed to land the most coveted head coach on the market because the front office knew he wa was the exact leader they'd been waiting for.
Under Harbaugh, the Giants' culture will reset basically overnight, which is long overdue. They have made the playoffs just twice in the last decade, but the G-Men have the young talent to return to the postseason in 2026, especially since he's planning to bring his guys with him.
There aren't many losers from a swing this big, but there are still some. With that said, here's who benefits and who doesn't from the Harbaugh hire.
Who stands the most and least to benefit from the John Harbaugh hire?
Winner: Our mental state
After having to live through a revolving door at head coach in recent seasons, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. Guys like Joe Judge, Ben McAdoo, and Brian Daboll don't even hold a candle to the Super Bowl-winning head coach, and he is well-suited to complete the rebuild in New York.
If there's one word that describes Harbaugh, it's a winner. He took the Ravens to the playoffs in 12 of his 18 seasons at the helm and six of the last eight years. There's been talk of him not being able to elevate this team to contender status, but at the very least, he'll make this team watchable again.
Loser: Charlie Bullen
Despite being dealt the worst hand possible as a first-time play-caller, Charlie Bullen did a solid job as interim DC in New York. Across the final four weeks of 2025, the Giants' defense ranked fourth in the NFL EPA per play and sixth in EPA per dropback, which is a big improvement after the Shane Bowen fiasco.
He also has the support of some of the players, but that doesn't really move the needle much. Harbaugh apparently wants to bring his own DC with him, and Anthony Weaver is the early frontrunner, which led him to consider turning heel by interviewing with the Giants' biggest rival.
Winner: Jaxson Dart
Fresh off an impressive rookie season, Dart keeps winning. Apparently, he was the one who got the Giants' pursuit of the 63-year-old over the finish line because he wants to work with him. And for a coach who spent his last eight seasons coaching Lamar Jackson, that's a big compliment.
The development of the Ole Miss product is becoming the priority in New York, which is nice. Additionally, if the rumors are true that Harbaugh is bringing Todd Monken with him to call plays, he'll have a play-caller who helped Jackson win an MVP working to continue his rapid ascension.
Loser: Jalin Hyatt
Now that Harbaugh's coming in, some of the biggest changes he'll be making are to the personnel. As mentioned, setting Dart up for success is imperative, and that starts with adding some pass-catchers beyond the injured Malik Nabers, especially since Wan'Dale Robinson is set to cash in in free agency.
The Tennessee product has been holding on for dear life in New York for a while now, and the coaching change could be what does him in. Harbaugh will need to get rid of the dead weight on the roster, and a potential trade for Baltimore's Rashod Bateman could put the nail in the coffin for Hyatt.
Winner: John Mara:
John Mara has made a laundry list of bad decisions over the years running the franchise, but he's finally in touch with what the fanbase wants. Then again, keeping Joe Schoen is proving his stubbornness, but hiring Harbaugh was so obvious that it was a decision even he couldn't ignore.
His meddling in front-office decisions is the primary reason the Giants have been a dumpster fire for so long, but hiring Harbaugh means that he's relinquishing all control to him. The veteran head coach is the one calling the shots, so it's nice to finally put his ego aside for the sake of the organization.
Loser: Joe Schoen
One of the biggest mysteries in football right now is how Schoen still has a job, because frankly, he doesn't deserve it. Other than being a yes man for Mara and a buffer between him and Harbaugh, this front office has no use for him after four incredibly disappointing seasons of him calling the shots.
When Harbaugh was hired, there was talk of the 46-year-old being fired, but that's been debunked... for now. The Jaguars fired Trent Baalke for James Gladstone after firing Liam Coen, so if Harbaugh really wants to work with a new GM, it'll turn a sitting duck executive into a fired GM in one fell swoop.
Winner: Deonte Banks
Like Hyatt, Deonte Banks is another Giants player on the chopping block, but unlike his fellow 2023 draftee, he has provided value to this team in the past. Bowen derailed his career momentum after a promising rookie year, but a new coaching staff can revive a career on life support.
Additionally, the Maryland product has proved his worth in other areas of the field. Despite some struggles in coverage, he's developed into a viable return man, which is something that could at least see him play out the remainder of his rookie deal in blue and white.