As has been the case for well over a decade, veteran special teams coordinator Chris Horton will be coaching alongside John Harbaugh.
Horton, a former Washington Redskins defensive back, followed Harbaugh to the New York Giants earlier this offseason. The 41-year-old Horton has worked for Harbaugh since 2014, when he joined the Ravens as their assistant special teams coach.
Horton earned a promotion to special teams coordinator in 2019, eventually rising to become Harbaugh’s “right-hand man.”
“That comes with a lot of responsibility,” Horton told former Giants offensive lineman Shaun O’Hara on “The Drive” podcast. “That comes with a lot of trust. It comes with a lot of understanding of getting the message across to everyone and making sure that we’re on the same page.”
What to know about New York Giants special teams coordinator Chris Horton
A 2008 seventh-round pick from UCLA, Horton earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors and became a pivotal part of Washington’s secondary that year. However, Washington cut him in September 2011 ahead of his second year playing for Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett.
Horton isn’t unfamiliar with the G-Men, having spent the 2012 preseason with Big Blue. When the Giants cut him that summer, Horton returned to UCLA as a quality control assistant and made the full-time transition to coaching.
In addition to serving as the Giants’ special teams coordinator and assistant head coach, Horton arrives in New York after working with legendary specialists like Hall of Fame returner Devin Hester and five-time first-team All-Pro kicker Justin Tucker.
The good news for Horton is that Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen emphasized special teams this offseason. Although new kicker Jason Sanders missed all of last year with a hip injury, his 90.2% field goal rate for the Dolphins in 2024 was his highest in five years.
Jordan Stout, who earned All-Pro honors in Baltimore last year, left the Ravens to reunite with Harbaugh and Horton. Stout’s 44.9 net average per punt led the league, and his three-year, $12.3 million contract makes him the league’s highest-paid punter.
“They’re all good players when they walk in here, and you just make sure that you hold them to the standard,” Horton said. “There’s a lot of — some people call it pressure. I just say, man, you just got to go out there, and you’ve got [to] do your job because their job requires a lot.”