There's no doubt that former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is one of, if not the best, candidates available this offseason, and several franchises with vacant head coaching jobs would love to have the former Super Bowl champion leading their team next season.
Several teams, including the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans, have already expressed interest in the 63-year-old as their next head coach, but that doesn't necessarily mean he would be a good fit. Harbaugh is looking for significant control of his next team, and not every team is willing to give him that much power.
Tony Grossi of ESPN reported that Harbaugh is reportedly seeking around $20 million annually, a $10 million staff budget, total roster authority, and the ability to choose his own general manager. He is also prioritizing teams with strong quarterback situations and significant draft capital.
John Harbaugh wants his next team to literally go the extra mile for him
The Giants check off many of the boxes Harbaugh is looking for in his next team; the question is how much freedom the Mara and Tisch families would give him and how far they would let him go in making significant changes within the organization.
What many teams need to realize is that Harbaugh is also operating on his own terms, meaning he will meet with teams when he is ready. That may also require teams interested in hiring Harbaugh to conduct interviews from his home in Baltimore rather than have him travel to their facilities.
As of now, the Falcons are the only known team to have interviewed Harbaugh, who met with the former Ravens head coach on Monday. Atlanta, along with the Giants, is considered the frontrunner to land Harbaugh.
The one thing that stands out for the Falcons is that they currently do not have a general manager, either, and recently hired former quarterback Matt Ryan as the franchise's new president, who will likely lead the search for the next head coach.
The Giants, on the other hand, have met with Harbaugh before his interview with the Falcons. Ian O'Connor of The Athletic reported that Giants executive Chris Mara, brother of the franchise's owner, John, met with Harbaugh at his house in Baltimore on Sunday, and both sides are very interested.
Giants executive Chris Mara told @TheAthletic that he met John Harbaugh for lunch Sunday and had an informal meeting at the coach's house. People on both sides say Harbaugh remains very interested in the Giants job.
— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) January 13, 2026
The interesting thing about Mara's informal meeting with Harbaugh at Harbaugh's house in Baltimore is that general manager Joe Schoen did not make the trip, which means that if he were to sign with the Giants, it could result in a change in the front office.
Harbaugh is not the end-all be-all for the G-Men, as they have already met with several impressive candidates and still plan to meet with more. Still, most Big Blue fans would like to see Harbaugh interviewed and would be lying to you if they told you they wouldn't want to see him get the job.