It's pretty clear to see why the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh as their new head coach. He can offer an illustrious-but-lifeless franchise something they are in desperate need of: consistency. And that level of stability is something the Giants haven't seen since Tom Coughlin was their head coach.
Going from Brian Daboll to Harbaugh is essentially going from one extreme to the other, and it's certainly going to be interesting to see how the Giants handle this. On paper, they should be one of the most interesting teams in football in 2026, at least from the storylines that'll come with the Harbaugh era.
Unfortunately, this ragtag group of misfits is starting to get misunderstood by some. Not everyone sees them as particularly intriguing television. And that list includes ESPN’s Ben Solak, who ranked Big Blue 23rd while ranking all 32 NFL teams by watchability and excitement.
The New York Giants are receiving a label they clearly do not deserve
I don't know about you, but the Giants seem pretty interesting to me. A new head coach who's a proven winner and is tasked with resetting the culture of a premier franchise? While having to deal with the lofty expectations of the New York media? That sounds like a reality show waiting to happen.
After the coaching debacle of last season, the new coaching staff is only half of what makes this team watchable. Once you dive into the roster, you have plenty of reasons to tune in. A young, improving QB in Jaxson Dart, a fan favorite RB in Cam Skattebo, one of the NFL's best young wideouts in Malik Nabers. This offense has the personnel to light fireworks if everything clicks.
Even guys like Isaiah Likely and Malachi Fields are interesting. But the defense is where it really gets good. Even though Solak believes this defense will be a drag without Dexter Lawrence, Dennard Wilson’s unit could actually be the defining characteristic of this team in 2026. And while defense doesn’t offer the same spark as offense, an improved unit could make this team even more interesting.
Between Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Brian Burns, the pass-rushing group is one of the NFL's best--and it'll be plenty intriguing to see how Arvell Reese fares as a rookie. And don’t even get me started on the secondary, because it sounds like Deonte Banks could finally be headed for his redemption season.
Solak’s assessment seems to overlook one thing: the Giants don’t need to be Lions-level exciting to be watchable. The G-Men are laying the foundation in Year 1 of the Harbaugh era, and nobody says they need to be Super Bowl contenders in 2026 to make for interesting television.
Between one of the most respected head coaches in football in John Harbaugh and an entirely new coaching staff working with a talented young roster, it’s hard to say the Giants won’t be interesting in 2026. Playoffs or not, there will be plenty worth watching in Year 1 of the Harbaugh era.
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