The John Harbaugh era in New York is officially underway, and with it comes the expected mass turnover. Coaching staff shakeups, regime changes, new bodies coming into the building -- it’s all part of the process. But on Wednesday, Harbaugh’s plan to remake the Giants’ coaching staff hit its first real roadblock.
Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, several Giants coaches were told they won’t be returning next season, including special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial. That wasn’t exactly surprising given the unit’s never-ending struggles, but Harbs already had a solution in mind... and it came from his old stomping grounds in Baltimore.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo reported general manager Eric DeCosta and the Ravens have blocked special teams coordinator Chris Horton from making a lateral move to East Rutherford:
#Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton is among a handful of coaches the team has blocked for lateral moves, sources say. His assistant Anthony Levine Sr. and senior ST coach Randy Brown might also be retained, pending the new HC hire. pic.twitter.com/piSeRNCGlI
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 20, 2026
Translation: good luck finding someone else. Talk about kicking a man when he's semi-down. First they fire him, then they prevent him from hiring his guys. I guess that's just DeCosta doing business.
Ravens block Giants from adding Chris Horton to John Harbaugh’s coaching staff
It’s no secret the G-Men have been a mess on special teams. From coverage busts to borderline inept kicking and laughably bad return units, the whole operation has been a mess for years. That’s why Horton was such an obvious choice -- someone Harby trusts, who helped turn Baltimore’s special teams unit into one of the best since 2019.
Funny enough, Harbaugh came up through the league as a special teams guy himself. This part of the game matters to him. That’s why the Horton news likely stings a bit more than it might on paper. The 41-year-old would have been an awesome addition to the staff and a guy the long-time HC could trust immediately.
Now, it's time to pivot. Big Blue will search elsewhere to find its next STC, and while that may eventually work out -- every finger crossed -- it’s still the first real snag in what’s otherwise been a strong start to the offseason.
On the bright side, the offensive side of the ball appears to be in better shape. All signs point to Todd Monken reuniting with Harbaugh as the Giants’ next offensive coordinator, a move that’s already generating serious excitement around franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart’s development. Monken worked wonders with Lamar Jackson and turned the Ravens into one of the best offenses in football... something Giants fans haven’t seen in what feels like forever.
If Monken joins the staff and can turn Dart into a star, this thing could turn around quickly. It doesn’t erase the Horton setback, but it definitely makes it a little easier to stomach. For now, it's onto the next one.