Giants fans better hope Joe Schoen’s a Saratoga guy, because according to recent reports, if he wants to get John Harbaugh’s attention, he’s going to have to pony up.
According to Tony Grossi, Harbaugh is swapping out his usual nickname, ‘Harbs,’ for something a little flashier: ‘Daddy Harbucks.’ The ESPN Cleveland radio host claims to have found out what Daddy Har... Harbs is looking for in his next head coaching gig -- and oh, is it a doozy.
According to Grossi, Harbaugh’s wishlist includes four things John Mara isn't likely to budge on:
- Wants $20 million per year
- An additional $10 million staff budget
- Total authority over the roster
- Would like to select his own GM
There are demands, and then there's demanding. This would fall under the latter. There's just no way the 63-year-old is walking into an opportunity that even remotely meets his wants. As things currently stand, the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Miami Dolphins are his top four options.
Related: Brian Daboll just sent a message Giants coaching candidates can’t ignore
Big Blue kept Schoen as its general manager. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi isn't going anywhere. And Miami just hired Jon-Eric Sullivan to be their GM on Saturday. But the Falcons do have openings at both the HC and GM spots, so maybe they'd cater to his demands to bring him in. You never know -- and if any of this were true, that’d be just brutal for Giants fans.
But not so fast, my friends. Because a prominent NFL insider, and close friend of Harbaugh's, refuted Grossi's report just 12 hours later, putting Big Blue Nation back at ease.
NFL insider pours ice water on John Harbaugh power‑grab rumors
Ian O'Connor of The Athletic went on PIX11 Sports to debunk the rumors surrounding the John Harbaugh sweepstakes, clarifying that while Harbs does want some control, it’s not quite a full-blown power grab:
"He wants some power, but it doesn't have to be absolute."
O'Connor's analysis lines up with most of the rumors that have been floating around since Harbaugh's firing last week. The insider even reported last week that Schoen won’t be a roadblock for Harbaugh, so there’s no need to push him out or strip away his power.
Whether or not Giants fans want Schoen to still be in the driver's seat is a conversation for another time, but this notion that Harbs is looking to play Bill Belichick or nothing feels... off.
The 18-year Baltimore Ravens leader instantly became their top head coaching candidate once he was fired, but that doesn't make him the only one. Yes, the G-Men are "all-in" on bringing him to East Rutherford, but other names like Kevin Stefanski, Chris Shula, Mike McCarthy, and a handful of others still remain.
Harbs has an interest in the Giants, and he's believed to begin interviewing this week. For now, fans will just have to endure the strenuous exercise of riding out the rumor mill and hope the next breaking news isn’t about Daddy Harbucks getting his wish somewhere else.