Not even an hour after the New York Giants officially brought on Chris Horton as their new special teams coordinator, they were back at it again with the white Vans, making another key hire and bringing John Harbaugh’s vision one step closer to reality.
As reported by NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the G-Men are hiring former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson for their open DC role:
The #Giants are hiring Dennard Wilson as their defensive coordinator, sources tell The Insiders.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 25, 2026
Big Blue finally signing Wilson feels like a course correction for making the wrong decision back in 2024. Then-head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen were forced to hire Shane Bowen after Wilson chose the Titans' gig, which quickly blew up in their faces. Wilson was released earlier this offseason after Robert Saleh was hired as the new head coach, giving Schoen a chance to right one of his wrongs.
Like several of the new coaching additions, the 43-year-old has experience working with Harbs -- Wilson was Baltimore's defensive backs coach in 2023.
Dennard Wilson was the hire the Giants should’ve made years ago
There will be a lot of differing opinions on the hire. There are several fans out there who'll look at Tennessee's abysmal defense last season and instantly deflate. Others will wonder what happened to Jim Leonhard. And some will look past the 2025 struggles and other candidates and acknowledge that this is a sneaky-good decision.
Injuries to the secondary and an anemic offense hampered the Titans' defensive success. As for Leonhard, he might've played for Harby back in 2008 in his first season as the Ravens' head coach, but nostalgia wasn't a big enough factor to move off of a really good defensive mind, and that's great for Big Blue Nation.
People forget that Tennessee’s defense used to be a force to be reckoned with. In Wilson’s first season as DC, the Titans finished second in total defense, and they did it without a star-studded roster. His work in Baltimore saw their pass defense rank sixth overall, and Kyle Hamilton earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
The Giants' defense has been a cone for the better part of the last decade. They need a strong defensive mind to come in and turn things around. Dennard Wilson has the coaching acumen to do just that. This is a great hire. If you're not convinced immediately, give it some time. This could turn out to be one of Harbaugh's best staffing decisions.
As of the writing of this article, Harbs has six confirmed coaches on his staff for next season:
- Tim Kelly - offensive role
- Willie Taggart - offensive role
- Charlie Bullen - defensive role
- Dennis Johnson - defensive line
- Chris Horton - special teams coordinator
- Dennard Wilson - defensive coordinator