New York Giants fans are excited for the next chapter—and why wouldn't they be? After struggling through the instability of six head coaches since Tom Coughlin in 2015, the Giants finally have a coach who embodies consistency in John Harbaugh.
And Giants fans should be thankful the team signed him when they did.
This was Harbaugh's top destination, as New York made it clear early on that the 18-year Baltimore Ravens head coach was their guy. But just days after finalizing a deal with the Giants, a more enticing head coaching opportunity just opened up.
During the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, the Buffalo Bills fell dramatically to the Denver Broncos in a 33-30 loss in overtime. Shortly after exiting the tournament, the Bills surprisingly fired head coach Sean McDermott.
Now there's one head coaching job every HC candidate should want (and one Harbaugh won't have the opportunity to chase).
The New York Giants can be thankful they signed John Harbaugh before the Buffalo Bills' HC job opened up
The Bills don't have one of the league's most talented rosters. While they've got a quality offensive line and a great rushing attack, they have massive holes at wide receiver with an aging defense that must be upgraded.
But they have one thing no other team in the league does: Josh Allen.
Allen is one-of-one at the quarterback position, with unmatched tools and talent. The NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2024 showcased another dominant season in 2025, while getting little aid from his supporting cast.
Allen took a below-average roster to the playoffs and won a hard-fought game over an impressive Jacksonville Jaguars team in the Wild Card round. He's reason enough for any head coach to stop what they're doing and pursue the best coaching job opening in football.
With Allen, the Bills are essentially guaranteed to be competitive every season, and Super Bowl aspirations are always on the mind. Now, as the Bills begin their head coach search, the top candidate previously on the market—John Harbaugh—is already off the board.
Had Harbaugh waited a week to make his decision, we might be looking at a different outcome.
While Harbaugh is more than satisfied with what he has in the New York Giants, hypothetically, we can assume there would have been mutual interest between Harbaugh and the Bills. After all, it only makes sense that the top coach on the market and the top HC job opening would be a match.
Thankfully, Harbaugh has already been signed, sealed, and delivered to New York. Now the respected long-time head coach will focus on aiding quarterback Jaxson Dart—as he did with Lamar Jackson—and taking this team to the next level.