Believe it or not, we're now roughly a quarter of the way through the 2026 NFL campaign. That gives us a large enough sample size to evaluate new faces in new places, including New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh.
Harbaugh has led the Giants to a pleasantly surprising 3-1 start. While it hasn't always been pretty, they're finding ways to win. His guidance has made all the difference for a club that tied for the fewest victories since 2017 entering this season.
But how does Harbaugh stack up against other first-year sideline generals through four weeks? Let's dive into it.
Where does Giants' John Harbaugh stand in quarter-season first-year HC rankings?
10. Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins
What can the Dolphins hang their hats on right now? Everything about them has been unserious, which reflects directly — and poorly — on Hafley. They're inept on both sides of the ball, scoring the fewest points per drive (1.24) while allowing the fourth-most points per drive (2.66).
Miami has shown no signs of life, and that probably won't change anytime soon. They're a tire fire that Hafley is trying to extinguish, but he's being overpowered.
9. Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans
No one expected the Titans to be good, yet it's been ugly. Cam Ward isn't making meaningful strides toward living up to his potential as the 2025 first overall pick. Defense is Saleh's calling card, and they're forcing punts at the sixth-highest rate (40.5 percent), but the secondary has been an issue.
Alas, much of Tennessee's production has come in "garbage time" when they're already facing a large margin. It'd be great to see them function with a lead.
8. Mike McCarthy, Pittsburgh Steelers
Do McCarthy and Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers even like each other? Their complicated decade-plus-long working relationship was on full display in a primetime shouting match. The vibes in Pittsburgh have been off, and it feels like things are unraveling.
McCarthy inherited a flawed, aging roster for an organization that has clung to mediocrity for far too long. The Steelers never had much upside, and he isn't doing much to elevate the subpar environment.
7. Mike LaFleur, Arizona Cardinals
Like Miami and Tennessee, the Cardinals have been a bit of a train wreck, struggling in every facet. Nevertheless, unlike Hafley and Saleh's club, LaFleur's group has actually been watchable and, more importantly, competitive.
Arizona has trailed by a touchdown or less in the final few minutes of two of their three losses. They've functionally moved the ball and generated at least one turnover in every outing so far. That in itself deserves recognition, especially compared to bottom-feeders like the Dolphins and Titans.
6. Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons
It's incredibly hard to judge Stefanski based on Atlanta's first two contests. Veteran journeyman Cooper Rush and undrafted free agent rookie Jack Strand were the quarterbacks, for crying out loud. However, the pieces seem to have fallen into place with Michael Penix Jr. under center.
A Falcons squad without its two ascending young pass rushers, James Pearce Jr. (suspension) and Jalon Walker (torn ACL), has been impressively disruptive. They rank second in pressure rate (43.3 percent) despite blitzing at the league's third-lowest clip (20.9 percent). Combine that with a well-oiled ground game spearheaded by superstar running back Bijan Robinson, and Stefanski's vision became much clearer.
5. Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo promoted Brady from offensive coordinator to the shot-caller this offseason. He's been referred to as the "fun uncle" by left guard Alec Anderson. While that could've set a dangerous precedent, keeping things loose has paid dividends for the Bills and their franchise centerpiece, Josh Allen.
Still, Brady has to go out there and get the job done. He's mostly delivering, aside from a letdown home loss to their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots, thanks to a high-powered scoring unit. Buffalo still has defensive woes they need to sort through, though.
4. Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens
Having answers to the test certainly helps, as we touched on with Brady. Baltimore's lineup is littered with Pro Bowl- and All-Pro-caliber players. But should that take away from the job Minter is doing when the Ravens are firing on all cylinders?
The Ravens are on the shortlist of Super Bowl LXII favorites for several reasons. They're a juggernaut that can beat you in multiple ways, and Minter is pushing the right buttons. It'll be fascinating to see how he responds to the potential absence of two-time MVP Lamar Jackson due to a sprained ankle.
3. John Harbaugh, New York Giants
Big Blue had starting signal-caller Jaxson Dart for less than five quarters before he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Star outside linebacker Brian Burns is also out, and stud wideout Malik Nabers is noticeably banged up. Somehow, none of that has mattered, and the G-Men sit alone atop the NFC East for the first time since 2020.
Kudos to Harbaugh for keeping the ship afloat and doing more with less. New York has weathered the storm and pulled through in clutch moments. His presence has been absolutely critical, as bell cow Cam Skattebo has publicly expressed.
2. Todd Monken, Cleveland Browns
As crazy as it sounds, the 3-1 Browns are playing well. They haven't exactly faced a murderers' row of opponents and got blown out by the one legitimate title contender in their way (the Jacksonville Jaguars). Regardless, Cleveland is operating with a swagger we haven't seen in eons, and that's a huge credit to Monken.
Monken has leaned into the youth movement, and understandably so, considering the Browns are loaded with up-and-coming talent. Instantly relegating an accomplished, highly paid vet like Jerry Jeudy to reserve duties in favor of budding rookie wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion isn't easy. It speaks to the buy-in from the locker room, and the faith is being rewarded.
1. Klint Kubiak, Las Vegas Raiders
With Las Vegas already reaching their 2025 win total, it's almost impossible to put Kubiak anywhere but the top spot. They've prevailed despite being without arguably football's most prolific tight end and a true unicorn, Brock Bowers, for two games. Not to mention, the No. 1 overall selection in this year's draft, Fernando Mendoza, hasn't even taken a snap yet.
What makes Kubiak and the Raiders' efforts even more awe-inspiring is that they've done so off the backs of an opportunistic defense. No one has more takeaways than they do (nine). It remains to be seen whether their formula is sustainable, albeit encouraging.
Note: Advanced metrics courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($).
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