The New York Giants took the first shot, and their best shot, at landing John Harbaugh.
Now they’ll have to wait to find out if it was enough.
They met with the coveted former Baltimore Ravens coach at their facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Wednesday for his first in-person interview since his stunning firing from Baltimore last week. It was what the Giants hoped was the final piece in what has been an extensive courtship. And a team source told me they let Harbaugh know they are willing to offer “almost anything he wants” if he takes the job.
There was even some hope in the Giants organization that they’d be able to close the deal before Harbaugh visited with anybody else. However, the 62-year-old left without a deal on Wednesday evening and flew back home to the Baltimore area, where he reportedly will meet with a contingent from the Tennessee Titans at his home on Thursday. A source indicated to me that Harbaugh also “plans” to speak with officials from the Atlanta Falcons, too, though it’s unclear if any in-person meeting with them has been set up.
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Harbaugh’s choice to proceed talking to different groups isn’t essentially a foul signal for the Giants, in response to the supply. After spending the final 18 years teaching in a single place, he apparently simply desires to take just a few days to think about his subsequent transfer. The expectation is that Harbaugh will decide by early subsequent week, if not sooner, although inevitably the timetable is totally as much as him.
The Giants definitely tried to move off another conferences for Harbaugh whereas that they had him at their workplace. They flew him to New Jersey on co-owner Steve Tisch’s personal aircraft on Wednesday morning, in response to a supply, and spent greater than 5 hours assembly with him and touring the power. Throughout his time there, he met with co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, normal supervisor Joe Schoen, and different members of the Giants entrance workplace. And he even met in individual with one of many Giants’ largest promoting factors — promising younger quarterback Jaxson Dart.
This was the fruits of a pursuit that started, for the Giants, earlier than Harbaugh was even out there. They’d inside discussions about him quickly after they fired former coach Brian Daboll in November, in response to a workforce supply. They usually appeared satisfied that he would finally be out there even earlier than his Ravens misplaced their season finale to the Steelers and missed the playoffs, which led to the Ravens firing him the following day.
As soon as Harbaugh was free, he rocketed to the highest of their record. However the Giants had been one in all 9 groups that sources instructed me had contacted Harbaugh — together with a number of that also had a head coach employed on the time. Harbaugh has spoken to officers with a number of of these groups over the past 10 days, one supply instructed me, together with a dialog with the Falcons’ new president of soccer, Matt Ryan, that the workforce introduced as an interview final week.
Harbaugh has seemingly targeted his consideration on the Falcons, Titans and Giants, although a number of league sources consider the Miami Dolphins additionally stay a chance. A number of sources relayed to me the Titans are the most important “risk” to land Harbaugh, due to their draft capital, their cap area, and their spectacular younger quarterback, Cam Ward. One other supply cautioned that the Inexperienced Bay Packers might be a “robust darkish horse” in the event that they’re unable to succeed in a brand new contract settlement within the subsequent few days with their coach, Matt LaFleur.
In the meantime, the Giants, sensing a chance to remake their franchise within the wake of a decade of largely shedding, have been “going for broke”, as one workforce supply instructed me, of their effort to persuade Harbaugh they’re one of the best franchise for him. Chris Mara, their senior personnel guide (and John Mara’s brother), made the trek all the way down to the Baltimore space final week to go to Harbaugh at his residence. John Mara, who has been present process common most cancers therapies, has spoken with Harbaugh by cellphone, too.
And Schoen has had a number of in depth conversations with Harbaugh, in response to a supply, and has assured the coach that he’s prepared to cede some energy over personnel choices if Harbaugh takes the job. It’s unclear if Harbaugh has requested for whole management, or if the Giants can be prepared to offer that if he asks, however the Giants consider that Harbaugh feels snug with Schoen as his normal supervisor.
Actually, one supply acquainted with Harbaugh’s occupied with the Giants instructed me that thus far “it appears like an awesome match.”
The Giants, although, are leaving nothing to probability. On the workforce’s request, Harbaugh has reportedly obtained cellphone calls from a number of distinguished Giants alumni, together with two-time Tremendous Bowl-winning coach Tom Coughlin and his two-time Tremendous Bowl MVP quarterback, Eli Manning. Just lately fired Giants coach Brian Daboll even referred to as Harbaugh and, a supply instructed me, raved about his expertise within the group.
Brian Daboll has spoken extremely of the Giants in his coversations with John Harbaugh simply two months after getting fired by the franchise, a supply instructed FOX Sports activities’ Ralph Vacchiano. (Todd Rosenberg/NFL)
The Giants have additionally let Harbaugh know that they’re prepared to satisfy his asking value (anticipated to be round $20 million per yr), shell out tens of millions extra for what they hope will likely be a high teaching employees, and make no matter enhancements or additions he desires all through their program.
The supply believed Harbaugh’s requests thus far have been “vital,” however “don’t appear to be too in depth.”
“However he’s value it,” the supply instructed me. “You don’t get a shot at a coach like this too usually. Generally you simply should do no matter it takes.”
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Day by day Information. Comply with him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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