Is John Harbaugh the Giants' dream hire at head coach? Breaking down each known candidate
SOURCE:The Athletic|BY:Dan Duggan
With help from The Athletic's beat writers, we examine the candidates the Giants are bringing in for interviews to be their next head coach.
A missed field goal may have been the domino needed to get a Super Bowl champion coach to the New York Giants.
The Baltimore Ravens fired longtime coach John Harbaugh Tuesday. Less than 48 hours earlier, the Ravens lost to the Steelers, 26-24, when kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal as time expired in the regular season finale to cost Baltimore the NFC North title.
With Harbaugh missing the playoffs for just the sixth time in his 18-year tenure, Ravens ownership decided to end a fruitful partnership that included a Super Bowl in the 2012 season. Harbaugh instantly shot to the top of the Giants’ wish list as they embark on a coaching search for the fifth time since two-time Super Bowl champion Tom Coughlin departed 10 years ago.
Harbaugh’s availability threw a wrinkle into a fluid process that includes many steps — no coach can be hired until the Giants satisfy the Rooney Rule requirement to interview two minority candidates from outside the organization. No interview with Harbaugh has even been scheduled yet, but that will change.
With the Giants kicking off their head-coaching interviews on Wednesday, here’s a closer look at Harbaugh and the six reported candidates thus far. This story will be updated as more candidates emerge.
John Harbaugh
Age: 63
Current job: N/A
Previous experience: Ravens head coach, 2008-25; Eagles defensive backs coach, 2007; Eagles special teams coordinator, 1998-2006; Indiana special teams coordinator/defensive backs coach, 1997; Cincinnati special teams coordinator, 1989-96; Morehead State special teams coordinator/secondary coach, 1988; Pittsburgh tight ends coach, 1987; Western Michigan running backs coach/outside linebackers coach, 1984-86.
Breakdown: Coaches with Harbaugh’s resume don’t reach the open market, especially at his age. Harbaugh is the dream hire for Giants owners who have been seeking a culture-setting winner since Coughlin’s unceremonious exit after the 2015 season.
Harbaugh’s 180 career wins rank 14th in NFL history. He has 11 seasons with double-digit wins. He has succeeded with different coaching staffs, different style quarterbacks and different roster strengths. Harbaugh would instantly command respect when he steps into the Giants’ building, and that’s desperately needed for a locker room with talent that has lacked leadership.
The warts that arose later in Harbaugh’s Baltimore tenure — failing to advance in the playoffs to make Super Bowl runs with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson — are the type of problems the Giants could only dream of at this point. The Ravens went 35-16 in the three seasons before the 8-9 stumble that led to Harbaugh’s ousting. If Harbaugh is interested in the Giants, this pairing could come together quickly.
Word on the beat: “Anarumo didn’t shy away from the possibility of someday being a head coach, perhaps even as soon as next season. The 59-year-old has built a reputation as one of the most adaptable defensive coordinators in the NFL and maintains a strong standing in the league despite the Colts finishing 21st with 24.2 points allowed per game in 2025 (injuries were a big factor).
“From a personality standpoint, Anarumo quickly commanded respect during his first season in Indy with his no-nonsense approach, regardless of a player’s age or resume. That doesn’t mean Anarumo wasn’t approachable, but his BS detector was pretty high, according to several members of the team. He also wasn’t afraid to share some hard truths with the media. The key to that approach, though, was that Anarumo always held himself to the same standard, if not an even higher one. Of course, it will take a lot more than tough love to be a successful head coach, but that trait is pretty valuable for a Giants franchise that could always use more adults in the room.” — James Boyd, Colts beat writer
Breakdown: Anarumo has plenty of connections to this opening. The Staten Island native was the Giants’ defensive backs coach in 2018 on Pat Shurmur’s staff. Anarumo was with the Dolphins alongside Giants general manager Joe Schoen from 2012 to 2016, including a stint as Miami’s interim defensive coordinator. He was one of six candidates to interview for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy after Schoen was hired as GM in 2022. Anarumo’s son, Louis, joined the Giants’ front office in 2022 and is currently a pro scout.
Anarumo’s star was at its highest point when his defense helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in the 2021 season. His results have been mixed since then, with the Bengals firing him after a dismal 2024 season. The Colts’ defense was pedestrian this season in Anarumo’s first year in Indianapolis.
It’s hard to imagine Anarumo rising above some of the top candidates on this list, but he could emerge as a backup plan.
Vance Joseph
Age: 53
Current job: Broncos defensive coordinator since 2023.
Word on the beat: “Three games into Joseph’s tenure as defensive coordinator in Denver in 2023, the Broncos were reeling from a 50-point loss in Miami. Many fans, some of whom weren’t exactly thrilled Joseph was back after a failed two-season stint as Denver’s head coach just a few years earlier, were already calling for his exit. Since that day, Joseph has constructed one of the NFL’s best defenses and is a major reason the Broncos enter this postseason as the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
“Joseph did it by leaning into his motto — ‘Players first, scheme second’ — and creating a system that has allowed nearly everyone on the field to contribute to what has been the league’s best pass rush the past two seasons. The Broncos set a franchise record this year with 68 sacks — breaking the previous mark of 63 the team set in the prior campaign — and 18 different players contributed to that takedown total.
“Joseph learned a lot from his previous head-coaching experience, which spanned the 2017 and 2018 seasons in Denver. The top lesson: You must quickly have a quarterback in place to survive. The Broncos went 11-21 during Joseph’s two seasons with a rotating cast of signal-callers that included Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler and Case Keenum.” — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer
Breakdown: Joseph’s defense led the Broncos to the No. 1 seed in the AFC. He must be interviewed by the end of the wild-card round Monday, so expect a virtual meeting in the coming days.
Joseph’s head-coaching experience will boost his candidacy, although his 11-21 record conjures bad memories of the Giants’ failed retread hiring of Shurmur. The good news is Joseph would be much better positioned for success with Jaxson Dart at quarterback, although it would be imperative for the defensive-minded coach to present a clear plan for the promising rookie’s development. Could that mean bringing Broncos quarterbacks coach — and former Giant — Davis Webb back to New York as offensive coordinator? That would be an intriguing package.
Joseph might be the most exciting candidate to deploy the Giants’ talented group of pass rushers. Hiring Joseph could lead to Charlie Bullen being retained as defensive coordinator or outside linebackers coach, as they worked together with the Dolphins and Cardinals. Schoen was the Dolphins’ director of player personnel during Joseph’s one season as Miami’s defensive coordinator. That connection could benefit Joseph as a sleeper candidate in this search.
Mike Kafka
Age: 38
Current job: Giants interim head coach since 2025.
Previous experience: Giants assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, 2024-25; Giants offensive coordinator, 2022-23; Chiefs quarterbacks coach/passing game coordinator, 2020-21; Chiefs quarterbacks coach, 2018-19; Chiefs offensive quality control coach, 2017; Northwestern graduate assistant, 2016.
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Breakdown:** There’s no need for a “word on the beat” on Kafka since I’ve covered him for the past four seasons. Kafka was an inspired hire as Brian Daboll’s offensive coordinator due to his roots with Andy Reid in Kansas City. Kafka’s journey as OC was bumpy, as Daboll yo-yoed play-calling duties, while the offense went through some brutal seasons.
The struggles didn’t damage Kafka’s head-coaching viability, however, as he interviewed for eight jobs over the past three offseasons. Kafka got a head-coaching audition this season when he stepped in as the interim for the final seven games after Daboll’s firing.
Kafka wasn’t set up for success, and the team lost his first five games as interim before two wins to close the season. Kafka has been a good soldier and could have a bright future, but it’s impossible to envision the Giants running it back with a key coaching figure from the past four years. Retaining Kafka as offensive coordinator with the right defensive-minded head coach can’t be ruled out.
“Kingsbury has a way of easily relating to and teaching players, especially quarterbacks. His system in Washington was built to make Daniels comfortable, so play calls were succinct, and Daniels was almost exclusively in shotgun. If there are drawbacks to Kingsbury’s system, one is that it requires players to be in peak conditioning — the Commanders were in no-huddle for 60 percent of their snaps last season — and, two, it puts a lot on the quarterback, to the point where it raises the question of whether it stresses the player too much and makes him more susceptible to injury.” — Nicki Jhabvala, Commanders beat writer
Breakdown: Kingsbury might be the most intriguing candidate on this list. He checks some important boxes, such as having head-coaching experience and being an offensive guru. If the goal of the head-coaching hire is to maximize Dart’s potential, Kingsbury might be the best choice. But his 28-37-1 record with hand-picked quarterback Kyler Murray in Arizona doesn’t inspire confidence.
Hiring someone who was fired as an assistant coach by a division rival to be the head coach seems like a highly unlikely path for the Giants to take. But it’s worth meeting with Kingsbury, especially if it opens the door to potentially landing him as offensive coordinator.
Klint Kubiak
Age: 38
Current job: Seahawks offensive coordinator since 2025.
Word on the beat: “Klint Kubiak has successfully given Seattle an offensive identity after the franchise spent the latter years of the Pete Carroll era and the first year of the Mike Macdonald era struggling to establish any sort of calling card. It helps that Klint, son of former head coach Gary Kubiak, has been around the game forever and brought to Seattle a tried-and-true system, as well as position coaches to help bring it to life.
“It’s essentially the Kyle Shanahan scheme with an emphasis on heavy personnel (Seattle drafted a fullback in April) and under-center passing concepts that allow the quarterback to operate quickly, limiting the burden on the offensive line. Being a successful coach is more than just calling plays, but Kubiak at least has a foundation he can sell to ownership groups. And because he’s been all around the league, he should be able to hire a decent staff in Year 1.” — Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer
Breakdown: In a market lacking top young offensive coaches, Kubiak stands out as the best option from that fruitful demographic. Kubiak’s profile has been vaulted by his success in his first season in Seattle. Kubiak has quarterback Sam Darnold playing at a high level for the No. 3 scoring offense in the league.
The son of Super Bowl champion coach Gary Kubiak, Klint Kubiak should have a wide network to draw from as he assembles a staff. Teams have had success tapping into the Shanahan coaching tree, and Klint Kubiak spent time with Shanahan in San Francisco. Kubiak might be the best hire for Dart’s development, but it seems more likely the Giants will lean toward head-coaching experience in this search.
Kevin Stefanski
Age: 43
Current job: N/A
Previous experience: Browns head coach, 2020-25; Vikings offensive coordinator, 2019; Vikings interim offensive coordinator, 2018; Vikings quarterbacks coach, 2017-18; Vikings running backs coach, 2016; Vikings tight ends coach, 2014-15; Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach, 2009-13; Vikings assistant to the head coach, 2006-08; Penn assistant director of football operations, 2005.
Word on the beat: “In many ways, Stefanski was the scapegoat for the failure of the Deshaun Watson trade. But Stefanski is also an offensive coach who produced some putrid offenses and handed over play-calling duties at midseason in both 2024 and 2025. Stefanski was popular with his players and is detail-oriented. He’s used to working for a messy organization, too, and he spent a lot of time last offseason evaluating Dart.” — Zac Jackson, Broncos beat writer
Breakdown: Stefanski is batting leadoff, with an in-person interview reportedly scheduled for Wednesday with the Giants. He was the favorite in the search for a few hours Tuesday before Harbaugh became available.
Stefanski checks a lot of boxes for the Giants, as a two-time Coach of the Year who led the lowly Browns to the playoffs twice in his first four seasons in Cleveland. Stefanski’s record was 37-30 through four seasons in Cleveland before the wheels came off. The Browns went 8-26 in Stefanski’s final two seasons, which led to his firing Monday.
Stefanski has assembled staffs with top-notch assistants, including defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and offensive line coach Bill Callahan. It would make him particularly appealing as a candidate if he’s able to bring those assistants to his next stop. Stefanski’s track record as an offensive head coach is spotty, but he was undone by the quarterback mess in Cleveland caused by the Watson trade.
Stefanski stands out as the top challenger to Harbaugh in the early stages of the search.
Mike McCarthy
Age: 62
Current job: N/A
Previous experience: Cowboys head coach, 2020-24; Packers head coach, 2006-18; 49ers offensive coordinator, 2005; Saints offensive coordinator, 2000-04; Packers quarterbacks coach, 1999; Chiefs quarterbacks coach, 1995-98; Chiefs offensive quality control coach, 1993-94; Pittsburgh wide receivers coach, 1992; Pittsburgh graduate assistant, 1989-91; Fort Hays State graduate assistant, 1987-88.
Word on the beat: “The Cowboys didn’t win a Super Bowl with Mike McCarthy. They didn’t even get to an NFC championship game. But in his five seasons in Dallas, the Cowboys won 12 games three consecutive seasons. That marked the first time in 24 years Dallas had three consecutive double-digit win seasons and three consecutive playoff appearances.
“There’s nothing McCarthy hasn’t seen in his NFL coaching career that goes back to 1993. He’s gone from being the head coach of a Packers franchise with no owner directly involved to the Cowboys and the most hands-on owner in sports. The resume speaks for itself, 174 wins, 15th-most in league history, and a Super Bowl title in 2010. He’d be a great stabilizer for a struggling franchise, but his greatest asset might just be what he would bring to the quarterback room. He has worked with Joe Montana, Rich Gannon, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He’d likely be excellent for any young quarterback.” — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer
Breakdown: McCarthy was a viable candidate for the Giants’ job in 2020, but he went to Dallas, and the Giants hired Joe Judge. The Giants are making another run at the Super Bowl champion, with an interview reportedly scheduled for Tuesday.
McCarthy is the only candidate with a resume that rivals Harbaugh’s — they’re actually strikingly similar. McCarthy benefited from coaching Hall-of-Fame caliber quarterbacks for 13 seasons in Green Bay before thriving with Dak Prescott for five seasons in Dallas.
Having spent his entire head-coaching career with elite quarterbacks has been a double-edged sword for public perception of McCarthy. It can’t be discounted that he played a role in helping those quarterbacks reach their full potential. But his relative lack of playoff success with such talented QBs has framed him as an underachiever despite a .608 career winning percentage.
McCarthy wouldn’t generate the buzz of Harbaugh, but he can’t be dismissed as an alternative based on his winning track record and his potential influence on Dart.
Raheem Morris
Age: 49
Current job: N/A
Previous experience: Falcons head coach, 2024-25; Rams defensive coordinator, 2021-23; Falcons interim head coach, 2020; Falcons defensive coordinator, 2020; Falcons assistant head coach/defensive backs coach/wide receivers coach, 2019; Falcons assistant head coach/offensive pass game coordinator, 2018; Falcons assistant head coach/wide receivers coach/offensive pass game coordinator, 2017; Falcons assistant head coach/wide receivers coach, 2016; Falcons assistant head coach/defensive pass game coordinator, 2015; Commanders defensive backs coach, 2012-14; Buccaneers head coach, 2009-11; Buccaneers defensive backs coach, 2007-08; Kansas State defensive coordinator, 2006; Buccaneers assistant defensive backs coach, 2004-05; Buccaneers defensive assistant, 2003; Buccaneers defensive quality control coach, 2002; Hofstra defensive backs coach, 2000-01; Cornell defensive backs coach, 1999; Hofstra graduate assistant, 1998.
Breakdown:Morris was fired this week after completing a second consecutive 8-9 season in Atlanta in his second head-coaching opportunity. The Newark, N.J. native had to wait a long time for another shot after going 17-31 in three seasons as the Bucs head coach from 2009 to 2011.
Morris was a hot candidate two years ago after rebuilding his resume and having success as the Rams’ defensive coordinator. The Falcons finished this past season on a four-game winning streak, but they cleaned house, firing Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot.
Even if Morris got a raw deal in Atlanta, it’s hard to imagine a coach with a 37-56 career record getting a third chance.
Antonio Pierce
Age: 47
Current job: N/A
Previous experience: Raiders head coach, 2024; Raiders interim head coach, 2023; Raiders linebackers coach, 2022-23; Arizona State associate head coach/defensive coordinator/recruiting coordinator, 2021; Arizona State associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator, 2020; Arizona State linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator, 2018-19; Long Beach Poly HS head coach, 2014-17.
Word on the beat: “Morris’ biggest selling point is the loyalty he engenders in players. The Falcons won four straight games after being eliminated from playoff contention this season.
‘He’s brought back my love for the game and the fun of the game,’ wide receiver Drake London said after the season finale. ‘I love him to death.’
Morris did not lose the locker room despite two losing seasons, running back Tyler Allgeier said. The 49-year-old coach is also well-liked around the league, allowing him to hire from a wide pool of candidates as assistant coaches. However, Morris has a .398 winning percentage in five-plus seasons as a head coach, and Atlanta suffered multiple head-scratching losses in 2025 alone.” — Josh Kendall
Breakdown: With an emphasis on leadership and accountability in the Giants’ search for their next coach, Pierce is an obvious candidate. He was a strong leader as the Giants’ middle linebacker from 2005 to 2009, helping the team win Super Bowl 42.
Pierce quickly rose through the coaching ranks, getting a big break as the Raiders’ interim coach during the 2023 season. Pierce made the most of that opportunity, galvanizing the locker room while leading the Raiders to a 5-4 finish. That earned Pierce the full-time job, but he was fired after going 4-13 in his one season at the helm.
Pierce is highly respected within the Giants’ organization, and he’d be an intriguing candidate under different circumstances. But the Giants figure to turn to one of the candidates with a track record of NFL head-coaching success, considering their unstable state.
Also of note: With Morris interviewing on Thursday and Pierce scheduled to interview on Friday, the Giants will have satisfied the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirement to interview two external minority candidates. The Giants can hire a coach at any point after the completion of the Pierce interview.
Darren Rizzi
Age: 55
Current job: Broncos assistant head coach/special teams coordinator since 2025.
Previous experience: Saints interim coach, 2024; Saints assistant head coach/special teams coordinator, 2022-24; Saints special teams coordinator, 2019-21; Dolphins associate head coach/special teams coordinator, 2017-18; Dolphins special teams coordinator, 2010-16; Dolphins assistant special teams coach, 2009; Rhode Island head coach, 2008; Rutgers special teams coordinator, 2002-07; New Haven head coach, 1999-2001; Northeastern special teams coordinator/linebackers coach, 1998; New Haven defensive coordinator, 1997; New Haven special teams coordinator/defensive line coach, 1994-96; Colgate graduate assistant, 1993.
Word on the beat: “Rizzi has run special teams operations for Sean Payton for a combined four seasons — three in New Orleans and this season in Denver — and has also served as a game-strategy sounding board at times. The 55-year-old coach is well-regarded for his attention to detail and intimate grasp of the rule book that makes him a steadying voice in clutch moments.
“Rizzi badly wanted to become the full-time head coach in New Orleans after serving as the interim coach for the Saints during the second half of the 2024 season. A reunion with Payton, who dismissed former coordinator Ben Kotwica after last season, made sense as a landing spot for Rizzi after the Saints chose Kellen Moore as their head coach, but Rizzi hasn’t been shy about his desire to be a head coach in the NFL.
“One intriguing aspect of Rizzi’s potential candidacy with New York is whether he could bring along Broncos quarterbacks coach and former Giants backup QB Davis Webb as offensive coordinator. Webb, who has been a critical part of quarterback Bo Nix’s development the past two seasons, was set to interview for head-coaching opportunities with the Raiders and Ravens this week, so he could skip the coordinator route altogether. But if this isn’t the right cycle for the 30-year-old Webb to become a head coach, it would be no surprise to see him move into a coordinator role that comes with play-calling responsibilities, something that won’t be available in Denver.” — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer
Breakdown: Rizzi is the most surprising candidate on this list. The 55-year-old is a career-long special teams coach, which isn’t typically the avenue to head-coaching opportunities.
Rizzi went 3-5 as the Saints’ interim coach last season before reuniting with Sean Payton in Denver. Rizzi was with Payton for three years in New Orleans, so he has experience working closely with a top coach.
Rizzi overlapped with Schoen in Miami for eight years. That connection seems to be driving this interview, as it’s impossible to envision Rizzi emerging from this field to land the Giants job.