Giants icons helping John Mara in recruitment of John Harbaugh

A previous report shared that former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll had given "rave reviews about" the Giants and about 2025 rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart during conversations with some head-coach candidates.

It appears Daboll isn't the only person linked with the Giants who could ultimately help the club win the services of former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh this winter. 

John Mara wants John Harbaugh "badly"

According to longtime New York sports reporter Ian O'Connor of The Athletic, Giants legend Eli Manning and Daboll "are among the voices who have called John Harbaugh to give him a strong recommendation on Jaxson Dart and the Giants." Per Tyler Henry of Giants Wire, former New York head coach Tom Coughlin has also reached out to Harbaugh.

Together, Manning and Coughlin guided the Giants to a pair of Super Bowl titles. Meanwhile, it has been said that Daboll helped convince Giants general manager Joe Schoen to draft Dart last spring. 

"Giants co-owner John Mara was among many NYG executives in direct contact [Tuesday] with John Harbaugh's camp," O'Connor added. "Despite his cancer fight, Mara has been putting in the work, engaging in all in-person interviews in NJ and working the phones on Harbaugh [Tuesday]. He wants this one. Badly."

The Giants reportedly may be willing to match Harbaugh's alleged salary requests, and he seemingly is high on Dart. Additionally, it's believed the Giants retaining Schoen isn't a deal-breaker as it pertains to the franchise possibly winning the Harbaugh sweepstakes. 

What team could possibly land Harbaugh over the Giants?

For a piece updated early Wednesday morning, O'Connor and Dianna Russini of The Athletic named the Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans as "the favorites to land" Harbaugh. 

"New York’s road to a division title in the NFC East in 2026 would appear to be tougher than Atlanta’s road to a division title in the NFC South, which was just won by the 8-9 Panthers, a fact that could help the Falcons in their pursuit of Harbaugh," O'Connor and Russini said. "The Titans are offering him a chance to coach Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, and a chance to benefit from their massive amount of salary-cap space."

The Falcons recently named franchise icon Matt Ryan as their new president of football. He will be a key figure in the club's search for a new head coach and general manager.