John Harbaugh takes over as New York Giants head coach ahead of season opener

John Harbaugh will make his regular-season debut as the New York Giants head coach on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, facing the Dallas Cowboys in a divisional game that could set the tone for both teams. After 18 years with the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh arrives in New Jersey with a new staff, new players and a new stadium, but says the core expectations remain unchanged.

"How do you go out there and compete at this level if you don’t expect to win? If you don’t expect to win, you certainly aren’t going to," Harbaugh said earlier this month.

"We expect and we plan to play to win every single one of our games this year. That’s our expectation, that’s our plan, that’s what we’ll be striving for. We think we can, we believe we can wholeheartedly," he added.

Harbaugh’s tenure in Baltimore produced 12 playoff appearances, a Super Bowl title and a 180-113 record, with only three losing seasons. He intends to bring the same principles—tough defense, strong running game and disciplined play—to the Giants, a franchise that has recorded only one winning season since 2016.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart, entering his second year, expressed confidence in Harbaugh’s intensity and motivation, noting the coach’s desire to prove himself after leaving Baltimore. Tight end Isaiah Likely, who followed Harbaugh from Baltimore, said the training-camp routine felt normal to him, while cornerback Greg Newsome II highlighted the team’s physicality and discipline under the new leadership.

General manager Joe Schoen said Harbaugh has been actively involved in personnel decisions during the offseason, offering fresh perspectives and challenging the front office to think "outside the box" in pursuit of better roster choices.