Why John Harbaugh Is Exactly What the New York Giants Needed

Retreads are nothing new in NFL coaching cycles, and when nearly one-third of the league decides to go get a new one, it can quickly become recycling season.

I mean, Kevin Stefanski (Falcons) got another job already.

Maybe the next Sean McVay is out there, and the Browns could be tempted to fish in a new pond with someone like Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.

But the New York Giants weren't in position to bait a line with hope and reel in something other than a proven winner.

That's what brought the organization to Tuesday, the intro of John Harbaugh and the adaptation of a 19-year employee of the Baltimore Ravens into a fresh franchise ready for his makeover mastery.

Harbaugh walks into a situation where there is talent, youth and optimism after a half-decade of losing.

He's not strolling into the situation as just another head coach. This isn't Joe Judge or Ben McAdoo walking through that door.

Harbaugh is in the top 15 all-time in wins in NFL history, which includes a Super Bowl victory and 86 wins since the year Baltimore drafted Lamar Jackson. Only the Kansas City Chiefs had more during that time.

In Baltimore, Harbaugh earned the right to run the organization in his own vision. That meant direct lines of reporting to ownership — not general manager Eric DeCosta. It meant face-to-face talks with Jackson about the offense. It meant his hand was on almost every aspect that mattered. The results aren't debatable.

No, Harbaugh didn't ride out of Baltimore with trumpets blazing, clearing his path of celebratory ticker tape.

But Andy Reid didn't exit Philadelphia on the backs of former pupils before resurrecting the Chiefs into a dynasty in the AFC. And Sean Payton's path out of New Orleans wasn't blocked by legions of Saints faithful when he stepped away for one season, then took on a rebuild in Denver.

These are Harbaugh's active coaching peers, who arguably inherited less talent than the Giants offer at present.

Building blocks exist in New York on defense with pass rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.

If you squint it's not impossible to picture Todd Monken finding ways to implement low-key Lamar looks for Jaxson Dart and healing No. 1 wide receiver Malik Nabers.

The culture reset is less the introduction of a heavy hand atop the organization as a new slate for a franchise mired in a decade of mostly losing.

Harbaugh changes the outlook and raises all boats just by being here.

And history indicates the next steps toward winning again are closer than you think.