John Harbaugh explains why he's 'fired up' to coach Jaxson Dart

The New York Giants just finalized a home run hire for their open head coaching position. 

After days of rumors, the team made it official with John Harbaugh. The Super Bowl-winning coach will now be the latest person to try and turn around the Giants' franchise. 

Harbaugh had plenty of options and still chose the Giants. On Saturday, the coach gave a little insight into why the Giants were his ultimate choice. 

“It starts with the players,” Harbaugh said. “I’m just fired up to coach these guys and get to work. It’s a great group, and I’m looking forward to building this team up.”

During the interviewing process, Harbaugh studied the rosters of all the interested teams and watched film of several young quarterbacks. However, the coach was just a little bit more impressed with Dart than the others. 

“But getting to know Jaxson, because this went a little further, I got a chance to talk to him, and I was really, really excited talking ball with Jaxson Dart," Harbaugh explained. "His mindset is exactly what you’re looking for. His enthusiasm and excitement for the game, and for every part of football, really got me fired up.” 

You don't often hear a coach gush about a young player like that, so it just speaks to Harbaugh's excitement for the new gig. 

Dart had a promising rookie season that was unfortunately derailed by injuries. Overall, the quarterback threw for 2,272 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. There are other intriguing players on the roster as well, like running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers. 

It won't be easy for Harbaugh to bring the franchise back to relevancy, though. The Giants haven't finished with a winning record since 2022 and have made the playoffs just twice in the last decade. 

Before signing on with the Giants, Harbaugh also talked to Giants legends. He spent extensive time speaking with Eli Manning, Michael Strahan, and especially Tom Coughlin.

“The No. 1 guy for me was Tom Coughlin; I spent a lot of time talking to Tom,” Harbaugh said. Coughlin, notably, won two Super Bowls as the head coach of the team. 

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