The New York Giants have had a rough couple of years since their last Super Bowl victory, with only two playoff appearances since their Lombardi-trophy-winning season in 2011 over the New England Patriots.
But that all is supposed to change in 2026, thanks to an aggressive offseason spearheaded by new head coach John Harbaugh.
When the Giants hired Harbaugh, it brought a level of credibility and respect to the organization they haven’t had since the days of Tom Coughlin.
Sound familiar?
It’s nearly the same as when the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their head coach during the 2025 offseason, bringing the same level of competence they were missing in the post-Brady-Belichick era.
Could New York have a New England-like renaissance in 2026?
Giants Tabbed as ‘Contender’ Heading Into 2026
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport made a list of teams to “buy” and “sell” as contenders or pretenders heading into the 2026 season, and the New York Giants cracked the list as a “buy.”
“There isn’t a team in this article that won fewer games in 2025 than the New York Giants, but it’s the dawn of a new day under new head coach John Harbaugh. And there’s reason for optimism,” wrote Davenport.
“Granted, much of that optimism hinges on the return of a healthy Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers—all three missed significant time in 2025. But if they do, it’s a solid skill-position core playing behind a top-10 offensive line that added a Day 1 starter in Round 1 rookie Francis Mauigoa.”
When a new head coach takes over the reins of an organization, more often than not, there’s a full-on reset of the roster.
For the Giants, there’s no rebuild coming.
Instead, New York used this offseason to retool, adding new starters to multiple positions on both offense and defense.
The Giants already had a solid offensive line and retained right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency. Adding Francis Mauigoa in the draft, as Davenport mentioned, was just the cherry on top.
Sure, New York lost an All-Pro defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence. But they still added multiple starters on defense in linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, defensive tackle D.J. Reader, and, of course, No. 5 overall pick Arvell Reese.
It was never a question of talent when it came to the Giants in years past, just a matter of coaching.
And if Harbaugh can push the right buttons accordingly, Big Blue will get back to its winning ways sooner than expected.
Giants Similarities to the 2025 Patriots
For New York Giants fans itching for playoff success, there are several notable similarities to last year’s New England Patriots team that ended up winning the AFC and making it back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018.
Off the bat, the head coach comparison couldn’t be more obvious. Vrabel doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring under his belt as Harbaugh does, but he’s still a respected coach nonetheless.
The 2025 Patriots featured a second-year quarterback who flashed throughout his rookie season, but also seemed to be plagued by injuries.
We’ll see if Jaxson Dart can pull a Drake Maye and insert himself into MVP conversations during his sophomore season as a pro.
Both teams came in last in their divisions the prior year, and added an offensive tackle with an early first-round pick. Maybe Mauigoa will have a more consistent season than Will Campbell did last season in New England.
Of course, there’s a long way to go before the Giants can even consider themselves a contender. But the blueprint is there from last year’s AFC champions, and there’s no reason why New York can’t follow suit.
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