Joe Schoen May Adjust Role to Land John Harbaugh

The New York Giants’ head coaching search may be approaching an inflection point, and all signs point to one unavoidable truth: if John Harbaugh is truly attainable, the organization must be willing to bend. That includes general manager Joe Schoen — and potentially redefining how power is shared inside the building.

According to an episode of Fireside Giants, in which host Anthony Rivardo of Empire Sports Media sits down with NFL insider Ian O’Connor, Schoen may be willing to “adjust his role” to secure Harbaugh and will not get in the way of his potential hire.

A Power Dynamic the Giants Can’t Ignore

The Giants’ current structure places Schoen firmly in charge of football operations, with the head coach reporting upward. That model works with first-time or coordinator-level hires. It does not always work when the candidate is a coach with Harbaugh’s résumé.

Harbaugh has spent more than a decade in Baltimore operating as the face of the franchise, wielding significant influence over roster construction, staffing, and organizational philosophy. While the Ravens still maintain a traditional GM structure, Harbaugh’s voice carries undeniable weight in personnel conversations and long-term vision.

For the Giants, the question isn’t whether Schoen is willing to give up authority entirely — it’s whether he’s willing to recalibrate. That could mean a more collaborative approach to roster decisions, greater coach input on quarterback direction and offensive philosophy, and shared influence over staffing and player development priorities.

O’Connor explained, “John Harbaugh has to have some say over that roster. It doesn’t make any sense to pay him $18 to 21 million a year, whatever it turns out to be, and to bring in a coach that accomplished and not give him what he wants to win consistently. I suspect those conversations have already been had.”

Schoen Willing To Adjust Role To Secure Harbaugh

O’Connor continued, “Let me say this: [Schoen] has been a relentless recruiter in this process. Why would he do that? He knows that this conversation is coming if John Harbaugh is the guy… [John Harbaugh] is the most likely candidate where Joe is going to have to take a backseat, right? And Schoen knows that. He’s been around the league long enough. He knows how things work. And yet, my understanding is he’s been relentless in recruiting him.”

Schoen appears to know that Harbaugh would want authority and control of the Giants roster, and he still seems driven to recruit the Super Bowl-winning coach to New York. He knows that he is already on the hot seat and that the Giants will not protect him over a coach like Harbaugh.

“Joe Schoen was smart enough to survive 13-38 the last three years… He’s also smart enough to know if the same people who spared him now want to hire John Harbaugh… he’s not getting in the way of that. They may decide they have to make a change to make this happen, then they’ll do it. I think Joe Schoen is smart enough to adjust his role,” O’Connor shared with Rivardo.

This notion is not completely unfounded, as in the 2023 offseason, Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio was open to changing his role within the organization to hire the “right guy”. Although he did not have to do that, this shows willingness for general managers to adapt and relinquish power for the betterment of their franchise.

O’Connor concluded, “And if you’re Joe Schoen, happy that you still are employed by the New York Giants and understanding that this is a special set of circumstances here with this candidate, I think he’d be willing to share the authority. I don’t know what the contract language would be, but there would be an understanding that you have to play ball here. And my guess is that Joe Schoen would play ball.”