Coach John Harbaugh sits down with Giants.com for a weekly conversation about the latest at 1925 Giants Drive.
Q: Back in West Virginia, you said the second of anything is very important. At the time, your team was entering the second week of training camp. Now you're at that spot in the regular season. Why is this a critical week?
Harbaugh: It's the same principle. You learn so much in a game, and the regular season game is where you learn the most about your team, so you have the most accurate understanding of what you need to do, where you're at, and what you need to do to get better. And our guys have been very intentional about that all week and taking advantage of that.
Q: Right away in your postgame press conference, you talked about being humble for the week. Do you use your opening of the postgame press conference to set the tone for the next week for your team?
Harbaugh: Yeah, probably. They listen to what you're saying. I just try to be consistent, whether it's in the press conferences or in the meetings. I'll say it differently and probably more pointedly sometimes in the meetings with the guys where it's private. But it should still be the same message.
Q: How many calls and texts did you have after that game?
Harbaugh: About 300.
Q: Who did you hear from?
Harbaugh: I heard from everybody.
Q: Andy Reid?
Harbaugh: I did. Coach Reid, Coach Belichick. That was cool.
Q: What did they say?
Harbaugh: It was just congrats really. It's cool. It's meaningful, but also your friends, your high school buddies, your college guys, your family. It's nice.
Q: What about Tom Coughlin?
Harbaugh: Oh yeah. I talked to him on the phone a couple of times.
Q: What can you share there?
Harbaugh: Oh, you know, he's the coach. He's excited, but he's coaching up now. "Make sure you tell them" and "make sure they understand" and all that kind of stuff. He loves the Giants.
View photos from every win of John Harbaugh's career as head coach.
Win No. 1 - September 7, 2008 - Ravens 17, Bengals 10
Win No. 2 - September 21, 2008 - Ravens 28, Browns 10
Win No. 3 - October 19, 2008 - Ravens 27, Dolphins 13
Win No. 4 - October 26, 2008 - Ravens 29, Raiders 10
Win No. 5 - November 2, 2008 - Ravens 37, Browns 27
Win No. 6 - November 9, 2008 - Ravens 41, Texans 13
Win No. 7 - November 23, 2008 - Ravens 36, Eagles 7
Win No. 8 - November 30, 2008 - Ravens 34, Bengals 3
Win No. 9 - December 7, 2008 - Ravens 24, Redskins 10
Win No. 10 - December 20, 2008 - Ravens 33, Cowboys 24
Win No. 11 - December 28, 2008 - Ravens 27, Jaguars 7
Win No. 12 - January 4, 2009 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 27, Dolphins 9
Win No. 13 - January 10, 2009 (Divisional Round) - Ravens 13, Titans 10
Win No. 14 - September 13, 2009 - Ravens 38, Chiefs 24
Win No. 15 - September 20, 2009 - Ravens 31, Chargers 26
Win No. 16 - September 27, 2009 - Ravens 34, Browns 3
Win No. 17 - November 1, 2009 - Ravens 30, Broncos 7
Win No. 18 - November 16, 2009 - Ravens 16, Browns 0
Win No. 19 - November 29, 2009 - Ravens 20, Steelers 17 (OT)
Win No. 20 - December 13, 2009 - Ravens 48, Lions 3
Win No. 21 - December 20, 2009 - Ravens 31, Bears 7
Win No. 22 - January 3, 2010 - Ravens 21, Raiders 13
Win No. 23 - January 10, 2010 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 33, Patriots 14
Win No. 24 - September 13, 2010 - Ravens 10, Jets 9
Win No. 25 - September 26, 2010 - Ravens 24, Browns 17
Win No. 26 - October 3, 2010 - Ravens 17, Steelers 14
Win No. 27 - October 10, 2010 - Ravens 31, Broncos 17
Win No. 28 - October 24, 2010 - Ravens 37, Bills 34 (OT)
Win No. 29 - November 7, 2010 - Ravens 26, Dolphins 10
Win No. 30 - November 21, 2010 - Ravens 37, Panthers 13
Win No. 31 - November 28, 2010 - Ravens 17, Buccaneers 10
Win No. 32 - December 13, 2010 - Ravens 34, Texans 28 (OT)
Win No. 33 - December 19, 2010 - Ravens 30, Saints 24
Win No. 34 - December 26, 2010 - Ravens 20, Browns 10
Win No. 35 - January 2, 2011 - Ravens 13, Bengals 7
Win No. 36 - January 9, 2011 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 30, Chiefs 7
Win No. 37 - September 11, 2011 - Ravens 35, Steelers 7
Win No. 38 - September 25, 2011 - Ravens 37, Rams 7
Win No. 39 - October 2, 2011 - Ravens 34, Jets 17
Win No. 40 - October 16, 2011 - Ravens 29, Texans 14
Win No. 41 - October 30, 2011 - Ravens 30, Cardinals 27
Win No. 42 - November 6, 2011 - Ravens 23, Steelers 20
Win No. 43 - November 20, 2011 - Ravens 31, Bengals 24
Win No. 44 - November 24, 2011 - Ravens 16, 49ers 6
Win No. 45 - December 4, 2011 - Ravens 24, Browns 10
Win No. 46 - December 11, 2011 - Ravens 24, Colts 10
Win No. 47 - December 24, 2011 - Ravens 20, Browns 14
Win No. 48 - January 1, 2012 - Ravens 24, Bengals 16
Win No. 49 - January 15, 2012 (Divisional Round) - Ravens 20, Texans 13
Win No. 50 - September 10, 2012 - Ravens 44, Bengals 13
Win No. 51 - September 23, 2012 - Ravens 31, Patriots 30
Win No. 52 - September 27, 2012 - Ravens 23, Browns 16
Win No. 53 - October 7, 2012 - Ravens 9, Chiefs 6
Win No. 54 - October 14, 2012 - Ravens 31, Cowboys 29
Win No. 55 - November 4, 2012 - Ravens 25, Browns 15
Win No. 56 - November 11, 2012 - Ravens 55, Raiders 20
Win No. 57 - November 18, 2012 - Ravens 13, Steelers 10
Win No. 58 - November 25, 2012 - Ravens 16, Chargers 13
Win No. 59 - December 23, 2012 - Ravens 33, Giants 14
Win No. 60 - January 6, 2013 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 24, Colts 9
Win No. 61 - January 12, 2013 (Divisional Round) - Ravens 38, Broncos 35 (2OT)
Win No. 62 - January 20, 2013 (AFC Championship Game) - Ravens 28, Patriots 13
Win No. 63 - February 3, 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII) - Ravens 34, 49ers 31
Win No. 64 - September 15, 2013 - Ravens 14, Browns 6
Win No. 65 - September 22, 2013 - Ravens 30, Texans 9
Win No. 66 - October 6, 2013 - Ravens 26, Dolphins 23
Win No. 67 - November 10, 2013 - Ravens 20, Bengals 17
Win No. 68 - November 24, 2013 - Ravens 19, Jets 3
Win No. 69 - November 28, 2013 - Ravens 22, Steelers 20
Win No. 70 - December 8, 2013 - Ravens 29, Vikings 26
Win No. 71 - December 16, 2013 - Ravens 18, Lions 16
Win No. 72 - September 11, 2014 - Ravens 26, Steelers 6
Win No. 73 - September 21, 2014 - Ravens 23, Browns 21
Win No. 74 - September 28, 2014 - Ravens 38, Panthers 10
Win No. 75 - October 12, 2014 - Ravens 48, Buccaneers 17
Win No. 76 - October 12, 2014 - Ravens 29, Falcons 7
Win No. 77 - November 9, 2014 - Ravens 21, Titans 7
Win No. 78 - November 24, 2014 - Ravens 34, Saints 27
Win No. 79 - December 7, 2014 - Ravens 28, Dolphins 13
Win No. 80 - December 14, 2014 - Ravens 20, Jaguars 12
Win No. 81 - December 28, 2014 - Ravens 20, Browns 10
Win No. 82 - January 3, 2015 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 30, Steelers 17
Win No. 83 - October 1, 2015 - Ravens 23, Steelers 20 (OT)
Win No. 84 - November 1, 2015 - Ravens 29, Chargers 26
Win No. 85 - November 22, 2015 - Ravens 16, Rams 13
Win No. 86 - November 22, 2015 - Ravens 33, Browns 27
Win No. 87 - December 27, 2015 - Ravens 20, Steelers 17
Win No. 88 - September 11, 2016 - Ravens 13, Bills 7
Win No. 89 - September 18, 2016 - Ravens 25, Browns 20
Win No. 90 - September 25, 2016 - Ravens 19, Jaguars 17
Win No. 91 - November 6, 2016 - Ravens 21, Steelers 14
Win No. 92 - November 10, 2016 - Ravens 28, Browns 7
Win No. 93 - November 27, 2016 - Ravens 19, Bengals 14
Win No. 94 - December 4, 2016 - Ravens 38, Dolphins 6
Win No. 95 - December 18, 2016 - Ravens 27, Eagles 26
Win No. 96 - September 10, 2017 - Ravens 20, Bengals 0
Win No. 97 - September 17, 2017 - Ravens 24, Browns 10
Win No. 98 - October 8, 2017 - Ravens 30, Raiders 17
Win No. 99 - October 26, 2017 - Ravens 40, Dolphins 0
Win No. 100 - November 19, 2017 - Ravens 23, Packers 0
Win No. 101 - November 27, 2017 - Ravens 23, Texans 16
Win No. 102 - December 3, 2017 - Ravens 44, Lions 20
Win No. 103 - December 17, 2017 - Ravens 27, Browns 10
Win No. 104 - December 23, 2017 - Ravens 23, Colts 16
Win No. 105 - September 9, 2018 - Ravens 47, Bills 3
Win No. 106 - September 23, 2018 - Ravens 27, Broncos 14
Win No. 107 - September 30, 2018 - Ravens 26, Steelers 14
Win No. 108 - October 14, 2018 - Ravens 21, Titans 0
Win No. 109 - November 18, 2018 - Ravens 24, Bengals 21
Win No. 110 - November 25, 2018 - Ravens 34, Raiders 17
Win No. 111 - December 2, 2018 - Ravens 26, Falcons 16
Win No. 112 - December 16, 2018 - Ravens 20, Buccaneers 12
Win No. 113 - December 22, 2018 - Ravens 22, Chargers 10
Win No. 114 - December 30, 2018 - Ravens 26, Browns 24
Win No. 115 - September 8, 2019 - Ravens 59, Dolphins 10
Win No. 116 - September 15, 2019 - Ravens 23, Cardinals 17
Win No. 117 - October 6, 2019 - Ravens 26, Steelers 23 (OT)
Win No. 118 - October 13, 2019 - Ravens 23, Bengals 17
Win No. 119 - October 20, 2019 - Ravens 30, Seahawks 16
Win No. 120 - November 3, 2019 - Ravens 37, Patriots 20
Win No. 121 - November 10, 2019 - Ravens 49, Bengals 13
Win No. 122 - November 17, 2019 - Ravens 41, Texans 7
Win No. 123 - November 25, 2019 - Ravens 45, Rams 6
Win No. 124 - December 1, 2019 - Ravens 20, 49ers 17
Win No. 125 - December 8, 2019 - Ravens 24, Bills 17
Win No. 126 - December 12, 2019 - Ravens 42, Jets 21
Win No. 127 - December 22, 2019 - Ravens 31, Browns 15
Win No. 128 - December 29, 2019 - Ravens 28, Steelers 10
Win No. 129 - September 13, 2020 - Ravens 38, Browns 6
Win No. 130 - September 20, 2020 - Ravens 33, Texans 16
Win No. 131 - October 4, 2020 - Ravens 31, Washington Football Team 17
Win No. 132 - October 11, 2020 - Ravens 27, Bengals 3
Win No. 133 - October 18, 2020 - Ravens 30, Eagles 28
Win No. 134 - November 8, 2020 - Ravens 24, Colts 10
Win No. 135 - December 8, 2020 - Ravens 34, Cowboys 17
Win No. 136 - December 14, 2020 - Ravens 47, Browns 42
Win No. 137 - December 20, 2020 - Ravens 40, Jaguars 14
Win No. 138 - December 27, 2020 - Ravens 27, Giants 13
Win No. 139 - January 3, 2021 - Ravens 38, Bengals 3
Win No. 140 - January 10, 2021 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 20, Titans 13
Win No. 141 - September 19, 2021 - Ravens 36, Chiefs 35
Win No. 142 - September 26, 2021 - Ravens 19, Lions 17
Win No. 143 - October 3, 2021 - Ravens 23, Broncos 7
Win No. 144 - October 11, 2021 - Ravens 31, Colts 25 (OT)
Win No. 145 - October 17, 2021 - Ravens 34, Chargers 6
Win No. 146 - November 7, 2021 - Ravens 34, Vikings 31 (OT)
Win No. 147 - November 21, 2021 - Ravens 16, Bears 13
Win No. 148 - November 28, 2021 - Ravens 16, Browns 10
Win No. 149 - September 11, 2022 - Ravens 24, Jets 9
Win No. 150 - September 25, 2022 - Ravens 37, Patriots 26
Win No. 151 - October 9, 2022 - Ravens 19, Bengals 17
Win No. 152 - October 23, 2022 - Ravens 23, Browns 20
Win No. 153 - October 27, 2022 - Ravens 27, Buccaneers 22
Win No. 154 - November 7, 2022 - Ravens 27, Saints 13
Win No. 155 - November 20, 2022 - Ravens 13, Panthers 3
Win No. 156 - December 4, 2022 - Raven s 10, Broncos 9
Win No. 157 - December 11, 2022 - Ravens 16, Steelers 14
Win No. 158 - December 24, 2022 - Ravens 17, Falcons 9
Win No. 159 - September 10, 2023 - Ravens 25, Texans 9
Win No. 160 - September 17, 2023 - Ravens 27, Bengals 24
Win No. 161 - October 1, 2023 - Ravens 28, Browns 3
Win No. 162 - October 15, 2023 - Ravens 24, Titans 16
Win No. 163 - October 22, 2023 - Ravens 38, Lions 6
Win No. 164 - October 29, 2023 - Ravens 31, Cardinals 24
Win No. 165 - November 5, 2023 - Ravens 37, Seahawks 3
Win No. 166 - November 16, 2023 - Ravens 34, Bengals 20
Win No. 167 - November 26, 2023 - Ravens 20, Chargers 10
Win No. 168 - December 10, 2023 - Ravens 37, Rams 31 (OT)
Win No. 169 - December 17, 2023 - Ravens 23, Jaguars 7
Win No. 170 - December 25, 2023 - Ravens 33, 49ers 19
Win No. 171 - December 31, 2023 - Ravens 56, Dolphins 19
Win No. 172 - January 20, 2024 (Divisional Round) - Ravens 34, Texans 10
Win No. 173 - September 22, 2024 - Ravens 28, Cowboys 25
Win No. 174 - September 29, 2024 - Ravens 35, Bills 10
Win No. 175 - October 6, 2024 - Ravens 41, Bengals 38 (OT)
Win No. 176 - October 13, 2024 - Ravens 30, Commanders 23
Win No. 177 - October 21, 2024 - Ravens 41, Buccaneers 31
Win No. 178 - November 3, 2024 - Ravens 41, Broncos 10
Win No. 179 - November 7, 2024 - Ravens 35, Bengals 34
Win No. 180 - November 25, 2024 - Ravens 30, Chargers 23
Win No. 181 - December 15, 2024 - Ravens 35, Giants 14
Win No. 182 - December 21, 2024 - Ravens 34, Steelers 17
Win No. 183 - December 25, 2024 - Ravens 31, Texans 2
Win No. 184 - January 4, 2025 - Ravens 35, Browns 10
Win No. 185 - January 11, 2025 (Wild Card Round) - Ravens 28, Steelers 14
Win No. 186 - September 14, 2025 - Ravens 41, Browns 17
Win No. 187 - October 26, 2025 - Ravens 30, Bears 16
Win No. 188 - October 30, 2025 - Ravens 28, Dolphins 6
Win No. 189 - November 9, 2025 - Ravens 27, Vikings 19
Win No. 193 - November 16, 2025- Ravens 23, Browns 16
Win No. 191 - November 23, 2025 - Ravens 23, Jets 10
Win No. 192 - December 14, 2025 - Ravens 24, Bengals 0
Win No. 193 - December 27, 2025 - Ravens 41, Packers 24
Win No. 194 - September 13, 2026 - Giants 28, Cowboys 20
Q: Mike Tomlin was part of the broadcast. He said after the game it was like watching a movie he's seen a thousand times.
Harbaugh: I didn't hear that (laughs). That's great. That's a great line.
Q: Only Lambeau and Halas met more times than you two. Did it feel like a movie you had directed for the thousandth time?
Harbaugh: It's a great analogy. I mean what a great line by him, and I'm sure if I watched one of his teams, I would feel the exact same way. It's definitely a compliment, but also I do believe we're built around the players that we have and the effort that the players give. The one thing that's really important to remember is that the players play the game. The players are the ones out there making the plays, making the blocks, making the tackles, making the catches, making the throws, making the kicks. They're the ones doing those things. And that's just so critical to remember. Coaching, yeah, it's important. It's valued. We take it very seriously. We try really hard, but the credit at the end of the day should always go, for any victory, should always go to the players because it's a hard sport and they deserve it.
Q: You made it a point in your postgame press conference that you don't walk the guys out of the tunnel before the game. Is that along the same lines of what you're saying?
Harbaugh: Yes.
Q: You want them to have ownership. Is that your thinking?
Harbaugh: I think so. I didn't really define it in my mind other than the fact that they're the ones playing the game. They're the modern day, I put it in quotation marks, the modern day gladiators. They're not warfighters, you know, they're not soldiers. The soldiers get the ultimate respect in my mind. So this is different. This is sports, OK, but in the sporting world, walking out of that tunnel in front of that crowd and the violent game that football is, they're the ones doing it. They're the ones coming out of the tunnel, and they deserve, to me, they deserve that honor. They deserve that honor.
Q: Who are your game captains for the week?
Harbaugh: (Abdul) Carter, Kayvon (Thibodeaux), (Jaxson) Dart and Elijah Campbell. It's a big deal. Two things. I know it's a big deal because I was a college captain for one game my senior year, and it's one of the things I'm most proud of. So, I feel like that is real. You see the look on their face and the way the team responds, they clap, they cheer, they hoot it up a little bit because they know what a big deal it is.
Q: Patrick Ricard said this week he'd be in the locker room and think to himself, wow, New York City is right there but everyone is still here hanging around two hours after practice. How much of your plan for this team is to make things like that contagious?
Harbaugh: I would love to take credit for that, but I can't. That's the guys. That's them. That's who they are. That's all the guys. Every one of the players, that's them. They like each other. They like being around each other, you know. They argue and debate everything under the sun, you know what I mean? They play pool. They watch tape, too. They're in there watching tape. They have extra meetings. I walk by, it's late, man, I walk by and I see Dart in there working on the run game sometimes with the coach, sometimes on his own, sometimes he's got Isaiah (Likely) or the receivers in there. This is a special group that way.
Q: Has the Ravens contingent been even more valuable than you may have thought?
Harbaugh: I would say yes. I didn't really realize the value of it. When I went to Baltimore from Philly, I didn't bring any players. It really wasn't an option. And this time it was. It was an option more because they were really good players that were available but also I knew who they were. I knew what they were about. So, I would say yes. It goes beyond that. Their ability to basically just communicate with the guys about when things mean something, what's important, what doesn't mean anything, where we're coming from because they've lived it. That's been really good, really important. I didn't know that until just kind of going through it this offseason. It's really helpful.
Q: With the West Coast trip, I'm sure this is a big sports science week. It's a long trip. It's at night again. What was it about (Director of High Performance) Sam (Rosengarten) and (Director of Strength and Conditioning) Ron (Shrift) that made you say, "I need to bring them over here?"
Harbaugh: Well, we worked really hard over the years honestly to be on the cutting edge of all those things. We always felt like we were in great shape. We always felt like we were the strongest team in the league. We always felt like – we've been mostly the healthiest team in the league. We've always been in the top 10. We had one year we weren't in the top 10. We're usually in the top five or six. We were doing different things with AI and different protocols that just are unique. I just knew how valuable it was and then they became available. So, it's another thing where you know. It's one thing to interview people and hope. It's another thing to have worked with some people and know. Those guys deserve a ton of credit. I think Ron and Sam and also (Senior Assistant Strength and Conditioning) Aaron Wellman, who stayed. I've known Aaron for 35 years.
Q: Back to Indiana days?
Harbaugh: Back to Indiana. We were there for a year. He was assistant strength coach and I was a defensive back coach. Isn't that crazy? I was probably 27, 28 maybe, something like that, and he was probably 22. You stay in touch, so I knew how good he was. And then we kept a lot of the strength coaches that were here before. I think all those guys have done a great job.
Q: Your dad was here again. His message to the team last week was about demanding respect. What's his message this week?
Harbaugh: Well, we haven't heard it yet.
Q: Is he going to talk again?
Harbaugh: He won't talk to the team directly because he headed home, but I'm sure he'll have a message for us. A lot of times I'll read it off my phone when he texts me something. I'll read it to the guys. So now they've met him in person, I think it'll be even better that way.
Q: The last thing I had to ask you about is Sean McVay and your Miami of Ohio connections. What is it about that school that has created the Cradle of Coaches?
Harbaugh: Well, you could watch the documentary, and you could find it all out. I just have a lot of pride in our school. We both do. Sean, oddly enough, he was a tough, hard-nosed wide receiver and I was a tough, hard-nosed – well, I like to think – defensive back. I always joke with him. I say, "I would have covered you all day, all day, locked you down like a glove." But I always think he's so much fun. He's so impressive when I talk to him and the times that we have talked about coaching. We have a thing on our Harbaugh Coaching Academy website. I do an interview with him. He's a bright light. It was really fun to talk to him and listen to his ideas. I have a ton of respect for him, and I think I know him more that way than for Miami because we're 20 years apart in school. But the coach that he is and the job that he does, I'm kind of proud of it because he's (from there), but more than that, I'm just impressed and admire the work that he does.
Q: Will you rub it in that you did the commencement speech before him?
Harbaugh: No (laughs). I had dibs. I mean, I'm old, you know what I mean? They did tell me, they said, "We're going to ask Sean next, so you better take it before he gets it." And I'm like, man, I want it. I want it first. I want to go first.
