Giants.com is counting down the start of training camp with 20 questions in 20 days.
20) What was the biggest story of the offseason?
Dan Salomone: The main story of the Giants' offseason was also one of the biggest league-wide. That, of course, was the hiring of John Harbaugh to be the 21st head coach in franchise history.
While snow blanketed the area, everyone was on the edge of their seat in January tuning into Harbaugh Watch. The Giants were the final suitor and emerged from the long winter with their most accomplished coach since Tom Coughlin.
"We're going to be doing football," Harbaugh said at his introductory press conference on Jan. 20. "All the time, every day."
Harbaugh took over a team that has made the postseason just twice since winning the Super Bowl in 2011, when the Giants also claimed their most recent division crown. Harbaugh led the Ravens to a title the following season as part of an 18-year run that included 193 total victories, 12 playoff berths, six division titles, four AFC Championship Game appearances, and his crowning achievement in Super Bowl XLVII.
"To be on the biggest stage in the biggest sport, I know the challenges," Harbaugh said. "I understand the expectations. I know the fans are hungry for a winner. We're here with one mission: to become, to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York, and that's what we plan to do."
John Harbaugh's 193 total victories, including a Super Bowl title, are tied for 12th in NFL history.
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
The challenge of rebuilding another contender didn't bother him. In fact, he embraced it. He saw his brother, Jim, break ground two years ago in Los Angeles. The Chargers went on to post double-digit wins and make the postseason in 2024 and 2025.
It was Jim's second NFL act after he led the 49ers to three conference championships in four seasons, including a Super Bowl appearance against John's Ravens.
"As a matter of fact, that's what my brother told me," John said of Jim. "He said you're going to be really excited to walk into that room for the first time with a different team, a team that you haven't been around, and just start fresh from the beginning and kind of build it up the way you want to – new, knowing all the things you know now that you've learned in the last 18 years or last 28 years. I just can't wait."
Prior to the Ravens, Harbaugh spent a decade with the Philadelphia Eagles. He quickly established a reputation as one of the top special teams coordinators in the league and was one of four assistants retained by Andy Reid in 1999.
Reid, of course, knows a thing about encores.
"Andy is a man of few words, and his four words to me were: Change can be good," Harbaugh said. "That's what he said, change can be good. He was excited. He's fired up for us. He's a good friend. Yeah, we'll try to do -- how about we do this, how about we deal that right now. We'll sign up for that deal right now, what he did in Kansas City. Let's do that."
Fast-forwarding six months, the Harbaugh Train has not slowed down.
He will take a new-look staff and revamped roster, which includes a slew of former Ravens and two top-10 draft choices, to West Virginia in a few weeks for a training camp that had to be located due to facility upgrades in East Rutherford.
"I look at it like a real opportunity," Harbaugh said in mid-June as the Giants wrapped up their offseason workout program. "It's going to be a chance to get locked in. It's a simple place to be, you know. You don't have to deal with coming back and forth from a hotel. Obviously we'll get away from the World Cup stuff and the construction here, which is a plus too for us. But that bonding opportunity: Guys aren't going home. They're going to be with each other into the evening, stuff like that, go to dinner together. I think it's a real plus for us. I'm excited about it."
See John Harbaugh's record as a head coach against every opponent on the Giants' 2026 schedule.
vs. Dallas Cowboys: 4-1
vs. Philadelphia Eagles: 3-2
vs. Washington Commanders: 3-2
vs. Cleveland Browns: 28-8
vs. New Orleans Saints: 3-1
vs. Arizona Cardinals: 3-1
vs. San Francisco 49ers: 3-1 (1-0 postseason/Super Bowl XLVII)
vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-4
vs. Tennessee Titans: 3-4 (2-1 postseason)
vs. Detroit Lions: 5-1
vs. Houston Texans: 9-3 (2-0 postseason)
vs. Indianapolis Colts: 4-4 (1-1 postseason)
vs. Los Angeles Rams: 4-2
vs. Seattle Seahawks: 2-2
vs. AFC: 128-88
vs. NFC: 52-25
vs. Own Division: 63-45
Giants announce 2026 open training camp dates
New York Giants 2026 Training Camp, presented by Ford, will be held at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia and will feature six practices free and open to the public.
