Harbaugh: 'I fully expect' to build winning culture with Giants
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh aims to change the franchise's culture right away, he said at his introductory press conference Tuesday.
"I'm planning on Day 1. That's what we'll be shooting for, working for, and I fully expect it to happen," Harbaugh said when asked how long it'll take for him to build a winning culture in New York, according to SNY.
"You build anything together, you build it from the inside out. It's going to be a reflection. Culture is kind of a crazy word. ... What is it in football? It's a bunch of guys that see the game the same way. It's a bunch of guys that want to play the game together the same way. It's a relentless brotherhood. Having each other's back."
Harbaugh added that he's focused on building a "tough" team that is "capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end."
"We're here with one mission ... to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York," the 63-year-old boss said.
Harbaugh signed a five-year contract with the Giants after a successful 18-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens. He said he's particularly excited to work with 2025 first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart after helping Lamar Jackson become a two-time MVP in Baltimore.
"To me, he's about football," Harbaugh said of Dart, according to SNY. "This young guy loves football. He wants to talk football all the time. That's kind of what I like doing too. We're going to have a lot of great conversations, and I can't wait to get started with him."
John Harbaugh on what he’s looking for in #Giants players: “the number one thing is we have to have guys that love football… they love the games, they love the practices, they love the weight lifting, they love the meetings… if you love football you’re going to want to be here”
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) January 20, 2026
Harbaugh also addressed the Giants' new power structure, which changed with the veteran coach's arrival. He'll report directly to team ownership instead of fifth-year general manager Joe Schoen.
"It's really not that important," Harbaugh said, per SNY. "In the big picture, in the big scheme of things, it's overblown just a little bit in terms of how it works. ... We all report to the boss, right? And the boss is ownership."
Harbaugh revealed that he talked to his mentor, Andy Reid, after being fired by the Ravens. Reid won 130 games as the Philadelphia Eagles' head coach before becoming a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Kansas City Chiefs.
"'Change can be good,'" Harbaugh recalled Reid telling him.
Harbaugh posted a 180-113 regular-season record with the Ravens, turning the franchise into a powerhouse. They won one Super Bowl together during the 2012 season.
The Giants - one of the league's most popular teams - haven't made the playoffs since the 2022 campaign.