When Tom Coughlin spoke about John Harbaugh, Chris Mara certainly listened.
As Big Blue’s pursuit of its next coach revved into high gear, Coughlin — a two-time Super Bowl-winning coach with the franchise — sent a stern message to the younger brother of Giants co-owner John Mara, as he connected him to the recently fired Baltimore coach.
“Get your ass down there [to Baltimore],” Chris said of Coughlin’s orders Tuesday as the Giants introduced Harbaugh as the 21st coach in franchise history.
On the eve of wild-card weekend, Chris told Giants ownership he planned to drive to Baltimore to meet with Harbaugh, who became the buzziest coaching candidate available following his shocking ouster from the Ravens after an 18-year run.
“Tom Coughlin set it up for me in terms of contact info. I had never talked to John Harbaugh in my life until I got to his house,” Chris relayed to reporters Tuesday.
Days after that fateful meeting, Harbaugh visited the Giants’ facility and met with personnel, including rising quarterback Jaxson Dart, with news emerging late Wednesday that a marriage was in the making.
An official announcement arrived Saturday — as Giants fans finally let their shoulders down amid lengthy contract talks — with Harbaugh agreeing to a five-year pact in the $100 million ballpark.
Harbaugh inherits a Giants team that went 4-13 in 2025 and has not had a winning record since 2022 (9-7-1), when then-coach Brian Daboll led the team to its first playoff victory since Super Bowl XLVI.
Coughlin, 79, coached that Giants roster to a 21-17 triumph over New England in February 2012 — four years after guiding the team to one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, a 17-14 win over the undefeated Patriots.
He served as coach of the Giants from 2004-15.
The Giants saw a revolving door at the position post-Coughlin, with Ben McAdoo (2016-2017), Pat Shurmur (2018-2019), Joe Judge (2020-2021) and Daboll, who was fired midway through his fourth season in November.
Harbaugh is now ready to make the most of his Giants opportunity.
