John Harbaugh is not the Giants general manager.
That job and title still belong to Joe Schoen, but there is no doubt who will have the biggest voice in roster decisions. For the first time in a century of history, it will be the head coach instead of the general manager.
“I know that’s a big deal around here, ‘Final say,’” co-owner Chris Mara said Tuesday as the Giants introduced Harbaugh as their head coach. “He doesn’t have final say. It’s collaborative, and he’s the first to admit that. If he has final say with everything in that building, he wouldn’t be able to do his job. He’s going to be the most important cog in the wheel. Let’s put it that way. But, in terms of final say, this is going to be a collaborative effort.”
The Giants hired the Super Bowl-winning Harbaugh to stop spinning their wheels at the bottom of the NFL (13-38 since 2023).
In the nearly 72-hour negotiation, Harbaugh wanted a direct report to ownership that bypasses the general manager — as he had over 18 seasons with the Ravens — and influence over the roster, which by nature strips some of the power that Schoen held over the last four years with Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka in charge.
“I’m not worried about it,” Schoen said. “That’s just something on a piece of paper that doesn’t matter. We need to work together, and we’re going to come to the final conclusion and it’s always going to be what’s best for the New York Giants. I have no problem with that, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
It’s not a big deal until it is. Until the first time that Schoen and the front office do not see eye-to-eye on a free-agent target, draft prospect or cuttable player with Harbaugh and the coaches.
“My role in personnel (in Baltimore) was to watch every single player that I could possibly watch … and give my input into the process, which is what I expect it to be here,” Harbaugh said. “Just influence it. I should have a vision for the type of team we want to build. I should be able to match that with what I see on tape. And to be able to share that with everybody involved and come to a collective decision. Everybody wants to make a little bit about who is making what decision, but the point is we should all agree to agree at the end.”
Harbaugh said he expects his partnership with Schoen to be “phenomenally great.” He credited Schoen’s connections around the league as a resource.
The Post previously reported that Schoen has not signed a contract extension — his deal runs through 2026 — but is expected to after the draft in April.
“Joe stuck around because of what you just heard coach say,” said Mara, who has taken a more active role in ownership since his older brother John was diagnosed with cancer. “He knows Joe probably better than me at this point. But he stuck around because Joe has a really great knowledge of the National Football League, and they hit it off really well.”
