John Harbaugh and the New York Giants have put pen to paper, and the former Super Bowl-winning coach is now officially the next head coach of Big Blue.
But throughout the interview process, Harbaugh wasn’t the only prospective coach that John Mara, Chris Mara, Joe Schoen, and the rest of New York’s brain trust kept tabs on.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Giants also “checked in” with recently departed Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin for their vacant gig.
“The Giants also checked in on one of Harbaugh’s long-time AFC North rivals. Sources say a member of Giants’ ownership reached out to Mike Tomlin shortly after Tomlin stepped down as the Steelers head coach on Tuesday,” reported Pelissero.
Tom Pelissero Reiterates John Harbaugh Was Option No. 1
Despite the interest in at least speaking with Tomlin, Pelissero made it clear in his report that, no matter what, Harbaugh was always the first option for the New York Giants.
“Three days after Harbaugh visited the facility, and after lengthy negotiations, the sides did agree to terms on Saturday to a five-year contract, bringing the coach that was their main target from the moment Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens,” Pelissero said.
But it didn’t stop them from at least checking the temperature of Tomlin’s interest in the Giants gig.
“Tomlin reiterated the same thing that he’s told everybody else – he does not plan to coach in 2026.”
Despite their extreme interest in Harbaugh, it makes sense why New York at least checked in on Tomlin.
His resume is better than that of any other available candidate, except for Harbaugh, who is fairly equal in their NFL accomplishments.
Tomlin has a 193-114-2 record over his 19 years as a head coach, while Harbaugh, in 18 years, has a 180-113 record.
Either coach would’ve been a home run hire for the Giants, but obviously, only Harbaugh was available.
We’ll see if Tomlin ends up throwing his hat in the ring once the 2027 hiring cycle rolls around.
Mike Tomlin Would’ve Been a ‘Perfect Marriage’ for the Giants
Back in November, before there was even an inkling that the Pittsburgh Steelers and their head coach were on the outs, The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor tabbed Tomlin and the New York Giants as a “perfect marriage.”
“The Steelers coach has ripped off 18 consecutive non-losing seasons (15 of them winning seasons) and is working on No. 19. He is a card-carrying tough guy and a two-time Super Bowl participant and one-time champ who would be a human firewall against the disastrous seasons the Giants regularly serve up to their paying customers,” wrote O’Connor.
“Pairing a young franchise quarterback-to-be in Jaxson Dart with Tomlin’s institutional knowledge on what it takes to succeed in the NFL would be the Giants’ best bet for long-term bliss.”
Of course, this was before anyone knew Harbaugh would be available, and Tomlin would only step down a week after his AFC North rival’s tenure would come to an end.
But it’s safe to say the Giants couldn’t have gone wrong with hiring either coach if Tomlin felt like jumping back into coaching after his 19-year career in Pittsburgh.
Giants, Mike Tomlin Report Surfaces After John Harbaugh Hire