John Harbaugh taking the reins as head coach already has some New York Giants players frantically trying to find out what to expect, according to a franchise great, but Kayvon Thibodeaux has called out the idea he and his teammates were missing a key quality during the 2025 NFL season.
Two-time Super Bowl-winning outside linebacker Carl Banks posted, “I know that there are *some* #NYGiants players calling around the league trying to figure out what to *expect*. The answer the will be. You will be expected to give playoff level effort in offseason, in practice, in preparation, and in game.. Non-negotiable #Standard.”
That post prompted present-day edge-rusher Thibodeaux to answer back. He slammed Banks by revealing, “Nobodies doing this Carl. Effort was never the problem.”
Thibodeaux is unlikely to find many people outside the locker room who would agree effort wasn’t a problem for the Giants this season. As the fifth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Thibodeaux himself has become a symbol of what’s been wrong with Big Blue in recent years.
Namely, how supposed marquee talents have failed to live up to the billing. Getting highly-touted players like Thibodeaux to justify the hype is why a coach with Harbaugh’s proven track record was handed a five-year deal.
The 63-year-old former Baltimore Ravens chief is already expected to oversee a change in mentality among the Giants. It’s a change Thibodeaux will need to battle to be a part of as someone dealing with injury who has been overshadowed by more productive players at a loaded position.
John Harbaugh’s Arrival Means Attitude Adjustment for Giants
Expect to hear the dreaded ‘C’ word, “culture,” on repeat now Harbaugh is at the helm for the Giants. The catch-all phrase often treated as some kind of magic turning losing teams into contenders has come into focus after the Giants hired a CEO-style head coach.
Harbaugh will stay focused on the big picture and emphasize intangibles like toughness, physicality and attention to detail. Those things kept the Ravens in the playoff mix for years, albeit with only erratic results in the postseason.
A playoff record of 13-11, per Pro Football Reference, shows how often Harbaugh has come up short. Yet, despite his failings, Harbaugh is sure to be a more demanding coach than predecessor Brian Daboll.
Players wanted this type of change, with wide receiver Darius Slayton calling for “somebody, you know, that’s Tom Coughlin-esque,” per SNY.tv’s Giants Videos.
Slayton’s reference to Coughlin was significant because the two-time Super Bowl winner was a noted disciplinarian who expected players to meet high standards.
Coughlin has imparted that same approach to Harbaugh, with the latter revealing, “He was a big part of this process for me. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Tom. I’ve admired him as a coach & friend and he really encouraged me to go forward with the Giants,” per Ian O’Connor of The Athletic.
A shift back to what Coughlin preached means patience will be in short supply for players like Thibodeaux, who the Giants are still waiting on to reach their full potential.
Kayvon Thibodeaux at Career Crossroads
He’s only been in the pros four seasons, but Thibodeaux is already at a pivotal point in his career. The 25-year-old has just 23.5 sacks to his credit and hasn’t progressed since a supposed breakout 2023 campaign when he logged 11.5 quarterback takedowns.
What’s interesting about Thibodeaux’s future with the Giants is Harbaugh’s own experience dealing with an under-performing first-round edge defender. The Ravens selected Odafe Oweh 31st overall back in 2021, and despite numerous chances to break out, the pass-rusher was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers this season.
Ironically, Oweh flourished without Harbaugh, recording 7.5 sacks in 12 games. Maybe Harbaugh sees Thibodeaux making a similar jump, or perhaps the new Giants boss will fancy a reunion with pending free agent Oweh.
Thibodeaux wouldn’t welcome the latter scenario, as he already faces an uphill battle to take reps away from 16.5-sack All-Pro snub, veteran edge Brian Burns. There’s also the presence of 2025 third-overall pick Abdul Carter, whose development will be a key test of Harbaugh’s coaching style.
That style is set to be defined by the standards Banks is hoping to see. Banks wasn’t shy about calling out the absence of those standards this season, even if it meant focusing his ire on the roster’s biggest names.
Harbaugh’s job will be to change the narrative, and in doing do, he’ll prove who was right about effort, Banks or Thibodeaux.
Kayvon Thibodeaux Slams Giants Great Over John Harbaugh Rumor