Getty Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants on the sidelines in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Despite a 33.3% winning percentage and just 10 wins to his name over his two seasons in East Rutherford, Joe Judge is expected to be retained by the Giants this offseason. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the organization believes both Judge and quarterback Daniel Jones “deserve the opportunity to demonstrate their talents next season.”
However, as Giants Super Bowl Champion Lawrence Tynes highlighted following the team’s Week 17 loss to the Chicago Bears, things can quickly change in the NFL.
“Owners hate to be embarrassed and this goes far beyond embarrassing,” Tynes tweeted after the Giants were blown out 29-3 by the Bears and backup quarterback Andy Dalton. “Games like these can change owners minds. The reports of Joe Judge coming back have to be on life support with this showing. Would not be surprised if this is the nail in the proverbial coffin for Judge.”
If the Giants are potentially wavering in their commitment to Judge, could rumored interest from one of the top candidates in the sport push John Mara’s hand to reshuffle the deck for the third time in six years?
Jim Harbaugh Could Have Interest in Giants HC Gig
Jim Harbaugh has not coached in the NFL since 2014, accumulating a brilliant 44-19-1 record with the San Francisco 49ers before mutually agreeing to part ways. Since then he’s gone on to help resurrect his alma mater’s football program, culminating in a historic 2021 campaign for the Michigan Wolverines which included a win over Ohio State and the school’s first Big Ten title in 17 years.
Now, following Harbaugh’s seventh season as a coach in Ann Arbor, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman is reporting the 58-year-old could be considering a jump back into the pros. “I think it’s real,” one source informed the analyst about the possibility of Harbaugh being interested in heading back to the NFL.
Feldman named the Las Vegas Raiders as the likely leaders for Harbaugh’s services, with the Chicago Bears as another possibility. However, we might be able to add another team to that mix, as ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg notes he’s heard rumblings that Harbaugh could have an eye for the head coaching gig in New York.
“@BruceFeldmanCFB reported, the Raiders are [the likeliest] spot if JH wants to return to NFL. He started [his] coaching career w/ Oak Raiders. Before Michigan, he and his wife lived on West Coast. I’d heard Giants job could have interested [to] him if it was open,” Rittenberg tweeted on January 5.
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Tynes Opposes Harbaugh Hiring
If Harbaugh was to jump back into the league, Rittenberg named Houston Texans castoff Bill O’Brien as a likely “serious candidate” for the head gig at Michigan. O’Brien, who amassed a record of 52-48 during his near seven-year run in Houston, has spent this year as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Alabama. The Rolling Tide’s offense currently averages 494.6 yards per game which ranks sixth in the nation.
While Harbaugh may be nearing the end of his reign at Michigan, the aforementioned Lawrence Tynes doesn’t want anything to do with the enigmatic coach in New York.
“Zero % chance this would work. Heard way too many stories from players,” Tynes tweeted in response to a story from the New York Post that Harbaugh could be “tempted” to return to the NFL. “Keep Judge, the players like him. Upgrade the talent, get some offensive coaches, and get guys healthy. This is not rocket science, you can’t win if your best players are hurt and or don’t play well.”
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Top College Coach Emerges as Candidate for Giants Job: Report