New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh poses for a photo after being introduced during a news conference at the team’s NFL football training facility on Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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The New York Giants’ hiring of John Harbaugh as head coach helps the Kansas City Chiefs.
It not only potentially weakens the Baltimore Ravens, a team often jockeying for AFC supremacy with Kansas City, but also likely means that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will remain with the Chiefs.
Spagnuolo is too much of a loyal soldier to opening admit he would’ve relished the opportunity to coach the Giants.
When asked about that open vacancy shortly after Brian Daboll was fired, he only wanted to focus on the upcoming opponent.
“We’re good. We’re playing Denver,” Spagnuolo said with a smile. “Does that make sense?”
But at times he has subtly indicated he wants a second chance at being a head coach after only lasting three years with the St. Louis Rams before getting fired, and the Giants head coaching position is one of the few jobs he likely would have accepted.
Spagnuolo is not only an East Coast guy, but it is also with the Giants where he made his reputation as a defensive coordinator, limiting Tom Brady and the then-undefeated New England Patriots to 14 points during a Super Bowl XLII victory.
He served two different stints as Giants defensive coordinator and also was interim head coach in 2017.
While bringing Eric Bieniemy on board as offensive coordinator could help the Chiefs, it always will be Andy Reid’s offense.
But Spagnuolo has free reign over the defense and has done a masterful job since starting in 2019 when the Chiefs won the first of their three Super Bowl titles.
In the year before Spagnuolo arrived in Kansas City, the Chiefs defense ranked 24th in points allowed, squandering an MVP year from Patrick Mahomes.
In six of the seven years since, the Chiefs defense — while employing Spagnuolo’s aggressive, blitzing scheme — has finished in the top 10 in points allowed.
Beyond the stats, Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton reiterated that Spagnuolo would make a great coach.
“He would be a Hall of Fame hire,” Bolton said. “X’s and O’s wise, he helps you progress your game, gets you to a place where you want to be.”
Bolton and the defensive players look forward to the Italian meals that Marie, their defensive coordinator’s wife, serves. The linebacker even called him a father figure.
“He’s there for you whenever you need him outside of ball,” Bolton said. “Great dude, great human being, great coach, great mentor.”
Coach Reid’s Influence on Harbaugh
Harbaugh also views Reid, who he coached under with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2007, as a mentor.
Before the Giants signed Harbaugh to a five-year, $100 million contract, he spoke to Reid for advice.
Head coach Andy Reid and special teams coordinator John Harbaugh of the Philadelphia Eagles watch warmups before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 29, 2006 at Lincoln Financial Field. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
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Harbaugh had been in Baltimore for 18 years. Reid similarly had a long tenure with the Eagles. He was head coach in Philadelphia for 12 years before getting dismissed and going to Kansas City, making him the perfect person to lend counsel when deciding where to coach.
“Andy is a man of few words,” Harbaugh said. “His words to me were: ‘Change can be good.’”
Indeed it was good for Reid who went on to lead the Chiefs to five Super Bowl appearances.
And even though the Chiefs missed out on the playoffs this year, everyone is still chasing Reid and the Chiefs. Harbaugh made that clear in his opening press conference.
“We’ll sign up for that deal right now,” Harbaugh said. “What he did in Kansas City — let’s do that.”
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefffedotin/2026/01/22/how-chiefs-are-impacted-by-giants-hiring-of-john-harbaugh/
