Carl Banks Thinks NY Giants Have Solved Coaching Problem with John Harbaugh Hire

Without even signing a free agent or selecting a player in the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants have already inspired new confidence within their fan base. One man has completely changed how the public views this cellar dweller.

When the Giants officially hired John Harbaugh as their new head coach, fans experienced genuine enthusiasm for the first time since their team beat the Minnesota Vikings on the road in the 2022 playoffs.

Many people, including franchise legend Carl Banks, believe a new day is dawning in the Meadowlands.

The two-time Super Bowl-winning linebacker expects the team to carry itself drastically differently under Harbaugh.

"It's a hard reset for the Giants, and a much-needed one from top to bottom," Banks told DJ Siddiqi of RG.org.

"I think John Harbaugh is going to be the North Star. Everything the Giants do will point toward that standard he's been, the things that he does, that he's about.

"In the past decade or so, the Giants have been mediocre with a lot of talent and bad with a lot of talent at times. That's going to change. He will not stand for it."

Former NFL linebacker Carl Banks | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Although Harbaugh had a reputation for developing strong relationships with his players during his 18-year tenure as Baltimore Ravens HC, he also emphasized accountability. He injected a healthy dose of discipline into the locker room.

A team does not win a Super Bowl or make the playoffs six times in an eight-season stretch without playing hard for its coach. Harbaugh sets the tone on and off the field, and plenty of winning has followed.

Achieving such a standard is difficult, especially for a franchise that has been mired in failure for the majority of the last 14 years, but Banks is confident Big Blue will respond to Harbaugh's firm leadership style.

John Harbaugh has big plans for the NY Giants

New Giants Head Coach John Harbaugh speaks during a press conference welcoming Harbaugh at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2025. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"He'll get their attention," Carl Banks said. "Change is going to be hard for the Giants and their players. As much as they talk about being tired of losing, it's going to be painful the way they change this thing, but they're going to appreciate it."

Breaking bad habits would theoretically lead to noticeable improvement in the standings, as would a new coaching staff. New York blew a handful of wins last season because of poor game-planning and decision-making.

Harbaugh arrives with championship credibility and an experienced staff.

New offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and quarterbacks coach Brian Callahan have both served as head coaches, and offensive run game coordinator Greg Roman boasts a wealth of NFL experience.

The New England Patriots employed a similar philosophy when assembling their staff last offseason, and they just competed in the Super Bowl.

John Harbaugh hopes to be coaching the Giants well into January next season. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Giants should be more prepared, both before and during games. Harbaugh's Ravens struggled to hold leads during the 2025-26 campaign, but with his guidance, New York should still be less likely to commit costly mistakes than it was last year.

Banks thinks the Super Bowl XLVII champ could have turned several losses into wins had he been manning the Giants' sidelines in 2025.

"They had a collapse in Denver, they had a collapse in Detroit," the team's radio broadcaster told Siddiqi.

"They had a collapse in Kansas City. They took the field in the fourth quarter with leads. I gotta believe with better coaching, those games are won."

John Harbaugh has yet to accomplish anything with the New York team, so perhaps fans should temper their expectations.

But he is already getting Banks and others to buy into his way of thinking, and belief is not something this franchise has inspired much of lately.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? Send it here.

John Harbaugh has big plans for the NY Giants

More New York Giants Coverage