Things John Harbaugh's First Week of Giants Camp Reveals About His Plan

As the New York Giants begin their second week of training camp under new head coach John Harbaugh, ownership is reportedly pleased with how he’s run the football program.

As they should be. With the 2026 record still to be determined, Harbaugh has brought some early stability to a franchise that has mostly been adrift ever since Tom Coughlin resigned.

While no one is necessarily counting on the Giants being this year’s version of the New England Patriots, the expectations do include the postseason.

With a full week of training camp in the books, there is a lot to like about the approach he has taken, which has been based on these recurring themes.

Patience With Player Health …

Jul 30, 2026; White Sulphur Springs, WV, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) walks on the field after practice during training camp at The Greenbrier Resort Sports Performance Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite being a highly accomplished head coach who has walked into a situation where an immediate turnaround is expected, Harbaugh isn’t about to rush certain things just for the sake of winning.

A great example of that is receiver Malik Nabers and the plan that the medical staff has put in place to bring the receiver back from a devastating season-ending ACL injury.

Nabers was able to avoid the PUP list, but it’s been clear throughout the first week of practice that he still has a way to go before any restrictions placed on him by the medical staff are completely lifted.

As much as Harbaugh would like to see what the offense looks like with Nabers catching passes from quarterback Jaxson Dart, the coach isn’t going to rush the receiver back.

… Urgency With All Else

Unlike other teams which have shown a lack of patience with head coaches after just one season—the Las Vegas Raiders immediately come to mind—Harbaugh is in no danger of being fired, regardless of the Giants’ 2026 season outcome.

That doesn’t mean, however, that he’s going to sit back and let things play out. Harbaugh has demonstrated a sense of urgency in getting the franchise fixed, starting with the players he handpicked to help eradicate the stench of constant losing from the locker room.

Some early examples of his sense of urgency have also included Harbaugh pulling players from a series of reps if they make a mental error that hurts the team.

This shouldn’t be confused, though, with the head coach expecting 100% perfection on every play. He knows that the offense and defense are still adapting to the new systems, and he’s been willing to be lenient when mistakes are made in the actual execution of a play.

But little things like not knowing the snap count or jumping offside are the type of mistakes that Harbaugh understandably won’t tolerate.

Culture and Optics Matter

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When Harbaugh was asked about running back Cam Skattebo’s failed backflip performed at last month’s Fanatics event, he joked that he wished Skattebo had landed the move.

All kidding aside, Harbaugh also knew that the action did not portray ideal optics. So he sat the young running back down and explained the risks such a spontaneous move posed and the issues with the optics.

Skattebo apparently got the point, telling reporters last week that while he wouldn’t be doing any more backflips at random, he did stop short of ruling them out entirely, especially after a touchdown.

In short, Harbaugh is looking for a professional team committed to winning.

Expectations are Managed Within Reason

No head coach worth his salt is ever going to criticize a player openly. But go back and listen to what Harbaugh has said in his daily press briefings, and you’ll find that the head coach chooses his words carefully when asked about players who didn’t necessarily have a solid day of practice.

A great example of this involves Dart, who is probably the most visible person on the team given the position he plays. The second-year signal-caller is in the midst of learning a new offense that both he and Harbaugh say requires skills the quarterback has rarely executed since his college years.

As he continues to gain a comfort level in this new system, which includes a lot more work under center, Dart has had some uneven practices dating back to the spring.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harbaugh, though, has been careful about how he’s answered questions about Dart’s progress, undoubtedly aware that everything gets magnified when talking about the quarterback position.

It’s not just lip service, either. When Harbaugh was hired, he spoke about how he wanted his staff to be teachers first. A good teacher isn’t about yelling and screaming or belittling those for whom they’ve been entrusted to help develop. And that’s what Harbaugh and his staff have done so far.

The other benefit of not expecting Dart to suddenly look as though he’s been playing in the current system for multiple years is that it takes some pressure off the quarterback, whom Harbaugh has described as a perfectionist.

Dart might still get angry with himself when he makes a mistake, but it’s probably fair to say that he’s also more forgiving of those instances because he knows that his coach understands that these things take time.

Final Thoughts

Harbaugh isn’t perfect—no one is. But his experience, commitment to open communication with the players, and unwavering belief in his program have earned the players’ buy-in in what is a strong first step toward restoring the franchise to relevancy.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.

Add us as a preferred source on Google