John Harbaugh is Not Ready to Give Up on Tyrone Tracy Jr. Despite Costly Mistakes

When it comes to New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who has had a rough couple of weeks, head coach John Harbaugh isn’t ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Tracy, for those who missed it, committed two significant gaffes in the team’s first two preseason games that usually lead to a running back being benched.

Against the Vikings in the preseason opener, Tracy whiffed on a blitz pickup against Vikings safety Jay Ward, the hit rocking quarterback Jaxson Dart and sending him to the blue medical tent for the sixth time in his NFL career.

Then last week against the Dolphins, Tracy lost the handle on a wet football inside of the Dolphins’ 10-yard line; Miami recovered the ball to snuff out a Giants scoring drive.

“I don't think you say, hey, a bad play or even two bad plays nullifies a whole career body of work, so to speak,” Harbaugh said Sunday.

“And even in the game, he played well. He had numerous good runs, catches—pass protection pickups were good, but he had the one play that's the one thing you don't want to have as a running back. And in the last two games, he's had two things you don't want to have. So, nobody feels worse about it than he does.”

Tracy, who is seeking his third straight season with 1,000+ yards from scrimmage, is very much aware of his mistakes and is one to attack his weaknesses with vigor, which Harbaugh said he appreciates.

But there is still the balancing act that Harbaugh, who said that a football team can’t have those missteps, must strike.

It’s often easier said than done, however.

Aug 22, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) celebrates gaining yardage against the Miami Dolphins during the first quarter of a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“First of all, you can't let your emotions get involved, and you've got to try to take everything in perspective. Perspective of the player, the perspective of the big picture of the room, what you need in the room, and what's best for the team,” he said.

“There's just a lot of variables that go into that, so as best as you can.”

Yet at the same time, it’s perfectly understandable if the head coach’s trust in the running back is shaken just a bit to the point where Tracy, the team’s fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft, potentially slides down the running back depth chart.

This is especially the case given Najee Harris's arrival and Devin Singletary's strong showing in the win over Miami.

If Harbaugh's faith in Tracy is shaken to where he’s considering a change in the pecking order, the head coach wasn’t ready to admit as much.

“It's ongoing right now. It's still to be determined over the course of the next week to see exactly where it shakes out, and we'll keep working at it,” he said.

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