The Giants’ new head coach thought about bringing Rexy back to New York.
John Harbaugh said in an extensive interview Sunday that he considered hiring former Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan to be the Giants’ defensive coordinator.
“I talked to Rex about that job at length,” Harbaugh told Ian O’Connor of The Athletic. “Rex is a guy I love and have a lot of respect for.”
Harbaugh ended up hiring former Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who served as the Ravens’ defensive backs coach under him in 2023.
Ryan, who led the Jets to two AFC Championship game appearances in six seasons from 2009-14, hasn’t coached in the NFL since he was fired by the Bills with one game remaining in his second season in Buffalo in 2016. Ryan served as Harbaugh’s defensive coordinator in the latter’s first year as Baltimore head coach in 2008 before getting hired by the Jets.
Harbaugh also opted to go with the 43-year-old Wilson over another former Ravens position coach — former Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and Broncos assistant head coach Jim Leonhard for the DC position.
He also hired former Ravens assistants Chris Horton as the Giants’ new special teams coordinator and Willie Taggart as their running backs coach, respectively.
Harbaugh also was instrumental in the hiring of Dawn Aponte — the NFL’s chief administrative officer — as the Giants’ senior VP of football operations and strategy. She will be responsible for analytics, salary-cap management and player contract negotiations, and will report directly to Harbaugh, according to The Athletic report.
Harbaugh’s first choice to be the team’s offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, landed the head-coaching gig with the Browns, but Harbaugh added in the interview that he believes Matt Nagy will work out just as well.
“Of course. Of course. I expect Matt to be the best ever,” Harbaugh said. “I’m hoping he’ll be the best offensive coordinator to ever coach the game; that’s what we’re shooting for.”