The New York Giants officially introduced John Harbaugh as their head coach on Tuesday, but they remain without any confirmed assistants for his inaugural coaching staff. As speculation increases, one reporter floated former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan as an out-of-the-box potential hire.
Ryan has not coached since 2016, when the Buffalo Bills fired him as their head coach after two seasons. However, the connection between the two could be enough to lure Ryan out of retirement, Giants reporter Gary Myers suggested.
“I know this might sound crazy, but don't discount Rex Ryan being considered to be John Harbaugh's defensive coordinator with the Giants,” Myers tweeted. “Rex was on [the Ravens'] staff and wanted HC job when Harbaugh was hired in 2008. Ryan worked for Harbaugh for one year before he was hired by the [Jets]. They also worked together at [Cincinnati football] in 1996 when Rex was DC and Harbaugh was ST coordinator. Ryan would be outstanding hire.”
Ryan's brief stint on Harbaugh's staff with the Ravens was his final as an assistant coach. Before Harbaugh was brought on staff, Ryan was named the 2006 NFL PFWA Assistant Coach of the Year as Baltimore's defensive coordinator.
Since his firing from the Bills, Ryan has landed a cushy job as an NFL analyst with ESPN. Unless the itch to coach is back after a decade, it would take a lot for the Giants — or any team — to lure him back onto the sidelines.
Giants, John Harbaugh continue DC search
Rex Ryan or not, Harbaugh's first defensive coordinator hire with the Giants will be one of his most important moves. Harbaugh is widely expected to bring former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken to East Rutherford, but the defensive coordinator job remains wide open.
The Giants invested heavily in their defense in the 2025 offseason, but the results did not show up on the field. New York ended the year as an above-average offense, but its 26th-ranked scoring defense, which allowed the 28th-most total yards in the league, was the team's undoing.
The Giants improved slightly after firing defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and replacing him with Charlie Bullen. Harbaugh, however, has not shown much interest in retaining Bullen, who has already interviewed with other teams around the league for a permanent DC position.
Whichever coach Harbaugh tabs as his next defensive coordinator will be expected to get the most out of the talented unit that underwhelmed in 2025.
