When the Miami Dolphins swiftly kicked Mike McDaniel to the curb, many saw it as a way to avoid a repeat of chasing Jim Harbaugh a decade ago. With his brother John Harbaugh now a free agent Head Coach, the Dolphins were a front-runner in the hours after he parted ways with the Ravens.
Miami sat idle over the next couple of days, letting John Harbaugh work through the sudden freedom. As they did, growing interest in hiring him seemed to be picking up, but fans soon learned that the Dolphins were slowly dropping out of the race.
Now, that first domino may have fallen as John Harbaugh will be signing with the New York Giants, per a new report from Ian Rapoport.
The #Giants will spend the morning finalizing a 5-year deal with former #Ravens coach John Harbaugh, making him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches. But Harbaugh has accepted the job, as the first opening is filled. pic.twitter.com/AG8s3tpPyz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 15, 2026
John Harbaugh signing with the Giants is bad news for Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross
Maybe at some point we will hear someone from the Dolphins say, "Stephen didn't want to bring business into his friendship with the Harbaugh family." That would make sense, but if Ross had even a small desire to hire Harbaugh, his signing with the Giants says a lot about the Dolphins.
As many fans quipped on social media over the last week, Harbaugh was never going to take the Dolphins job, given the team's current and past state. Ross has been a good spending owner, and he doesn't meddle in the team's affairs, but he has been far from a poster child for a good owner.
Of course, there is also the case of Miami's quarterback situation. Will a new coach be forced to play Tua Tagovailoa? Will he be forced to start over, carrying $99 million in dead cap space because they cut him? Tagovailoa is not a draw to any coach looking for an opportunity, especially one that is established.
The salary cap situation in Miami is one of the worst in the NFL, and it will only get worse. With Tyreek Hill, Austin Jackson, and Bradley Chubb contracts needing work, a new HC, let alone new General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, will be looking at a monumental rebuild over the next two years.
It was fun to dream and imagine Harbaugh coming to Miami and giving them the best "on-paper" coach since Nick Saban, but it would have taken more money than even Ross would spend. Harbaugh sent Ross a clear message, your team isn't good enough to win and I don't want the job to try and fix it. Who can blame him? Not Dolphins fans.