Giants downplay new reporting structure for coach John Harbaugh, GM Joe Schoen

Several days passed between the time John Harbaugh reportedly accepted the New York Giants job and when the team officially announced his hiring. According to multiple reports, the delay was due to Harbaugh’s push for changes to the team’s hierarchical structure, which he downplayed during his introductory press conference Tuesday.

In an interview with The Athletic following his hiring, Harbaugh noted that he would report directly to ownership and not general manager Joe Schoen. This gap around Schoen is a divergence from how the Giants have done things recently, but Harbaugh insisted the change was “not really that big.”

Harbaugh said he’s simply more comfortable with that hierarchical structure while noting that he and Schoen will have to work in tandem no matter what.

“I think the way it works is a little bit of a stretch. The main thing is that it works and we work together,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what matters. It’s kind of what I was used to. It was a good way to start. Mr. Mara was happy with it. It seemed logical, but I don’t think it really matters. We’re all going to work together, and I promise we’ll all report to the boss, and the boss owns it.”

Throughout his time at the podium, Harbaugh was quick to praise Schoen multiple times, saying he was “very impressed” with the general manager’s football knowledge.

“It was the conversations themselves that led me to believe there would be a great collaboration,” Harbaugh said. “I get to know Joe, and we start talking about ball, and you see, he’s a football man. This guy lives and breathes football. His knowledge is extensive. He knows the coaches in the league. He knows the players in the league. He knows probably every scout in the league, too. He’s been impressive to me. It’s been a joy to talk football and really delve into some of the plans for what we could build in the future.”

Once Harbaugh took the podium, senior vice president of player personnel Chris Mara also spoke about the new reporting structure and dismissed the idea that Harbaugh would have the “final say” on all roster decisions. Instead, Mara described Harbaugh as “the most important cog in the wheel.”

“I know it’s a big deal here — the final word,” Mara said. “He doesn’t have the final say, it’s collaborative. He’ll be the first to admit that. If he had the final say on everything that happens in this building, he wouldn’t be able to do his job.”

Mara admitted that Harbaugh may be the only candidate who has enough influence for the Giants to change the way they do business.

“Life has a lot of changes,” Mara said. “We tried it both ways, and we’re just comfortable doing it with him. I think with anyone else, maybe it wouldn’t have happened that way. Everyone was on board, so it’s all good.”

Schoen himself addressed the change, reiterating that he was “not concerned” about Harbaugh reporting directly to ownership. As someone who has worked in front offices for more than two decades, Schoen said the coach and general manager have always worked together, regardless of structure.

“Everywhere I am — I’ve been in the league 26 years — the head coach and the general manager work together,” Schoen said via NFL Media. “That’s the only way it’s going to work. Get on the same page and follow the process. Again, we’ve done it everywhere I’ve been. That doesn’t worry me. It’s just something on a piece of paper. It doesn’t matter. We have to work together and we’ll come to a final conclusion. It’s always going to be about what’s best for the New York Giants. I have no problem with that. I look forward to working with him.”

For all the talk about the new reporting structure in the days leading up to Harbaugh’s signing, it appears everyone involved is more than happy to downplay it now. Then again, perhaps the change should be a welcome sight for the Giants and their fans.

Since 2012, the Giants are 83-145-1. During that span, they used five full-time coaches while winning just one playoff game. It’s high time for New York to try something different, and it will do so with Harbaugh at the helm.