John Harbaugh reveals Andy Reid’s four-word message to him after he was let go by the Ravens

It is a new era in New York.

When John Harbaugh walked into the Giants’ facility to be introduced as the franchise’s next head coach, he didn’t look like a man who had been fired just two weeks ago.

Instead, he looked like a coach who had been revitalized.

The end of an 18-season era in Baltimore was abrupt. Following a heartbreaking Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that kept the Ravens out of the playoffs, Harbaugh was shown the door.

But as he stood at the podium in East Rutherford, Harbaugh revealed that one of his first phone calls during that uncertain week was to his longtime mentor and friend, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

After spending time on Reid’s staff in Philadelphia before taking over in Baltimore in 2008, Harbaugh is aiming to bring that same success to the Giants.

Reid, who famously reinvented himself in Kansas City after a 14-year tenure in Philadelphia ended in a similar fashion, had a simple, four-word message for his former assistant: Change can be good.

“Andy is a man of few words and his four words to me were: ‘Change can be good.’ That’s what he said,” Harbaugh said.

“Change can be good. He was excited. He’s fired up for us. He’s a good friend. …

“How about we do this. We’ll sign up for that deal right now, what he did in Kansas City. Let’s do that.”

The ‘Reid Model’ is clearly the blueprint for Harbaugh’s second act.

Like Reid, Harbaugh is taking over a historic franchise in need of a cultural reset. While the Giants have struggled through 11 losing seasons in the last 13 years, Harbaugh sees a light at the end of the tunnel, and it starts with the young man under center: Jaxson Dart.

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Harbaugh didn’t hold back his enthusiasm for the 2025 first-round pick, who showed flashes of brilliance during his rookie campaign.

“It starts with the quarterback for sure,” he said.

“You build your team around your quarterback. You build your team around your players and what they do well. I like the way he plays. I like his talent, skill set, all the things he’s accomplished.

“But more than that I like who he is and what he’s about. To me, he’s about football. This young guy loves football. He wants to talk football all the time. That’s what I liked doing, too. So we’re going to have a lot of great conversations. I can’t wait to get started with him.”

The connection between Harbaugh and Dart was apparently immediate. Reports surfaced that the two met for hours during the interview process, discussing everything from offensive philosophy to the nuances of the game.

For a coach who helped mold Lamar Jackson into a two-time MVP, the dual-threat capability of Dart, who rushed for nearly 500 yards and nine touchdowns last season, is a mouth-watering prospect.

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The Giants didn’t just hire a coach; they hired a “culture builder” with a 193-124 career record and a Super Bowl ring.

By securing Harbaugh to a five-year deal, owner John Mara is signaling that the era of the quick fix is over.

Harbaugh said it was a “profound honor to be entrusted” with the job, one he had his sights set on after nearly 20 years in Baltimore.

“I wanted this job,” Harbaugh said.

“I think I told you that, Mr. Mara: I wanted this job, and to be on the biggest stage in the biggest sport. I know the challenges; I understand the expectations, I know the fans are hungry for a winner.

“We’re here with one mission: to become, to earn the right to be called the world champions in New York. And that’s what we plan to do.”

As Harbaugh prepares to lead Big Blue into the 2026 season, those four words from Andy Reid continue to resonate.

If the “change” Reid promised yields even a fraction of the success seen in Kansas City, the Giants may have finally found the man to return them to NFL royalty.

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