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Jordan Raanan
East Rutherford, NJ — New York Giants quarterback jackson dart Spoke “at length” with coach John Harbaugh during the team’s courtship with the Super Bowl XLVII winner, including speaking on the phone several times. Then on January 14, he remained seated for a long time during Harbaugh’s interview.
Harbaugh, who agreed to a deal by the end of that day and signed to become the Giants’ head coach by the weekend, was the top choice for Dart and his teammates.
“When Coach Harbaugh’s name came up, we were all really excited and wanted to get it,” Dartt said during an interview with ESPN during a family vacation. “So I think from our perspective, guys can’t wait to get a chance to play for him and be coached by him.”
Harbaugh was fired on January 6 after 18 seasons Baltimore Ravens. It was a welcome surprise for Dart that he became available. The move allowed the Giants to pair a proven veteran coach with a talented young quarterback.
“Winning,” Dartt said of his expectations working with Harbaugh. “A lot of wins. That’s all.”
Harbaugh acknowledged the high expectations during his introductory press conference Tuesday, noting that the goal is to earn the right to be called world champions in New York.
The dart is a major reason Harbaugh thinks this is possible and a key factor in why he came to the Giants after extensively evaluating all quarterbacks from teams with coaching openings.
“The quarterback is very important. It’s a big deal,” Harbaugh said. “I’m excited about Jackson Dart. … I love the way he plays. I love his talent, skill set, all the things he’s accomplished, but even more than that, I love who he is and what he’s about. To me, he’s all about football.”
The Dart was equally impressed. Their one-on-one meeting during Harbaugh’s interview at the team facility was going so well that it had to be broken because it was going on too long. A source indicated that the talks lasted for about two hours.
Harbaugh has a strong track record in establishing the right environment for quarterbacks to develop. He oversaw the development of Joe Flacco And lamar jackson During his time in Baltimore. That’s reason enough for Dart to be excited, besides the fact that Harbaugh’s teams reached the playoffs and won the Super Bowl in 12 of his 18 seasons.
“Obviously, just from a football perspective, [he has] “The ability to build teams year after year that have a chance to compete at the highest level, regardless of whether they have talent one year versus the next,” Dart said. “He’s always put his team in really good situations to win. So he’s a coach I really want to play for. And as a guy, too.”
Dartt said he has not yet spoken to Jackson, Baltimore’s two-time MVP-winning quarterback. He talked to former Giants and Ravens wide receivers odell beckham jr., who gave complimentary reviews after spending the 2023 season in Baltimore.
The Giants quarterback, who was announced as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year on Thursday, was overwhelmed that Harbaugh was so impressed with his play. Dart totaled 24 touchdowns and seven turnovers in his rookie season.
“Yeah, I mean, that says a lot,” Dart said. “It says a lot because you want to play for a coach that has confidence in you.”
Harbaugh has been busy the past few days trying to assemble his staff for the Giants. The assumption is that he wants to bring Todd Monken with him from Baltimore as offensive coordinator to work with Darts, assuming Monken is not hired at the position. cleveland browns‘Chief coach.
Dart said he has been involved in “a lot of communications” about the coaching search, although he is technically still a rookie and no one is asking him about who to hire.
If he had done so, Harbaugh would have been his surefire answer as head coach, and his meetings with the new staff only validated that belief.
“He was just a coach and I feel like I immediately bought into the things he was saying, and the way he handles himself and can conduct himself in front of a room and his track record is unbelievable,” Dart said. “So that culture of winning right away, the intensity, and then the excitement and love about football, that’s what he brings and brings to the team. So, can’t wait to get started and get going with him.”
