Giants players impressed with John Harbaugh's culture change

John Harbaugh has spent most of his short time as Giants coach impressing people inside the organization and his rookies. But with OTAs starting Tuesday, he also has impressed his veteran players.

At the Giants’ town hall at Beacon Theatre on Monday, Jaxson Dart praised Harbaugh for his attention to detail and intensity. Kayvon Thibodeaux put it bluntly how things have changed.

“I would honestly say, man, [stuff] is different,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s hard. It’s different in a great way. It’s testing the limits. He’s seeing what we can do. I’m all for the future and this is now.”

So goes creating a new culture. For a team that has totaled seven victories in  the last two seasons, the Giants needed the shakeup. When Harbaugh was hired, they knew they were getting a coach who understands what is needed to win.

It also meant bringing in players familiar with his vision to ease the transition. While Dart, and Thibodeaux praised Harbaugh’s approach, new tight end Isaiah Likely kept it real on how Harbaugh demands more to meet his standard.

“Not every day with John’s gonna be peaches and cream,” said Likely, who played four season with Harbaugh on the Ravens, “That’s just what you want in a head coach. Somebody that’s not only going to tell you how great you are but also what you have to improve.”

Harbaugh didn’t lean on that tough love Monday. He basked in a warm welcome from fans as they gave him a standing ovation when he took the stage. He bantered with fans yelling up from the mezzanine and boasted that the Giants, after adding Likely, have the NFL’s best tight end room.

He also resisted bait from a fan who asked how the Giants can keep pace with the Cowboys, Eagles and Commanders. They went 3-9 against their NFC East rivals the past two seasons, but Harbaugh dismissed the past to focus on the present.

“I don’t [care] about any of it. All I care about is [Tuesday’s] practice,” Harbaugh said. "Because if [Tuesday’s] practice is the way it’s supposed to be, that’d be one more step in the direction of being a good enough football team to kick the Cowboys’ [butt].”

Firing up the crowd fit what Harbaugh has done since he was hired in January. It also endeared him to his players, who have been invigorated by his enthusiasm and vision.

Dart noted that one way Harbaugh sets the tone is by arriving at the team facility at 4:30 a.m. to work out. It’s a small thing, but for a Giants team that needs to improve, Dart and his teammates admire what Harbaugh has done to lead by example.

“I just think that from a player perspective,” Dart said, “when you see a coach who’s able to sacrifice a lot but has a chip on their shoulder at the same time, it’s something that we can all respect and we want to play for.”

Skattebo updates progress

Cam Skattebo proved himself a fan favorite when he took the stage with his trademark “woo” to the crowd. He also gave the fans a positive update on his recovery from ankle surgery.

“I’m a little ways out, not too far, but I’ll be ready to go,” Skattebo said. “Week 1, I’ll be ready to go.”

Harbaugh previously said Skattebo could be cleared by OTAs. The running back seemed to be a bit more cautious about a return date, but he remains on track in his recovery.

He also gave Giants fans a positive sign from his past.

“Every single time I’ve joined a new team, I’ve won a championship in my second year,” Skattebo said, noting that he won the Big 12 championship in his second year at Arizona State in 2024. “So we’ll see.”

Giants to honor 40th anniversary of Super Bowl champions next season

The Giants will honor the 40th anniversary of their Super Bowl XXI-winning team on Oct. 4 when they host the Arizona Cardinals. The first 20,000 fans in attendance will  receive a bobblehead doll of former tight end Mark Bavaro.

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.