Giants coach John Harbaugh
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John Harbaugh gives his thoughts on the Giants adding TE Isaiah Likely.
As the New York Giants prepare for the 2026 campaign, the organization has brought in an array of fresh faces in hopes of moving forward in their rebuild. Though they have a bit of history already, John Harbaugh is eager to get to work with Isaiah Likely.
Amid the action of the NFL’s Annual League Meeting, Harbaugh spoke with reporters on March 30th to discuss a wide range of topics. Seeing that he was one of the bigger additions in free agency, the reunion with Likely was among the topics brought up. Harbaugh feels the veteran tight end is a big addition to the Giants’ offense and believes he’ll be a good complementary piece for QB Jaxson Dart.
“He’s gonna bring a lot to the table, he’s a talented football player,” Harbaugh said of Likely. “He’s a playmaking football player, he’s gonna make plays for us. I think Jaxson is gonna really like him, running the routes and being in his line of vision.”
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“He’s going to make plays for us. I think Jaxson’s going to really like him running the routes and being in his line of vision”
John Harbaugh talks about what Isaiah Likely adds to the Giants’ offense:
The Likely signing has been a hot topic for the Giants, with many believing he could be a breakout candidate this season. Harbaugh now has the chance to fully utilize his skill set, as he’ll no long be serving a backup role like he did when the two were together in Baltimore.
John Harbaugh Believes Isaiah Likely Could Have ‘Big’ Year With the Giants
During his tenure with the Ravens, Likely’s numbers never jumped off the page. Nonetheless, Harbaugh is confident his production will see a notable uptick in 2026.
Likely is coming off a down year last season, recording 307 yards and one touchdown (both career lows). However, Harbaugh is far from concerned about the 25-year-old ahead of his first campaign with the Giants. He thinks the change of scenery will be a positive experience for him and very well could result in a career year.
“I’m certain he’s gonna be able to put up the numbers you’re talking about,” Harbaugh told reporters. “The stats. That wasn’t part of the thing in Baltimore just because of the supporting cast so to speak. This is gonna be a big year.”
Isaiah Likely has Good Relationship With Giants Coach John Harbaugh
When the Giants brought in Harbaugh to be the team’s new head coach, they hoped he’d be a draw for players across the league. This quickly proved to be the case, as Likely was one of many former Ravens players to find their way to New York this offseason.
Based on his recent comments, it’s clear that Harbaugh built a good connection with Likely during their tenure in Baltimore. The adoration seems to be mutual, as the veteran tight end has also gone out of his way to praise him in recent weeks.
During his introductory press conference with the Giants, Likely touched on Harbaugh and what he brings to an organization. Above all else, he applauded the longtime coach’s ability to build a strong culture.
“I’d say really just the culture that he brings,” Likely said. “With Harbs the mantra was always be disciplined, you’re going to give 110 percent effort for a whole 60 minutes, and understand that you’ll never go into a game thinking negative. And I feel like that’s the best mantra to have going into any organization having Harbs as your leader.”
With the start of OTAs not too far away, Harbaugh and Likely will soon begin a new chapter of their journey together in the NFL.