John Harbaugh Excited to Be New York Giants Head Coach
New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh was all smiles at the NFL Combine as he took questions from media at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Here are some highlights:
On the Giants over the past several weeks:
They’re just trying to build what it is with how we’re gonna operate. We’re trying to build what we’re going to become, and what it means to be that way. Organizing the way that we can be our very best, that’s really what it goes down to, you try to build a system and an operation that can we express. We’re in the top. We know it’s very competitive. So what we’re trying to do together as a group. Let’s just build the best football operation that we possibly can. And out of that, you know, we create the best football team that we can, you know, then prepare the team.
On being at the Combine as the Giants head coach:
It’s exciting, you know, it’s fun. I I feel energized, I always do. Every day, I feel energized.. You get a chance to get around, you see the players, if you have interviews. You see the coaches, you see the GMs. You kind of size up your competition, let’s be honest. It’s competitive. You get a chance to kind of take a look at who’s doing what, and how I’m trying to do it, so, that never changes. The fact that it’s with the Giants now, instead of the Ravens, is what it is, you know, and I’m excited about it. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to represent the New York Giants. We’re just really going to work. That’s really what we’re doing.
On hiring Dawn Aponte as senior vice president of football operations:
You know, it was an opportunity, I’ve known Dawn for many years, through the league circles and have worked with her in different projects and things like that, nothing but the utmost respect for her. She was interested in this particular job, it was obvious that she was the perfect fit for what we were trying to do, so she makes us better. She gives us a chance to be our very best, and it’s been great work with her so far.
On the integration of the scouting and coaching staffs to find the best players for the Draft:
Everybody’s got to be working together. There’s got to be a shared understanding of vision of what you’re trying to accomplish. There’s got to be a shared understanding of who you are, what you stand for, what the values are, of how we’re going to get there tomorrow. That takes constant communication. Everybody’s got to be working together. The idea that there’s too much hierarchy or silos or separate fences and things like that, just can’t be a part of it, not football, not anything. Coaching, scouting, pro, college, all of it. It’s all going to be integrated.
On what it means for a player to be a New York Giant:
Well, they got to love football. We talked about that in the opening press conference, right? You want a bunch of people that understand that’s what we’re here for, a team we want to play. We want tough, hard nosed winners that want to play hard, team-first play people that love football. Meetings, weightlifting, practice, you know, preparation.