“He Just Yells for Clicks” – Stephen A. Smith Undermining John Harbaugh’s Move to Giants Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

Stephen A. Smith respects John Harbaugh as a coach, but he isn't on board with the Giants hiring the former Raven as their next head coach.

“He Just Yells for Clicks” – Stephen A. Smith Undermining John Harbaugh’s Move to Giants Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans

John Harbaugh and Stephen A. Smith inside the circle (Image via IMAGO)

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John Harbaugh is close to becoming the next head coach of the New York Giants. The Giants will unveil Harbaugh as soon as they complete the paperwork.

Harbaugh served as the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens for 18 seasons (2008-2025). He was fired following the defeat on the final day of the season. It ended the Ravens’ hopes of retaining the AFC North and qualifying for the playoffs.

Three teams, the Giants, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Tennessee Titans, showed interest in hiring the 63-year-old shortly after he left the Ravens facility. However, the Giants acted quickly and got their man, much to the delight of the fans of the blue side of New York.

Moreover, the Ravens are likely to get a package deal. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and SNY’s Conner Hughes report that Harbaugh might bring along his former Ravens offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, to take over as the Giants’ new OC in New York.

That being said, not everyone is thrilled by the news. Leading the charge is Stephen A. Smith. On Thursday’s episode of First Take, Smith shared his unfiltered opinion of the Giants bringing Harbaugh on board.

Am I thrilled? Am I over the moon about it for a New York Giants franchise that’s been 7-27 over the last two years? Not particularly.

Stephen A. Smith said

Fans call out Stephen A. Smith for his negative take on the Giants’ hiring of John Harbaugh

Smith respects Harbaugh and his legacy in Baltimore. He won a Super Bowl and recorded countless winning seasons. Harbaugh helped Lamar Jackson become one of the best quarterbacks of the current generation, and potentially one of the best of all time.

Stephen A. Smith Undermining John Harbaugh's Move to Giants Doesn't Sit Well With Fans
John Harbaugh (Image via IMAGO)

However, the Ravens weren’t very good in his final years. That ultimately resulted in missing the playoffs completely in 2025. Smith hated watching Derrick Henry get so little action in the final quarters, especially given his status as Pro running back.

A guy [OC Monken] that doesn’t know when to give Derrick Henry the ball half the time. So I mean, I’m looking at it from that standpoint, and I’m saying my god, you didn’t wanna give Derrick Henry the ball, you’re going to give it to [Cam] Skattabo? I just don’t know what you’re gonna do right now. Again, it’s not a bad hire.

Smith concluded

Social media fans wondered what was driving Smith to take a shot at Harbaugh.

Smith wanted the Giants to hire a fresh face, like the Jaguars, who poached Liam Coen from Tampa, or the Seahawks with Mike Macdonald (former Ravens defensive coordinator).

What happened to people thinking about a Liam Coen, a [Mike] Macdonald or people like that, even a (Sean) McVay… What happened to some new, fresh blood?

Smith asked on his show (H/T: Awful Announcing)

The truth is, unless something major goes wrong, Harbaugh will be coaching Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, and Dexter Lawrence in 2026. Smith just has to accept it.

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