Dallas Cowboys’ rival is about to make a massive move that’s guaranteed to alter the future of the NFC East

There’s a new head coach in the NFC East, and his name is John Harbaugh. What does it mean for the Cowboys?

Mauricio Rodriguez — Dallas Cowboys News Writer
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Only 15 days into 2026, a new threat emerges for the Dallas Cowboys. And it happens to be the division rival Dak Prescott has dominated throughout his career: The New York Giants.

That’s because on Thursday, the Giants are expected to hire head coach John Harbaugh, who recently hit the market after 18 years at the helm of the Baltimore Ravens. As soon as he became available, Harbaugh became the consensus top target for teams searching for a new head coach. Now he’ll compete in the NFC East, and he’s the biggest name the division has seen arrive in years.

Harbaugh’s imminent hire changes everything for the NFC East

With Harbaugh and competent QB play from Jaxson Dart, the Giants have a foundation to build a competitive team. They’ve got a top-tier weapon in wide receiver Malik Nabers, and first-round rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter showed his potential in the second half of the season. The Giants have two winning seasons since 2012. The tide may be about to turn.

Harbaugh’s resume speaks for itself. He led the Ravens for 18 years and went 180-113, for a 61.4% winning percentage. He’s a Super Bowl-winning coach with 12 postseason appearances during his time in Baltimore.

For the Giants, adding Harbaugh is a franchise-altering move. For a team with only two winning seasons since 2012, he’s exactly what New York needed to bounce back to relevancy.

NFC East’s long-term future is bright

Earlier this week, I wrote about my skepticism on the Philadelphia Eagles’ future. They just made a change at offensive coordinator, while serious questions have emerged around head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts now that offensive talent has taken a hit. And yet, the Eagles are still an organization that has proven proactive every step of the way, and under GM Howie Roseman, they may not be down for long.

Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders are in the midst of turmoil after parting ways with their offensive and defensive coordinators. But they have a high-end quarterback in Jayden Daniels.

What this means for the Cowboys

The future is bright for the division, but the Cowboys could be the best-positioned team to win the division in 2026 with the right offseason moves. After all, Dak Prescott played at an elite level in 2025, and George Pickens is likely to return even if on the franchise tag.

If Dallas can get the right defensive coordinator and bring in starter-ready veterans at linebacker and cornerback, the unit can go from terrible to decent. And with an elite offense, that’s all the Cowboys need to win games.

Who knows what the future holds, which looks very bright for the division, but the door is open for Dallas to capitalize in 2026.

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