There’s a major reason why the Giants pursuing Mike Tomlin would be a costly mistake — and why they shouldn’t waver on John Harbaugh

It makes little sense for the New York Giants to pursue Mike Tomlin in their head coaching search as they focus on John Harbaugh.

Joe DeLeone — NFL News Writer
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Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (left) and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (right) shake hands after the game at Acrisure Stadium.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Yesterday, Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach sent shockwaves through the sport. While John Harbaugh’s firing was shocking, Tomlin’s willingness to move on added a massive wrinkle to an already historic coaching carousel.

Before the 2025 season ended, Tomlin and Harbaugh were dream candidates for Giants fans. The Steelers vs. Ravens Week 18 matchup created a potential scenario in which the loser would be on the market. That came to fruition with Harbaugh, but no one envisioned it would happen with both coaches.

While Giants fans may be salivating at the possibility of getting Tomlin if Harbaugh falls through, it’s unlikely he will become their next head coach. A major reason is how he ended his time in Pittsburgh.

Getting Mike Tomlin requires an expensive trade

Because Tomlin stepped down rather than being fired, his rights remain with the Steelers, and he has two years left on his current deal. That means if the Giants wanted to pursue Tomlin, they’d need to move draft capital to get him.

The last time a head coach was traded in a similar scenario was when the New Orleans Saints traded Sean Payton’s rights to the Denver Broncos after he spent time in broadcasting. That deal in 2023 included the Broncos’ 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick. The Saints also sent their 2024 third-round pick with Payton’s rights.

Quite simply, this is an awful idea for the Giants to trade for him if they felt compelled to. Tomlin’s trade compensation would likely be greater than this with the success he had in the league. Giving up early draft picks when you’re on the cusp of having a talented core is idiotic.

Additionally, the way Tomlin moved on from Pittsburgh suggests he may be stepping away from football for a brief period. He’d certainly be one of the most sought-after broadcasting candidates in some time, given his track record and personality.

The Harbaugh hunt heats up

With the Giants’ aggressive pursuit of Harbaugh, it is also not worth derailing their progress to look into Tomlin. This morning, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that the Giants are among the top remaining teams that Harbaugh is considering.

It appears that an answer to where Harbaugh will coach in 2026 is imminent once these meetings are concluded. Hopefully, the Giants’ aggressiveness pays off, as these other franchises have not been nearly as relentless. Otherwise, his decision would be a gigantic domino effect on other coaching moves that would follow not long after.

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