# Harbaugh's fast Giants start surprises no one

> Mike Tomlin predicted John Harbaugh would turn around the Giants quickly, based on 18 years of AFC North battles.
- Title: Harbaugh's fast Giants start surprises no one · New York Post
- Summary: Mike Tomlin predicted John Harbaugh would turn around the Giants quickly, based on 18 years of AFC North battles. Harbaugh's track record of building winners…
- Keywords: john harbaugh, giants, mike tomlin, steelers, ravens, afc north, nfl coaching, head coach debut, 2026 season, news, entertainment, Harbaugh's
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/09/16/sports/why-john-harbaughs-fast-giants-start-is-no-surprise-to-greatest-rival
- Published: 2026-09-16T10:20:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: john harbaugh, giants, mike tomlin, steelers, ravens, afc north, nfl coaching, head coach debut, 2026 season, news, entertainment
## Harbaugh takes Giants helm
John Harbaugh was hired as the Giants head coach after 18 years building a consistent winner in Baltimore. He was fired by the Ravens following the 2025 season.
## Tomlin predicted quick success
Mike Tomlin, Harbaugh's greatest rival from their AFC North days, predicted the Giants pairing would be highly successful and sooner than most expected.
## Giants beat Cowboys in Week 1
Harbaugh's debut as Giants head coach resulted in a 28-20 victory over the Cowboys, validating early predictions about his ability to turn things around quickly.
## Eighteen years of Ravens success
Harbaugh built the Ravens into a consistent winner over his 18-year tenure, establishing a track record that informed Tomlin's confidence in his Giants prospects.
## Forty meetings as AFC North rivals
Harbaugh and Tomlin faced off 40 times in the regular season as Ravens and Steelers coaches, with Pittsburgh winning 23 and Baltimore winning 17. They also met four times in the playoffs with a 2-2 split.
## Second-most head coach meetings
Their 44 combined meetings rank second all-time in head coach matchups, behind only George Halas and Curly Lambeau who played 49 games between 1921 and 1953.
## Key takeaway

Harbaugh's track record of building winners in Baltimore gives credibility to predictions of fast success in New York.