Giants Name Matt Nagy Offensive Coordinator In Strategic Harbaugh Move

The New York Giants have made a decisive move in shaping their offensive future, announcing on February 3, 2026, that Matt Nagy will join John Harbaugh’s staff as offensive coordinator. This high-profile hire, confirmed by multiple sources including NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, marks a pivotal moment for a franchise seeking to revitalize its offense and nurture the development of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

Nagy, 47, brings a wealth of NFL experience to East Rutherford, having spent the past several years immersed in the league’s most innovative offensive circles. His coaching journey began under the tutelage of Andy Reid, first with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2008 to 2012 and then with the Kansas City Chiefs beginning in 2013. Nagy quickly rose through the ranks, serving as quarterbacks coach and then as offensive coordinator during two separate stints with Kansas City. His reputation as a creative mind was solidified during his initial OC run, which helped propel him to the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears in 2018.

Harbaugh’s decision to tap Nagy is no accident. Known for favoring offensive coordinators with prior head coaching experience, Harbaugh’s Baltimore tenure featured the likes of Cam Cameron, Jim Caldwell, Gary Kubiak, Marc Trestman, and Marty Mornhinweg—all former head coaches. Even Todd Monken, his most recent OC in Baltimore, had led a college program at Southern Mississippi. Harbaugh’s preference for seasoned play-callers is rooted in his belief that experience breeds adaptability and innovation, especially crucial as the Giants look to maximize the potential of their young signal-caller.

The Giants’ offensive coordinator search was initially focused on Monken, with widespread expectation that he would follow Harbaugh from Baltimore. However, Monken surprised many by accepting the head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns, prompting the Giants to pivot. Harbaugh then considered a range of candidates, including Davis Webb, Shane Day, Jim Bob Cooter, Alex Tanney, Kliff Kingsbury, and Brian Callahan, but ultimately settled on Nagy for his blend of head coaching experience and offensive acumen.

Nagy’s track record is a study in both promise and adversity. As head coach of the Bears from 2018 to 2021, he compiled a 34-31 regular-season record and led the team to two playoff appearances, despite working with a carousel of quarterbacks including Mitchell Trubisky, Chase Daniel, Nick Foles, and Justin Fields. His debut season was a revelation—the Bears surged to a 12-4 record, capturing the NFC North and earning Nagy NFL Coach of the Year honors. Yet, sustaining that success proved elusive, with the Bears finishing 8-8 in consecutive seasons before slipping to 6-11 in 2021. Throughout his Chicago tenure, Nagy’s offenses struggled to crack the league’s Top 20 in total yards, a fact not lost on Giants fans wary of recent offensive woes.

After his stint in Chicago, Nagy returned to Kansas City in 2022, first as quarterbacks coach and then as offensive coordinator for three seasons. While the Chiefs remained a formidable force, the past two years saw the offense regress, hampered by injuries to stars like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The 2025 campaign ended in disappointment, with Kansas City posting a 6-11 record—the worst of the Andy Reid and Mahomes era—and missing the postseason. Despite the downturn, Nagy’s influence was still valued; as Andy Reid put it, “Somebody is missing a gem here, that’s how I feel, and I would love to see (Nagy) get picked up and going.”

Contrary to some speculation, Nagy was not fired by the Chiefs. His contract expired at season’s end, and both sides had anticipated a parting of ways. Nagy was in the running for head coaching jobs, including the Tennessee Titans, but when those opportunities didn’t materialize, the Giants’ offer emerged as an ideal fit. As Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports Kansas City explained, “A common misconception is that the Chiefs fired Nagy. That’s not the case at all. The Chiefs didn’t renew Nagy’s expiring contract because that simply wasn’t the plan. Andy Reid indicated that Nagy had told him before the season that he’d seek a head-coaching opportunity at the conclusion of his contract and they prepared as such.”

For Harbaugh, the Nagy hire is both strategic and pragmatic. The Giants’ new head coach is embarking on his first season in New York after an 18-year run with the Baltimore Ravens, where he established a reputation for building strong, collaborative coaching staffs. Harbaugh and Nagy share the common bond of the Andy Reid coaching tree, though their paths never directly crossed on the same staff. Their shared philosophy, particularly in favoring the West Coast offense and mobile quarterbacks, bodes well for the development of Jaxson Dart. Nagy, himself a former college quarterback at Delaware, is known for his preference for quarterbacks who can extend plays and threaten defenses both in and out of the pocket—a skill set that aligns closely with Dart’s strengths.

“We had another great coordinator, too, with Matt Nagy, and this gives Matt an opportunity to go out and run his show there and do what he does best, taking two Super Bowl Championships with him and three Super Bowl appearances and a top ten offense that he was working with this past year,” Andy Reid said recently. “He’ll go out and be able to put his own mark on things and that takes my name off of it and he gets the purity of it. I was hoping it’d be a head coaching position, and it still might be that. He deserves that definitely for sure. If that doesn’t work, it gives him an opportunity to step in as a coordinator and run his show from there. It’s a win-win on both sides for both coaches.”

With Nagy at the helm of the offense, the Giants are signaling a commitment to stability and experience, even if the move isn’t flashy. There are questions—can Nagy elevate an offense that has languished near the bottom of the league? Is he the right mentor for Jaxson Dart as the young quarterback enters a crucial second season? While Nagy’s past offenses have been inconsistent, his background with elite coaches and quarterbacks offers hope for a turnaround in New York.

As the Giants round out their coaching staff—Dennard Wilson on defense and Chris Horton on special teams—Harbaugh’s vision is coming into focus. The coming months will be critical as Nagy assembles his offensive staff and begins the process of installing his system. Giants fans, for now, are left with cautious optimism, eager to see if this calculated gamble will pay off and usher in a new era of offensive excitement at MetLife Stadium.

For now, all eyes are on Matt Nagy and Jaxson Dart as preparations begin for the 2026 NFL season. The Giants have chosen experience and familiarity with winning cultures. Time will tell if this formula delivers the spark they’ve been missing.