AP: Harbaugh to NY is close | News, Sports, Jobs

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh watches as players warm up before an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

John Harbaugh and the New York Giants are working on an agreement to make him the team’s head coach, three people with knowledge of the decision said Thursday.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been finalized. Harbaugh is not meeting with the Tennessee Titans and with the goal “reach the finish line with the Giants,” according to one of the people.

A second person said the deal was not done but that “barring any setbacks” Harbaugh would become New York’s coach.

Harbaugh interviewed in person with the Giants on Wednesday, spending hours at the team facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Super Bowl-winning former coach of the Baltimore Ravens was believed to be New York’s top candidate in the pursuit of Brian Daboll’s full-time successor.

Fired by the Ravens after they missed the playoffs on a missed field goal attempt at the buzzer in the season finale, Harbaugh is on track to pick the Giants over other possible landing spots, including Tennessee and Atlanta.

The Ravens made the playoffs 12 times during 18 seasons with Harbaugh in charge and won the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, a year after the Giants’ most recent championship under Tom Coughlin, who also led them to win it all in ’07. Counting playoff games, the seven coaches who followed Coughlin in the organization have gone 45-105-1: a winning percentage of .300.

General manager Joe Schoen, who’s back for a fifth season running the football operations department, said he would cast a wide net in the coaching search.

Interviewing Raheem Morris and Antonio Pierce satisfied the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirements for interviewing minorities.

QB wounded?

RENTON, Wash. — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold injured his left oblique during Thursday’s practice and was listed as questionable for Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers, but he said he’s confident he’ll play.

Darnold said he felt something in his oblique while throwing passes to receivers with no defenders.

“Didn’t want to push it,” Darnold said. “Wasn’t the day to push it. That was it. Just came inside, got some rehab. Feel like I’ll be ready to go for Saturday.”

The eighth-year quarterback said this is the first time he has dealt with an oblique issue and that he’ll be getting treatment leading up to the game. When asked about his chances of sitting out, Darnold said, “Very low percentage. Probably closer to zero.”

Darnold passed for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his first season with the Seahawks, earning his second straight Pro Bowl selection. He led Seattle to a 14-3 record and the NFC’s top seed.

Backup Drew Lock has appeared in five games this season and attempted just three passes. Lock started five games for the New York Giants in 2024 and has 28 career NFL starts, completing 59.6% of passes with 34 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.

Positive Mahomes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes intends to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.

Mahomes had surgery in mid-December to repair two torn ligaments in his left knee, and he said during a Zoom call Thursday that his rehab is “hitting all the checkpoints” that could get him back for summer workouts and perhaps even training camp this fall.

“I want to be ready for Week 1. The doctors said I could,” Mahomes said, “but I can’t predict what happens throughout the process. That’s the goal, to play Week 1 and have no restrictions. You want to be out there healthy and give us the best chance to win. I hope to do some things in OTAs and training camp and be able to do things there.”

Mahomes tore the ACL and LCL on Dec. 14 in the waning minutes of a loss to the Chargers, one that effectively eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. Initially, Mahomes said, he didn’t think the injury was too severe, and he even lobbied to return to the game.