The regular season is over, and honestly, if you’re looking for the New York Giants in the current bracket, you’re going to be disappointed. They aren't there. After a grueling 4–13 campaign that felt even longer than it was, the New York Giants playoff chances for this cycle have officially hit zero. They’ve been eliminated for weeks.
But here’s the thing: while the rest of the league is fighting through the Divisional Round this weekend, the Giants just made a move that has people in North Jersey actually smiling for the first time in years. They landed John Harbaugh.
Why the 2025 Season Tanked
It wasn't just one thing. It was basically everything. The Giants started the year with high hopes for the Brian Daboll era, but things soured fast. By November 10, after a loss to the Chicago Bears left them at 2–8, ownership finally pulled the plug on Daboll. Mike Kafka took over as the interim, and while they managed to win a few games down the stretch—including a weirdly satisfying 34–17 thumping of the Dallas Cowboys in the season finale—it was too little, too late.
Jaxson Dart, the rookie quarterback they took third overall, showed flashes of being "the guy." He’s got that intensity you want, though he's kinda reckless sometimes. He finished the year with some bumps and bruises, but he survived a season where the offensive line was, frankly, a revolving door at times.
The defense had its bright spots. Abdul Carter, the Penn State edge rusher they grabbed in the first round, is currently a frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He’s been a monster. Brian Burns was his usual self, earning another Pro Bowl nod. But you can't win in this league when you’re losing seven games by a single possession. That’s what kills your New York Giants playoff chances—the inability to close.
The Harbaugh Effect: 2026 and Beyond
The big news right now isn't about the current playoffs; it's about the five-year, $100 million deal they just gave John Harbaugh. Bringing in a Super Bowl-winning coach who spent 18 years in Baltimore is a massive statement. John Mara is clearly tired of the "rebuilding" cycle.
Harbaugh brings stability. He’s taking Todd Monken with him as offensive coordinator, which is huge for Jaxson Dart’s development. The Giants have the 5th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. They have a core with Malik Nabers, Dexter Lawrence, and Andrew Thomas.
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When you look at the 2026 schedule, it’s not exactly a cakewalk. They’ve got to play the NFC West and the AFC South. That means dates with the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks—all of whom are currently in the playoffs. Plus, they have to face their usual NFC East rivals, with the Eagles and Commanders both looking like they’ve found their long-term answers at quarterback.
The Real Outlook
Realistically, the New York Giants playoff chances for next year are going to depend on two things:
- Jaxson Dart's Year 2 Jump: Can Monken and Harbaugh turn that raw "exuberance" into consistent, winning football?
- The Defense Finishing Games: They led in five different games last year that they eventually blew. You flip those, and they’re a 9-win team.
The fan base is understandably cynical. We've seen this movie before with "big name" hires that didn't pan out. But Harbaugh isn't a coordinator looking for his first shot. He’s a culture builder.
If you're looking to put money on them, the "Way Too Early" odds for 2026 aren't out yet, but expect them to be middle-of-the-pack. They aren't Super Bowl favorites, but they’re no longer the cellar-dwellers everyone ignores.
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The path back to relevance starts now. Keep an eye on the 5th overall pick—if they grab another blue-chip protector for Dart or a secondary piece to help out Deonte Banks, the 2026 postseason might actually be a conversation instead of a pipe dream.
For now, the best move is to focus on the draft board and the free agency period starting in March. The Giants have the cap space to be aggressive, and with Harbaugh in the building, they finally have a recruiter who players actually want to play for. Watch the offensive line market closely; that’s where this team will be won or lost in the trenches.