Giants Hire Harbaugh, Shake Up Front Office Structure

New head coach John Harbaugh brings in key hire Dawn Aponte to oversee football operations.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The New York Giants' hiring of John Harbaugh as their new head coach has led to significant changes in the team's front office structure. Harbaugh was granted significant input on roster decisions and will report directly to owner John Mara, bypassing general manager Joe Schoen. The team has also hired Dawn Aponte away from the league office to serve as senior vice president of football operations and strategy, with responsibilities that appear to encroach on Schoen's traditional GM duties.

Why it matters

The power dynamics between Harbaugh, Schoen, and Aponte will be crucial to the Giants' future success. Harbaugh's influence over football operations could marginalize Schoen's role as GM, raising questions about the team's decision-making structure going forward.

The details

According to reports, Harbaugh was pivotal in the Giants' hiring of Dawn Aponte, who will oversee strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and coordination with the personnel departments. This appears to relegate Schoen to primarily handling scouting duties, with the rest of the football operations staff reporting to Aponte, who will in turn report to Harbaugh. While Harbaugh has praised Schoen and emphasized their collaborative working relationship, the extent of Aponte's responsibilities suggests Schoen's role as GM has been significantly diminished.

  • The Giants announced their intention to hire Harbaugh as head coach in early February 2026.
  • The deal between Harbaugh and the Giants was finalized a few days later, after negotiations over the front office structure.

The players

John Harbaugh

The new head coach of the New York Giants, who was granted significant input on roster decisions and will report directly to the team's owner.

Joe Schoen

The Giants' general manager, whose traditional duties appear to have been diminished with the hiring of Dawn Aponte.

Dawn Aponte

The newly hired senior vice president of football operations and strategy for the Giants, who will oversee key aspects of the team's football operations.

John Mara

The owner of the New York Giants, who will now have Harbaugh reporting directly to him rather than the general manager.

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What they’re saying

“Harbaugh was pivotal in the team's efforts to hire Dawn Aponte away from the league office.”

— Ian O'Connor, Reporter (The Athletic)

“Aponte will be responsible for 'strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and working closely with the college and pro personnel departments.'”

— Pat Leonard, Sports Reporter (NY Daily News)

“Schoen has essentially been 'relegated to handling scouting' and the 'rest of the building reports to Dawn.'”

— Pat Leonard, Sports Reporter (NY Daily News)

What’s next

The Giants will need to navigate the power dynamics between Harbaugh, Schoen, and Aponte as they build their roster and coaching staff for the upcoming season.

The takeaway

The Giants' front office restructuring under new head coach John Harbaugh represents a significant shift in power, with Harbaugh gaining substantial influence over football operations and the traditional role of the general manager being diminished. This could create tension and challenges as the team works to return to success on the field.