John Harbaugh Makes His Mark By Ruthlessly Firing New York Giants Staffer Who’s Been With Team For 27 Years

Harbaugh’s first tough decision shows how serious the Giants are now.

John Harbaugh wasted no time putting his stamp on the New York Giants.

Just days after being introduced as the new head coach, Harbaugh made a big move. The team fired Kevin Abrams, a longtime front office executive who spent 27 years with the franchise. The Giants confirmed the decision on Wednesday night.

Abrams held the title of senior vice president of football operations and strategy. He joined the team in 1999. He worked through several coaching and front office regimes. The Giants said, “strategic planning related to football operations, data and innovation, managing the salary cap, negotiating player contracts [and] compliance with the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement.”

Harbaugh accepted the Giants’ job last week on a five-year deal worth about $100 million. He reports directly to team ownership and not to the general manager. That structure shows the Giants are heading in a new direction.

“To me it’s really not that important in the big picture,” Harbaugh said at his press conference. “I think it’s kind of overblown in terms of how it works. But the main thing is that it works and we work together.”

He added, “We all report to the boss. And the boss is ownership.”

Harbaugh Reshapes The Building

Kevin Abrams (Photo Via X)
Harbaugh clearly wants full control over football decisions. People around the league believe he will hire an executive he trusts to replace Kevin Abrams. Abrams handled vital responsibilities tied to the roster and contracts, and that position is now open.

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The changes did not stop there.

On Thursday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that longtime head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes will move into a different role. Barnes has been with the Giants for decades, and the team plans to hire a new head trainer. League sources expect that hire to have a connection to Harbaugh.

SNY’s Connor Hughes also mentioned that Harbaugh fired most of the Giants’ defensive coaching staff. That decision shocked many inside the organization. The defense struggled last season, and Harbaugh wants a clean slate on that side of the ball.

Hughes added that interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen could return as an assistant, though the team has not confirmed it.

Harbaugh has spoken calmly about leadership and structure, but his actions say more. He wanted more power than Brian Daboll had from 2022 to 2025, and he made sure it was written into his contract. Now, he is using that authority.

The Giants hired Harbaugh to fix a struggling franchise. He brings a Super Bowl ring, years of respect, and a firm approach to leadership.

Letting go of a staff member after 27 years sends a clear message. No role is guaranteed. No title offers protection. The Giants are changing under Harbaugh, and this looks like just the beginning.