John Harbaugh Emerges as Coach of the Year Favorite for Giants
Published Nov 11, 2026, 2:23 PM ET | By Vincent Rapisardi
Key points
John Harbaugh is the favorite to win AP Coach of the Year on prediction market Kalshi, priced at 35 percent Wednesday.
The Giants are 5-2-1, first in the NFC East and unbeaten in the division at 2-0-1.
New York went a combined 7-27 over the previous two seasons before Harbaugh arrived.
John Harbaugh has the Giants in first place, and the award market has noticed. The first-year Giants coach is now the favorite to win AP Coach of the Year on Kalshi, as Big Blue Film Room shared on X.
Harbaugh's contract last traded at 35 percent on Wednesday afternoon. Kyle Shanahan was next at 20 percent, followed by Ben Johnson at 14, Todd Monken at 9 and Liam Coen at 7.
Kalshi's market settles on the Associated Press award, which is voted on after the regular season. A price of 35 percent means traders see Harbaugh as the leader, not a lock.
Why John Harbaugh Leads the Coach of the Year Race
The case starts with the standings. The Giants are 5-2-1 and sit atop the NFC East, with a two-game winning streak, per Giants.com.
Dallas is 4-5, Washington is 2-5-1 and Philadelphia is 2-7. New York is 2-0-1 in division games, including a 27-27 tie with Washington in Week 5.
Harbaugh said in late October that the Giants can win this division. Two weeks later, they are still in front.
By the Numbers: Where the Giants Came From
Season | Record |
2024 | 3-14 |
2025 | 4-13 |
2026 (through 8 games) | 5-2-1 |
Sources: FootballDB and Giants.com standings.
The Giants won seven games across the two seasons before Harbaugh. They already have five wins this year, with nine games left.
Voters tend to reward that kind of turnaround. The caveat is that a 35 percent price still leaves room for another coach to finish strong.
The Rookie Helping Make Harbaugh's Case
Part of the story is how quickly the roster has produced. Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese was just named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after three sacks in Philadelphia.
Harbaugh has also been aggressive in trying to add talent. We covered his deadline push in Harbaugh turning over every stone on trades.
The next test comes Thursday night, when the Giants host Washington at MetLife Stadium at 8:15 p.m. ET.
What It Means for the Giants
Odds in November do not hand out trophies. They do reflect a perception that has shifted quickly around a franchise that picked near the top of the draft the last two years.
A win Thursday would move New York to 6-2-1 and keep the Giants alone atop the division heading into the second half.
Our Take: John Harbaugh Has Changed Everything
I said it earlier today. Whatever you want to say about John Harbaugh, he is clearly going to do whatever he can to make the Giants roster better.
It was awesome to see how active he was in trying to make a big trade. That effort shows up in the results. It's insane how much John Harbaugh has changed the direction of this franchise in one season.
Back on Oct. 11, I wrote that this is the Giants' division, thanks to John Harbaugh. I said that with no bias, and I stand by it.
It's November, and we aren't talking about the Giants' draft slot on Tankathon. That is football heaven, and the head coach is now the favorite for the league's top coaching award.
Coach of the Year would be a great honor, but the real prize is the division title.
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