The first head coach domino has fallen, and it's a significant one.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported late on Wednesday night that the New York Giants are "working to finalize an agreement" with John Harbaugh.
It's potentially significant news for the Packers, and not just because they had been named as a potential landing spot for Harbaugh, but more for what it could mean for Matt LaFleur and Jeff Hafley.
The John Harbaugh domino could impact the Packers for two key reasons
Let's start with LaFleur. There is still uncertainty over his future with the Packers, although ESPN's Rob Demovsky dropped a notable update just hours before the Harbaugh news.
"I think they are heading toward Matt LaFleur being the Packers' coach in 2026, and perhaps beyond," Demovsky told ESPN Milwaukee. "From what I understand, talks have progressed to the point where it would be surprising if LaFleur wasn't the coach. Not done yet. By no means is this a sure thing, but it's headed in that direction."
Is it a coincidence that just hours after a big update on LaFleur's status, Harbaugh agrees to join the Giants? He still had other interviews lined up in the coming days. Who knows? It's pure speculation, but would Harbaugh have accepted the job if he felt there was a realistic chance the Packers would have an opening? We may never know, but the timing seems interesting.
If, and again, it's a big if, the Packers had been tempted to fire LaFleur and make Harbaugh an offer, time's up. That's now off the table. There is no obvious replacement for LaFleur on the market, but Harbaugh's name had been repeatedly connected to the Packers by NFL insiders, including Schefter.
Then there is Hafley, who is drawing significant interest in this hiring cycle. He has already received interview requests from five teams, but for a while, the Giants felt like a natural fit. Hafley is a New Jersey native and would've been perfect to lead that team.
There's still a high probability that Hafley lands a head coach gig, especially since former Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan is the new general manager in Miami. Hafley interviewed with the Dolphins on Wednesday.
But Harbaugh has taken one potential landing spot off the table, and there are only so many jobs to go around. It's a big game of head-coaching musical chairs, and other names receiving interest across the league include Kevin Stefanski, Mike McDaniel, Robert Saleh, Klint Kubiak, Brian Flores, Chris Shula, Jesse Minter, and Matt Nagy. Someone has to miss out.
Hafley's name is likely near the top of that list, and he will undoubtedly impress during the interview process, but it's not a guarantee that he will become a head coach this month. Harbaugh to New York takes one top landing spot off the board, although the Dolphins are likely the team to watch.
What's next for LaFleur and Hafley? Time will tell. But following Demovsky's report, and with Harbaugh no longer available, it seems increasingly likely that LaFleur remains in Green Bay.
Hafley still seems set to land a head coach job somewhere, but one of the top landing spots is now gone.