Big Blue View
Defensive tackle D.J. Reader, himself a mountain of a man at 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, recently called the New York Giants a “get-off-the-bus team.” By that, he meant that because of their sheer size, they look good getting off the bus.
John Harbaugh, in his 18 years as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, developed a reputation for building “get-off-the-bus” teams that not only looked the part, but played the part of the bully.
Asked recently why he has an affinity for players with size, Harbaugh referred to former Giants’ GM George Young’s twist on the “Planet Theory.” Young’s idea was that there are only so many massive, athletic human beings on the earth, and the more you could collect, the better chance you had of winning.
“You’ve got to have — I think Bill Parcells said that these guys are just rare people on the planet, right? Along those lines,” Harbaugh said. “To me that always stuck with me when I saw that way back when.”
It was Young rather than Parcells who espoused the theory, but Harbaugh understood it. That is the important part.
At his introductory press conference, Harbaugh said he wanted to build a team “that is physical and tough. That’s capable of overwhelming their opponent from beginning to end.”
Being bigger, faster, and stronger certainly helps.
Assistant GM Brandon Brown said this spring that Harbaugh has charged the personnel department with “building the bully.” Any coach or player you ask about what the Giants’ offensive or defensive identity will be, and the word “physical” is included.
The bully, of course, is usually the biggest, baddest, toughest guy in the room.
“To be successful as a football player, you have to have certain traits,” Harbaugh said. “So being big is a trait, being long is a trait, being athletic is a trait. Being physical, having strong hands, those are traits. Being fast is a trait. Being able to change direction, being fluid, being extremely coordinated. Some people just have a knack, you can say. Add athleticism to that as well.”
Collect the best traits, and you probably have a “get-off-the-bus” team.
“Players come in all different shapes and sizes, but they have to have traits,” Harbaugh said. “Toughness is a trait. Endurance is a trait. Resilience is a trait. So kind of looking for all those things, and hopefully it’s wrapped up in the best player.
“Who’s the best player? The best player is the player who plays the best, and that’s what you’re looking for in the end.”
Harbaugh’s Giants will look the part in 2026. Whether they can play the part is to be determined.
