Giants may have been threat to steal Chargers' Joe Hortiz, Jim Harbaugh

The Giants passed on the opportunity to bring in the Chargers' leaders.

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's only their first year together, but the pairing of general manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh have transformed the trajectory of the Los Angeles Chargers. There's still work to do, as the Chargers are in the thick of the AFC playoff race and will need a strong finish to the season.

A new report popped up on Tuesday that could've wiped away the Chargers' current regime. The New York Giants are a complete mess of an organization at the moment, with many believing their GM/HC duo of Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll could be headed out the door on 'black Monday.'

Ian O'Connor highlighted that the Giants passed on the opportunity to hire Hortiz due to the "nervousness" he displayed during his interview. However, if he were hired as their general manager back in 2022, Hortiz would've brought Harbaugh with him to New York.

The Giants loved Adam Peters as a GM candidate but loved Joe Schoen just a bit more. They thought John Harbaugh's guy in Baltimore, Joe Hortiz, was a bit nervous in his interview, but he was going to hire Jim Harbaugh as Giants head coach.

What could have been? https://t.co/iIzAhGAKYF

— Ian O'Connor (@Ian_OConnor) December 17, 2024

The Giants actually succeeded in the first year of that regime, going 9-7-1 and winning a Wild Card game. However, the last two seasons have been abysmal, going 8-23 since.

The Chargers have to feel good about the direction of their franchise. They should take a lesson from the Giants that despite a first year that produces results, things can change quickly as it did with the Giants. The hope is that Hortiz and Harbaugh can form a long-lasting partnership to lead Los Angeles to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

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