This time of year, the NFL is all about layers.
The top layer consists of the two teams heading to the Super Bowl — the Seahawks and Patriots. It is 2026 on the calendar, but they are the two left standing from the 2025 season.
The next layer is filled with those teams recently ousted from the playoffs. Their offseasons were delayed for all the right reasons — they earned their way into the playoffs — but they fell short of the goal.
Further down, the next layer is made up of the teams that closed up their game operations once Week 18 was over and done with. The Giants reside in this layer. They also joined the ranks of 10 teams that jettisoned their head coaches and became embroiled in a dreaded head coach search. Thanks to a determined and focused process, the Giants identified John Harbaugh as their No. 1 option, worked doggedly to get him and became the first of the 10 to fill their vacancy.
