John Harbaugh Talks Joe Schoen's Contract Extension as Giants GM, Reveals Reaction to Deal

New York Giants coach John Harbaugh deferred to ownership when it came to extending the contract of general manager Joe Schoen.

Harbaugh told reporters Wednesday he "was happy" to see Schoen stick around but added the GM's fate was ultimately up to the owners:

The Giants hired Harbaugh in January, so he had only worked with Schoen for a few months before the team struck a long-term agreement with the front-office executive.

From that standpoint, letting ownership make the decision was sensible. Harbaugh couldn't provide a full judgment on Schoen.

But his remarks Wednesday probably won't quiet the general speculation about whether the coach and GM are on the same page.

This was a talking point from the moment Harbaugh arrived. The Athletic's Ian O'Connor reported in January the coach "needed it in writing" that he'd report to team president John Mara rather than the GM.

That kind of structure doesn't take all of the power away from a general manager, but it does undermine some of his authority.

As recently as late April, NFL insiders suggested Schoen could be on the way out, with prospective replacements already being spotlighted.

A new contract resolves Schoen's future for now, yet one gets the sense a level of distance between he and Harbaugh remains. And ultimately, Harbaugh is the one steering the ship right now for the Giants.

If there is ever any sort of power struggle behind the scenes, we know who the winner would be.