Giants Head Coach Has a Guess for the Team’s Breakout Star in 2026
John Harbaugh has seen firsthand the type of player Isaiah Likely is. Through coaching him for the last four years, he has seen the way he catches the ball, makes adjustments, and how he plays. This, though, has never given Likely a season where he has surpassed 500 yards. This season, after the Giants signed him for $40 million, Harbaugh has a prediction that he will be the Giants' new great offensive weapon.
Many people criticized this signing from the Giants, as they already have a young tight end on their roster in Theo Johnson. So why pay this guy so much? There is one big reason for that, being Likely is to have the biggest upside out of any young tight end entering next season. Through his four years in the NFL, the 25-year-old has had limited time to show his potential as he was always overshadowed by Pro Bowl Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, with whom he played his entire career. The former Ravens coach said this about Likely: "When you see a player do it every day, you get a pretty good idea what he's capable of. So, I'm certain he's going to be able to put up the numbers you're talking about, the stats. That wasn't part of the thing in Baltimore because of the supporting cast, so to speak."
Breaking free from offense that didn't benefit him may show how great he really can play. Even alongside Andrews, Likely showed flashes, including a 95-yard game against the Bengals last season. Harbaugh stated how good he can be, stating, "He's a playmaking football player," Harbaugh continued saying. "I have seen him in every kind of circumstance. "He's got a big catch radius. He can make plays after he makes a catch. He can get upfield. He can make people miss. He can run people over. He's a very good perimeter blocker. You'll see that. That will be good for our run game."
Just like his time in Baltimore, the Giants are ready to enter next season utilizing two tight end sets, but Likely this time is predicted to be the starting tight end. Now with a much more pass-heavy offense compared to the Ravens, who were the top two rushing teams in the NFL over the last three seasons. With a young quarterback ready to make plays, there is no question we will get to see what Likely is made of next season. Can he breakout and help the Giants find success in 2026?
