GM Joe Schoen responds to reports about his role with Giants after hiring of HC John Harbaugh

Reports from last week indicated that New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been "basically relegated to handling scouting" following the club's hiring of new head coach John Harbaugh and new senior vice president of football operations and strategy Dawn Aponte.

While speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Schoen seemed to fire back at those claims.

Joe Schoen "still tasked with leading the entire football operation" after hiring of John Harbaugh?

"I’m still the general manager of the team, and my role has not changed," Schoen said, per Alex Smith of SNY. "I’m still tasked with leading the entire football operation."

Schoen's comments likely won't silence those who are convinced that Harbaugh is truly running the Giants' football operations heading into the upcoming draft. After all, Aponte is reporting to Harbaugh, who reports directly to team co-owner John Mara instead of Schoen. 

Understandably, this alleged new organizational structure has some outsiders assuming it's a matter of when and not if Schoen and the Giants will agree to a divorce. Schoen is entering the final year of his contract, but it's possible he could ink a short-term extension with the club after the draft wraps up later this spring. 

Joe Schoen embracing "collaborative effort" with John Harbaugh, Dawn Aponte

Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk is among those who have noted that
"there seems to be little doubt that Harbaugh is now the biggest voice" within the Giants' regime. On Tuesday, Schoen suggested that's not necessarily the case.

"It’s going to be a collaborative effort, and everybody’s going to have their role," Schoen continued. "But there’s constant communication between Dawn, coach Harbaugh and myself in terms of how we’re going to build the football operation and how we’re going to execute the draft, trades, free agency, contract signings, coaching staff, whatever it may be. We’re going to work in collaboration together. We’re aligned in that, and it’s been going really good so far."

Giants ownership didn't give Schoen much of a choice as it pertained to working alongside Harbaugh and Aponte. Those involved may be on the same page as of the final Tuesday of February, but it remains to be seen if Schoen will still be employed by the Giants when the 2026 season gets underway.