Giants' John Harbaugh to keep assistant coaches Charlie Bullen and Tim Kelly on his staff, source confirms
Giants new defensive coordinatior Charlie Bullen during training camp in East Rutherford, N.J., on June 18. Credit: Ed Murray
John Harbaugh was expected to hire a mostly new staff when he became the Giants’ head coach. Now it’s clear that only two assistants from last season will return.
Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen and tight ends coach Tim Kelly are expected to be the only assistants retained, a league source confirmed to Newsday. That means offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo won’t be retained, nor will receivers coach Mike Groh, quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney or running backs coach Ladell Betts.
Newsday confirmed earlier this week that Harbaugh, who began interviews Wednesday to fill out positions, won’t be bringing back special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial or a majority of the defensive staff.
It’s not yet clear in what capacity Bullen or Kelly will serve. Bullen ended the season as interim defensive coordinator and Kelly was interim offensive coordinator. It’s more likely that Harbaugh will bring in his own coordinators and Bullen and/or Kelly will remain position coaches.
“I would say there’s a number of guys that I have a pretty good idea they’re coming with me, but you can’t know that until it’s done,” Harbaugh said Tuesday. “So keep our fingers crossed on some guys.”
Bullen, in his second season with the Giants, was promoted after Shane Bowen was fired following the team’s Week 12 loss at Detroit. While coaching outside linebackers, he helped oversee Brian Burns’ All-Pro season in which he had a career-high 16 1⁄2 sacks.
He also developed linebacker Abdul Carter into a finalist for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Carter started five of the Giants’ last six games and finished his first season with four sacks, two forced fumbles and 23 quarterback hits.
“I like Chuck. He inspires us,” Carter said on Jan. 5 after the season ended. “When you hold guys accountable, he doesn’t call guys out, he calls guys up. The way he coaches, the things that’s changed with our defense the last six weeks, I feel like it was a positive. So if I had to pick a defensive coordinator, I would say Chuck.”
Bullen also interviewed for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator position this month, which reportedly has been filled by Eagles secondary coach Christian Parker.
Kelly, also in his second Giants season, was promoted to interim offensive coordinator after Mike Kafka was named interim head coach. His work with the tight ends was evident in Theo Johnson having a solid second season with 45 catches for 528 yards and five touchdowns, all career highs.
But the shake-ups under Harbaugh continue. Bricillo earned praise for the offensive line’s improvement in his second season, which was aided by left tackle Andrew Thomas playing 13 games, his most since 2022. The Giants were fifth in the NFL in rushing this season. However, Harbaugh elected to move on and replace Bricillo along with most of the offensive staff.
Groh and Tierney had been with the Giants for four seasons and Betts was hired last February.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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