Jaxson Dart’s sideline appearance at Ole Miss bowl game fuels head-coaching speculation

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New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart set social media buzzing with speculation about the team’s next head coach after fans attempted to lip-read the rookie on the Ole Miss sideline during Thursday night’s Fiesta Bowl.

There are currently eight teams in the NFL on the hunt for a new head coach, including the Giants, who fired Brian Daboll midseason following another missed playoffs. Several notable names have since been thrown into the pool of available coaches, and Dart appeared to have given fans a clue as to who the Big Blue has been eyeing. 

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart stands on the sideline during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal game between Miami (Florida) and Mississippi in Glendale, Arizona, on Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Dart was on the sidelines for his alma mater Ole Miss during the team’s 31-27 loss to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl when the broadcast picked up the 22-year-old having a conversation. 

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Although his comments were inaudible, social media users attempted to read Dart’s lips, prompting speculation that he said "Harbaugh or Stefanski," a reference to former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Although it remains unclear what Dart was truly saying, both coaches are widely considered among the most sought-after free agents currently in the NFL.

Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens walks the field prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Kevin