‘Embarrassing,’ ‘That Wasn’t a Boss Move’ — NFL Fans Get Vocal as Report Claims John Harbaugh Ignored Chain of Command For $105.8M Target

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Nidheesh Kumar Sun, November 1, 2026 at 8:07 AM UTC

John Harbaugh and Amy Adams Strunk

So eager was John Harbaugh to land Jeffery Simmons that he went around another team’s general manager and called the owner directly, a move that stunned some NFL fans.

After the Tennessee Titans’ front office had already rejected the New York Giants, Harbaugh reportedly picked up the phone and went straight to Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk in a bid to acquire the All-Pro defensive tackle, per The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones.

The call, of course, didn’t get Harbaugh his man.

Fans React as John Harbaugh Directly Reaches Out to Titans Owner

Two days before Jones’ report, Tennessee traded the 29-year-old Simmons to the Chicago Bears, leaving the Giants on the outside looking in. “The call came after GM Mike Borgonzi told Joe Schoen that Simmons wasn’t available,” the report in The Athletic said.

Borgonzi gave other teams the same answer he gave Schoen, the Giants’ general manager. But Harbaugh went a step higher and called Strunk, who gave him the same message her general manager had.

Fans minced no words about Harbaugh’s move. One fan called the episode “more embarrassing than it is interesting.”

Another fan was even more direct: “Buddy, they hate you.”

Jones’ report also carried a pointed line from inside the league: “One GM who became aware of the call said it violates a code amongst primary football decision-makers, that they will only deal with each other.”

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Notably, one fan spelled out what that could mean for New York: “Calling owner directly after the GM says no is a great way for other GMs to not work with Giants. That wasn’t a boss move.”

There’s a wrinkle on the Giants’ end, too. According to the same report, Harbaugh reports to Giants ownership rather than to Schoen, which is why this fan questioned the choice of messenger: “I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have Mara or Tisch call her. That’s a weird move.”

In January, Strunk and Borgonzi were among the Titans officials due to interview Harbaugh at his home, but the Giants hired him just before the pair were set to fly out.

Another fan brought that up: “Same guy who canceled his meeting with the Titans, glad we didn’t trade him anything.”

The Giants are 4-2-1 and lead the NFC East as they chase their first playoff trip since 2022. Entering Week 8, Simmons had four sacks, tied for 17th-most in the NFL, along with six tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits.

Sitting at 1-6, the Titans opened themselves up to offers on Tuesday. The Bears then landed Simmons and a 2028 fifth-rounder, shipping Tennessee first-round selections in 2027 and 2028 plus a 2027 fourth-round pick.

Bears general manager Ryan Poles walked through it Friday: “I honestly didn’t think it would ever happen … So when that window kind of opened where it was a possibility, and they had to work their process as well, it happened pretty fast. It was a late call and happened in the early morning.”

As for Harbaugh and the Giants, Saturday’s report says they remain buyers, with nine days left before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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Source: “AOL Sports”