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John Harbaugh has a knack for developing elite coaching minds, and ironically one of the New York Giants' best is a guy who has been in the facility for years.
Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen, who has spent the past two years coaching the Giants' edge unit, was named as an assistant coach to watch by The Athletic.
Bullen was initially hired by since-fired head coach Brian Daboll, yet he survived the cultural purge from Harbaugh, who even added "run-game coordinator" to his title.
Under Bullen, Brian Burns had his best season as a pro in 2025 (16.5 sacks). He also coached the Giants to the eighth-most sacks in the NFL in 2024 (45).
Charlie Bullen is the Giants' Assistant Coach to Break Out in 2026
Coaches around the league know what Bullen is capable of, since the 41-year-old has spent nearly two decades coaching and 13 seasons as an NFL assistant.
But Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic explained why, coaching under Harbaugh, and with a young, insanely talented unit, Bullen could have bigger things ahead.
"John Harbaugh has always had an eye for coaching talent, and it speaks well of Bullen’s potential that he was retained from the previous coaching regime and even got an expanded role as run game coordinator," Rodrigue wrote. "His position group already featured Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
"The team also drafted versatile defender Arvell Reese in the spring. Bullen will have every opportunity to show his impact on the defense."
Charlie Bullen Could Also Be the Giants' Sacrificial Lamb
Sure, Bullen is coaching up a position group that is ultra talented. Rodrigue is correct that he must be well thought of to be retained, especially under an administration as hapless as Daboll's.
But this also is a huge year for Bullen, who could be scapegoated if the Giants' edges/OLBs struggle. Burns had second-best sack total leaguewide, but the Giants only finished 2025 with 39 sacks, despite a unit that featured Thibodeaux, Carter and Dexter Lawrence.
Bullen needs to figure out how to get the most out of Carter, who fell asleep in a meeting last year. He needs to help Thibodeaux rediscover his 2023 self, since the 2022 No. 5 pick has just one more tackle for loss (13) over his past two seasons than he had in 2023 alone (12).
If Harbaugh wants to make a midseason example of a coach, Bullen would be a prime fit, especially if the run defense struggles again or the OLBs underachieve.
So Bullen had better break out, or else he could be on the firing line.
