They could probably rip someone up pretty well if they were so inclined.
They are medium sized, but have big ass mouths like German shepherds.
I have never heard of a human getting even growled at by one though- usually they just take off.
they are definitely a danger to dogs. if they are desperate in winter, they will make a play for larger game.
I used to walk my pooches at a very large preserve up my way that has a high coyote population, and over the years I had a couple coyotes do a half assed attempt to bait my dogs in the winter, and gave up when they wouldnt bite.
Their tactic with dogs is to have a single coyote approach nearer and nearer until the dog gets aggressive and gives chase. They run scared and yipping, but slow enough to keep the dog chasing.
Once they have them committed, they run them in to the pack and it is over.
*edit- I cant tell you the amount of times some dumb shit I would see out there would brag that their dog "chased off a coyote".
I would tell them they were lucky- it had nothing to do with your "badass" dog, and had everything to do with coyotes being devious and brilliant hunters.
After college I moved home and often helped take care of my Mom's dog.
If I was home first or leaving for work last, I'd take him out to the big back yard to do his business.
It was nice, the property was like 1-2 acres, and he could just go out there and the raccoons handled waste disposal.
Well one day I get home from work, let the dog outside, and walk out behind him, no leash, he tended to listen pretty well.
He starts off moving quick towards the back of the property, which wasn't unusual but it seemed like he'd smelled something, so I picked up my pace to follow him.
Well, there was a coyote coming out of the wooded area by the back barn, and he took off after it, no provocation needed.
I started yelling, he heard nothing, so I went full sprint behind him.
That coyote ran back into the wooded area, and lucky for me the dog got confused when he got into the wooded area and dithered.
I closed the gap and grabbed his collar while he was trying to figure out where the coyote went.
I believe it just failed to stay close enough to keep up the bait or it woulda done to him what you described.
But he was a young pitbull mix, 60lbs, so idk how well they woulda done in the time it woulda taken me to get there.
They were backing up to a major street, so it wasn't like they had a ton of room to work with back there.
Scary shit.... he once did the same thing with a deer when I took him out before work, so I had to chase him in my work clothes to the back property line lol.
It was leash-only for me after that.
