EAST RUTHERFORD – John Mara kept Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen. He also put the Giants coach and general manager on notice. This is a one-year commitment. Nothing, without substantial improvement, is promised beyond 2025.
That’s because Mara is frustrated. He admitted he’s not sure he’s confident his team is any better than when he hired the two. If he feels this way this time next year: He’ll make wholesale changes.
Pause. Process. Proceed.
Therein lies the problem. There’s the dysfunction engulfing this once-proud franchise like a plague. Mandates breed desperation which breeds recklessness.
Meet your Giants.
"I’m just about out of patience," Mara said.
Keeping Schoen and Daboll isn’t the worst thing the Giants could have done on Black Monday. That would have been splitting the pair. Just imagine that situation: Schoen trying to find a second coach amidst a win-now mandate. No one is signing up for that, even though sources told SNY there were feelers put out in recent weeks to gauge back-channel interest in a potential vacancy. Unity is what the Giants preached when they brought both aboard. Either fire both or keep both.
In trying to justify the latter, Mara built an argument for the former. He destroyed defensive coordinator Shane Bowen (the coaching staff’s hand-pick replacement for Wink Martindale) because he’s tired of watching the opposition march "up and down" the field. He opened the possibility of Daboll giving up play calling (after taking it back last year). He -- this warrants repeating -- said he’s struggling to find confidence the roster is any better than when he hired the two three years ago.
Three full free agencies. Three full drafts. Daboll reshuffling all three of his coordinators. Still no better. But Mara likes this year’s free agent and draft class, the process, how Daboll conducts practice, and admitted he’s pulled the trigger too quickly with reactionary impulses.
So, run it back.
"I understand, believe me, that this is not going to be the most popular decision in Giants land," Mara said. "But we believe it’s the right decision for us going forward."
OK, but here’s what’s terrifying: This regime must win now. According to NFL Network, which went harder than Mara did publicly, it’s a playoffs-or-bust mandate for 2025. The Giants are in no way, shape, or form close to accomplishing that. The only way to close the gap is to throw out the slow-and-steady, team-building approach Schoen brought with him from Buffalo.