Articles by Austen Bundy

Sports

Firing Brian Daboll isn't enough to fix the New York Gaints

The New York Giants finally pulled the plug on head coach Brian Daboll, but here's the issue: They stopped short of fixing the real problem. Daboll was relieved of his duties on Monday after the team blew yet another double-digit fourth quarter lead in Week 10. Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch reportedly made the decision themselves to move on from Daboll, but they kept general manager Joe Schoen and the rest of the coaching staff on. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was named interim head coach. The Giants claim they’re turning the page, but this isn’t a real reset. Joe Schoen still has his hands on the wheel, and most of Brian Daboll’s staff remains in place, meaning the same people who helped steer the ship off course are still running it. The Giants didn’t fire enough people to fix their problems Daboll's tenure since coaching the team to its first playoff victory since Super Bowl XLVI was certainly disappointing. The writing was definitely on the wall that his time in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was running out, but it felt like wholesale change was inevitable. That could still happen, but the Giants seem only partially committed to improving things, especially with Schoen and both coordinators sticking around. Reportedly Mara and Tisch still see potential in Schoen's operation. Keeping Joe Schoen shows how hesitant ownership really is Schoen has drafted pretty well, but a good chunk of his top picks have yet to fully reach their potential. Pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux is a prime example. His 11.5 sack season in 2023 remains his career best, but in the other two full years he's been in the NFL, he failed to record more than 5.5. That can easily be chalked up to bad or inconsistent coaching, but Schoen is the one doing the hiring in that regard. He lost defensive coordinator Wink Martindale over disagreements with Daboll. Plus, Shane Bowen's tenure has been the second least successful in franchise history at 5-20. This should be evidence enough that Schoen doesn't have an eye for effective coaches, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. And then there's the issue with players. He prioritized Daniel Jones, now killing it with Indianapolis, over Saquon Barkley, the team's most successful rusher since Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Schoen may have made up for it some by snagging Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, but the future Hall of Famer now has a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles. Giants must dismiss DC Shane Bowen next Bowen has been responsible for the defensive side of the ball since last season, and while the roster he's worked with has been stacked on paper, the gridiron has been nothing but a shooting gallery for opposing offenses. The Giants were a bottom three defensive unit in 2024 and are currently fourth-worst in yards given up per game, according to The Football Database. Losing double-digit leads late in games this season is just embarrassing. The Giants would currently be 6-4 if they simply held on to their four fourth quarter leads on the road. That blame falls squarely on Bowen's shoulders and there's little reason to keep him around for the remainder of the year. Now Kafka will not only lead the team but also call offensive strategy. Which means Bowen is still handling things on the defensive side. That's just waving the white flag on the year. And it bears asking why he still has a job. Until real change comes, the Giants are just rearranging deck chairs The Giants need to stop the bleeding, and while Daboll's firing was inevitable, it shouldn't have been the first step. Leaving Bowen at DC just prolongs the pain. What's more: Schoen's list of potential successors for Daboll will likely be subpar at best. Ownership needs to stop delaying the inevitable and make the change now — not after another wasted season and another top-five draft pick. The Ls will keep stacking up, and before long, New York will be forced to face the same hard truth it’s trying to avoid.