Big Blue View
The New York Giants are playing out the string of yet another lost season, a regular occurrence for New York over the last 15 years.
A year from now, though, as we enter the December stretch of key games around the NFL that will determine the NFL playoff picture, can the Giants be one of those teams that engineers a major turnaround?
Can they be the New England Patriots, who are 11-2 and headed toward the top seed in the AFC players, after a 4-13 2024 season? Can they be the Chicago Bears, currently 9-3 after going 15-36 combined over the previous three seasons?
Can they have a turnaround like the 2024 Washington Commanders did, going from 4-14 to winning the NFC East with a 12-5 record?
If they get the right coach, who brings in the right staff, establishes the right culture, and helps the GM identify the right pieces to add to the roster, the absolutely can.
The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel. Ben Johnson has been the biggest reason for the turnaround in Chicago. Dan Quinn was the right coach at the right time in Washington. Sean Payton has been the key to the turnaround in Denver the past two seasons. DeMeco Ryans took over a Houston Texans team that had won 11 games in three seasons and won back-to-back AFC South titles.
All of those teams also have the right quarterback. With Jaxson Dart, there is a good chance the Giants have that piece in place.
The view here is that the Giants can make a similar leap. If they get this coaching hire right.
I don’t know who that coach is.
There is suddenly a drum beat for the Giants to call Curt Cignetti and see if he will come to the NFL and to the Giants after turning around the Indiana program and winning a Big 10 title in just two years. Cignetti, though, is 64 and has never coached in the NFL. So, maybe hold the phone on that one.
Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers or Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns if they get let go? Maybe.
Mike Kafka? Maybe.
A currently available guy like Mike McCarthy? Maybe.
A highly-regarded assistant who would be a first-time coach like Chris Shula, Lou Anarumo, or Jeff Hafley? Maybe.
Steve Spagnuolo, who know the Giants, knows defense, and knows winning, but flopped in first try at being a head coach? Maybe.
A college coach like Marcus Freeman? Maybe.
Right now, I don’t know who wants the job. Or, who will actually be available.
What I do know is it is incredibly difficult to find the right guy and match him with the right team. The Giants are a great example.
There were good reasons to hire Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Brian Daboll after the Giants moved on from two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Coughlin. Each decision ultimately failed.
Look around the NFL. There are annually a half-dozen or so openings, and more...
