One word answer: “Yes.’’
That was the response from general manager Joe Schoen, when asked if he expects to keep his job for the 2025 season.
The one word seemed so definitive that one had to wonder, had Schoen been given any assurances he indeed will return, given that the Giants are 2-8 and sitting on a five-game losing streak?
“I communicate with ownership all the time,’’ Schoen said. “We [himself and head coach Brian Daboll] have a really good relationship with ownership and we communicate constantly with them and there’s confidence in the plan and where we’re headed.’’
And Schoen even added that he could see a big leap forward, as far as winning games, next season.
“Yeah, I really do,’’ Schoen said.
The annual general manager briefing at the bye week arrived Tuesday, merely two days after the Giants returned from a game in Munich in which they were beaten, 20-17 in overtime, by the Panthers, an outfit generally considered the NFL’s weakest team. This certainly feels like a low point for the Schoen-Daboll regime, but anyone demanding that Schoen open a vein and confess to all sorts of football sins will not be satiated by what his messaging was as he met with the media for the first time since the start of the season.
“We’re 2-8 and not where we want to be,’’ Schoen started off. “Nobody’s happy about it, ownership, Dabes, me, coaches, people in the building, fans. I understand that. What we’re gonna do the rest of the week is do self-evaluation on the roster, personnel and try to find solutions as we move forward these last seven games.’’
Schoen offered no status report on Daniel Jones, as far as if he will be the starting quarterback when the team comes out of the bye week.
“Everybody’s got a hand in this,’’ Schoen said. “Daniel has played some good games and there’s some games where maybe like to have some throws back or do things differently.’’
In the regular season, the Schoen-Daboll duo is 17-26-1. After the 6-1 start in 2022, the Giants are 11-25-1.
Schoen, though, tried to paint a picture of the franchise taking lumps now in order to soar later. He pointed out that the Giants this season are 1-5 in one-score games, saying, “We’ve been competitive.’’ He stressed the roster is one of the youngest in the league and the defense is, in fact, the youngest. He mentioned Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy and Theo Johnson, all rookies, as key ingredients in the offense. He made sure to state 43 of 53 players on the roster and 19 of the 22 starters are under contract in 2025. Among the starters, only receiver Darius Slayton and guard Greg Van Roten on offense and safety Jason Pinnock on defense will be free agents.
“A lot of these guys are going to be together next year and we’re finally in a position where there will be some continuity year over year,’’ Schoen said, “and it’s important we find ways to win games, specifically when it’s close. That’s part of changing the culture and expecting to win. You don’t want it to be, ‘Here we go again.’ That’s a mindset we’re still trying to develop.’’
When asked about watching marquee free agents such as Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney leave via free agency, Schoen pointed to rookie replacements in starting roles.
“I like Tyler Nubin, he’s played 99 percent of the defensive play time, leading rookies in tackles,’’ Schoen said. “Tracy, also leading rookies in rushing. I’m excited about the young players that we have. The build’s tough, it hurts sometimes as you’re going through it, but you got to go through it to get to the other side. I like the young foundation we put in place, [Brian] Burns, Dex [Dexter Lawrence], Kayvon [Thibodeaux], there’s some pieces.
“Another year of free agency and another draft, we’re not far off. We’re not far off.’’
As far as his own culpability in all the losing, Schoen said, “It’s not one individual, that would be an easy fix if we could say, ‘Hey, it’s this.’ Everybody’s got their hand in this, including me. It starts with me.’’
Schoen did admit that the unexpected success in Year 1 — a record of 9-7-1 and the first playoff victory for the franchise since the 2011 season — prompted him to make some moves that, looking back, were not in the best interest of the long-term growth of the operation.
“You come off a winning season and some of the issues were maybe masked or we were blinded a little bit by it because of the success,’’ he said. “Once we extended Daniel, you try to accelerate it because of the way that contract was structured. There were some parts of the process that maybe were overlooked or I could have done a better job … and that’s part of growth. I did make some mistakes, some decisions I wish I’d have back.’’
As far as where the Giants are headed, Schoen said, “I truly believe we’re headed in the right direction.’’
