When Brian Daboll stepped up to the podium on Sunday, he was greeted with a barrage of questions about the New York Giants’ starting quarterback, Daniel Jones. It was hardly a surprise; after a disappointing performance in the team’s home opening loss against the Vikings, the spotlight continues to be fixed on Jones, the team’s $40 million-a-year signal-caller.
Known for his methodical approach, Daboll responded to most questions with his signature phrase, “I need to watch the tape.” Yet, after an offseason filled with optimism from the offensive coaching staff, the question remains: where are the results?
The Giants opened their season at home against the Minnesota Vikings, a team that lost their first round rookie quarterback in training camp and has transitioned their offense after moving on from Kirk Cousins. New York lost 28-6, with Jones contributing 186 yards passing, zero touchdowns and two interceptions.
Daboll’s play-calling capability and his track record with developing quarterbacks were supposed to be the keys to unlocking the Giants’ potential on offense. Yet, in his first two seasons with the Giants, he didn’t call the plays, an odd decision given that his play calling abilities were a major selling point during the hiring process.
Now, in his third year, Daboll has finally taken the reins of the offense, calling plays for the first time since 2021 when he was in Buffalo. Unfortunately, the initial results have been less than stellar, after a disappointing performance at MetLife Stadium last Sunday. The Giants’ offense sputtered and stalled, and the blame falls on to the shoulders of both Jones and Daboll.
The Giants’ offseason decisions only amplified the pressure caused by the team’s financial commitment to Jones. The team moved on from two key contributors on both sides of the ball: fan-favorite running back Saquon Barkley and veteran safety Xavier McKinney.
Barkley, who had been the heart and soul of the Giants’ offense for six years, entered free agency and accepted a deal with the Eagles, a division rival who faces the Giants twice a year. He quickly made an impact for the Eagles, scoring three touchdowns in his debut and helping them secure a win. McKinney, meanwhile, signed with the Green Bay Packers and recorded a critical interception in the same game, giving the Packers the opportunity to score late in the game.
These are the types of players who can change the outcome of games, yet they are no longer in New York.
The Giants’ decision to part ways with Barkley and McKinney was driven, in part, by the financial commitment they made to Daniel Jones. Paying him $40 million a year, nearly 20% of the team’s salary cap, was a gamble—a bet that Jones would continue to develop and lead the team to success. But as the losses pile up and the offense struggles, that decision is being scrutinized more than ever.
The situation is eerily similar to three years ago when the Giants fired head coach Joe Judge after a disappointing 10-23 record over two seasons. One of the primary reasons for Judge’s dismissal was the failure of the offense, which was also led by Jones.
But there is a significant difference between Judge and Daboll. Judge was not a part of the Giants when they drafted Jones and was working with his rookie contract, which was almost fully guaranteed. Daboll, on the other hand, was part of the decision to pay Jones $40 million a year, tying his fortunes to a quarterback who has yet to prove he’s worth the investment.
It’s important to note that Daboll isn’t the one making all the decisions—those come from the front office. But General Manager Joe Schoen and Daboll came from Buffalo together and each of them have worked collectively to build the Giants into the team that we see today. Giants fans are beginning to question why they have not been more vocal about the need for better quarterback play.
The highlights of the Giants offseason was trading for outside linebacker Brian Burns and using the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on wide receiver Malik Nabers. But other than that, the Giants had a relatively small haul in free agency. The question is whether these players can contribute enough to replace the talent that they lost.
Daboll is a well-respected coach, known for his creative offensive mind. His players believe in him; wide receiver Darius Slayton even called him a “mad scientist” for the way he designs plays. But no matter how clever the plays, coaches do not get far in the NFL if the results on the field don’t follow.
Daboll’s future with the Giants may very well hinge on the success, or failure, of the Daniel Jones experiment. If Jones can’t turn things around, Daboll could find himself on the hot seat, a victim of the very experiment he helped create.
As the Giants prepare for the bulk of the season ahead, all eyes will be on Daboll and Jones. Giants fans are tired of hearing, “I need to watch the tape.” They want results.
If Daboll is willing to risk his reputation on Jones, then the question becomes: will he still be watching film for the Giants next year, or will he be doing it for another organization?