The New York Giants have a new coach in Brian Daboll and are hoping to be better in 2022, and that journey will begin in Tennessee as they battle the Titans in their season opener.
New York will have two nationally-televised games against NFC East rival Dallas – one on a Monday night in MetLife Stadium, the other on Thanksgiving in Texas – an early three-game homestand and an October that includes trips to England, Florida and the West Coast highlight the Giants’ 2022 schedule, released today.
Other notable nuggets from Daboll’s first season as head coach are five division games in the final seven weeks, including four in a row from Nov. 24 to Dec. 17 or 18, and playing three of their final four games as visitors, the last their first season finale on the road since 2016.
In the second season of the NFL’s expansion to a 17-game schedule, the Giants will play nine home games for the first time since their inaugural season in 1925. They have played nine games in their home stadium six times when they were the visitors against the Jets and a game in 2005 that was moved from New Orleans to Giants Stadium because of Hurricane Katrina.
In 2022, the NFC East will play the NFC North and the AFC South. Because they finished fourth in the NFC East, the Giants will host the fourth-place team from the NFC South (the Carolina Panthers) and NFC North (the Baltimore Ravens) and visit the fourth-place team from the NFC West (the Seattle Seahawks).
The Giants begin their season against an AFC opponent for the third consecutive season and the fourth time in five years and will open on the road for the first time since 2019, when their first game was in Dallas.
The Giants can then settle in for a three-week stay at home. They will play their MetLife Stadium opener in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. That will be followed by the Monday night game against the Cowboys on Sept. 26 at 8:15 p.m. and a third straight game in MetLife Stadium vs. the Chicago Bears on Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. The Giants will play three consecutive home games for the first time since Nov. 6-20, 2016, when they defeated Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago. As it is this year, the middle game then was on a Monday night and the final game of the homestand was against the Bears.
The rest of October will challenge the Giants with an arduous travelogue that will include three trips totaling 13,374 air miles.
The Giants will first fly to London to play their third game in the capital of the United Kingdom when they face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 9 in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Packers will become the 32nd and last NFL team to play in London. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. eastern time. On Oct. 28, 2007, the Giants defeated the Miami Dolphins, 13-10, before 81,176 fans in Wembley Stadium in the first regular season NFL game played outside of North America. Nine years later – on Oct. 23, 2016 – the Giants edged the Los Angeles Rams, 17-10, in Twickenham Stadium.
The Giants elected not to take their bye the week following an international game and will return home to host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.
They then head back out on the road for two more games, facing the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. and the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4:25 p.m.
After playing two games three weeks apart in cities separated by almost 5,000 miles – with another trip in-between – the Giants will have their bye in Week 9, which includes Sunday, Nov. 6.
The Giants return to the field with two games in MetLife Stadium, facing the Houston Texans on Sunday, Nov. 13, and the Detroit Lions on Nov. 20. Both games will be at 1 p.m.
Four days later, the Giants face the Cowboys in Dallas on Thanksgiving at 4:30 p.m., beginning a stretch of four straight games against their NFC East rivals.
They host the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Dec. 4, and the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 11, with both games scheduled for 1 p.m.
The Giants’ final four games will include three road games, two against division foes in which dates and kickoff times will be announced later in the season.
On Saturday or Sunday, Dec. 17 or 18, they will visit the Commanders in FedExField. The Giants’ final game in calendar year 2022 will be played on Saturday, Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. against the Vikings in Minnesota.
The Giants begin the new year by hosting the Indianapolis Colts in their final home game of the season on Sunday, Jan. 1, at 1 p.m.
The 17th and final game of the season will be played on Saturday or Sunday, Jan. 7 or 8, vs. the Eagles in Philadelphia.
Some highlights from the Giants’ 2022 schedule:
*The Giants will play a franchise-record 17 regular-season games for just the third time in their 97-year history. They were 13-4 in 1930 and 4-13 in 2021.
*The Giants play six games against 2021 playoff teams: Dallas and Philadelphia twice each and once each against Green Bay and Tennessee.
*The Giants play four teams with new head coaches: Chicago (Matt Eberflus), Minnesota (Kevin O’Connell), Houston (Lovie Smith) and Jacksonville (Doug Pederson).
*The Giants play consecutive home games three times (Sept. 18-Oct. 2, Nov. 13-20 and Dec. 4-11) and consecutive road games twice (Oct 23-30 and Dec. 17 or 18 and Dec. 24).
*Eight of the Giants’ nine home games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. The exception is the Sept. 26 Monday night game against Dallas.
*The Giants will open the season on the road against an AFC opponent for the first time since 2001, when they lost in Denver, 31-20. Last year, they lost to the Broncos, 27-13. They also fell to Pittsburgh, 26-16, in 2020 and Jacksonville, 20-15, in 2018. All three of those games were in MetLife Stadium.
*The Giants will begin a season vs. the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise for the first time since a 34-14 victory against the Oilers in Yankee Stadium on Sept. 16, 1973.
*The Week 3 Monday night contest vs. Dallas is the Giants’ only currently scheduled night game. For the fourth consecutive season, the NFL’s original schedule does not include a Sunday night game for the Giants. But their home game vs. Cleveland on Dec. 20, 2020 was flexed to Sunday night.
*The Giants face the Bears for the fifth consecutive season, the first time that’s happened since 1939-43.
*The Giants host the Ravens on Oct. 16, their first home game vs. Baltimore since 2016 – which was also played on Oct. 16. The Giants won that contest, 27-23.
*The Giants are 7-5-3 on Thanksgiving but have played on the holiday just four times since 1938. They last played on Turkey Day on Nov. 23, 2017, a 20-10 defeat in Washington. They also lost in Denver in 2009 and Dallas in 1992. The Giants’ most recent Thanksgiving Day victory was at Detroit on Nov. 25, 1982, a 13-6 triumph highlighted by Lawrence Taylor’s fourth-quarter, 97-yard interception return touchdown.
The Giants first played on Thanksgiving in 1926, their second year of existence, when they defeated the Brooklyn Lions, 17-0. After a two-year hiatus, they played a Thanksgiving Day game every season from 1929-38. They did not play again on Thanksgiving until 1982.
*The Giants have lost their last six games played on Thursday, when they are 15-13-3 overall. Their last Thursday victory was on Sept. 24, 2015 (32-21 vs. Washington). The Giants most recently won a Thursday road game on Sept. 25, 2014, a 45-14 triumph in Washington.
*The Giants ended their season at home in each of the previous five and 10 of the last 11 seasons. They were 1-4 in their most recent stretch, beating Dallas in 2020. The Giants last played their season finale as visitors on Jan. 1, 2017, a 19-10 triumph in Washington. They last ended their season vs. the Eagles in 2019 (a 34-17 loss) and last concluded a campaign in Philadelphia in 1998 (a 20-10 victory).
*This season, “flexible scheduling” for Sunday night may be used twice between Weeks 5-10, and during Weeks 11-15 and Week 17. In weeks of the season eligible for “flexible scheduling,” the games listed for the Sunday night window are tentative and subject to change. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to a Sunday afternoon.
*The Giants’ preseason opponents were also revealed today. Since the increase in regular season games to 17, each team plays three preseason games. The Giants’ preseason foes (dates and times will be announced in the future):
Week 1 at New England
Week 2 vs. Cincinnati
Week 3 at the Jets
The New York Giants have released cornerback James Bradberry, the team announced Monday.
New York had been looking to trade Bradberry, but they could not find any takers. He was scheduled to make 13.5 million next season.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, the move will create $10.1 million in cap savings while leaving $11.7 million in dead money.
The Giants needed to rid themselves of Bradberry’s salary to sign their 2022 draft class.
Last season, Bradberry played in every game for the third time in his career. He finished with 47 tackles (37 solo), a career-high four interceptions, tied for fourth in the NFL with 17 passes defensed, and recovered two fumbles.
Bradberry started every game(31) in New York and became a Pro Bowler in 2020.
The 28-year-old Bradberry joined the Giants as a free agent in 2020 after signing a three-year, $43.5 million deal with the team. Before joining the Giants, Bradberry spent the first four seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers.
In two seasons in New York, he totaled 100 tackles (80 solo), four interceptions, 35 passes defensed (tied for the NFL’s third-highest total during that span), two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
In the end, this was not about talent; it was about money.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced the dates for its five 2022 international regular-season games – three in the UK, one in Germany and one in Mexico.
The 2022 international games will feature four playoff participants, including the NFC North champion Green Bay Packers and NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and an NFC West showdown in Mexico.
The 2022 international games:
Location
|
Matchup
|
Stadium
|
Date & Time
|
Network
|
United Kingdom (London)
|
Minnesota Vikings vs
New Orleans Saints
|
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
|
October 2, 9:30am ET
|
NFL Network
|
United Kingdom (London)
|
New York Giants vs
Green Bay Packers
|
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
|
October 9, 9:30am ET
|
NFL Network
|
United Kingdom (London)
|
Denver Broncos vs Jacksonville Jaguars
|
Wembley Stadium
|
October 30, 9:30am ET
|
ESPN+
|
Germany
(Munich)
|
Seattle Seahawks vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
Allianz Arena – Home of FC Bayern Munich
|
November 13, 9:30am ET
|
NFL Network
|
Mexico
(Mexico City)
|
San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals
|
Estadio Azteca
|
November 21, 8:15pm ET
|
ESPN
|
Last year, as part of the League’s expansion of the regular season to 17 games, it was determined that, beginning with the 2022 season, up to four of the teams from the conference whose teams were eligible for a ninth regular-season home game would instead be designated to play a neutral-site international game each year.
This year’s international series will kick off with games on back-to-back weekends at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings will each play in the UK for the third time. Both teams have won on two previous occasions in the UK and will make their debut at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, October 2.
The following Sunday, October 9, the Green Bay Packers, NFC North champions for the third consecutive year, will face the New York Giants in their first international trip, becoming the 32nd NFL team to play in London since 2007. The Giants will play in the UK for the third time, having won both the inaugural London game at Wembley Stadium in 2007 and the first game played at Twickenham Stadium in 2016. This will be their first game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
London action shifts to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, October 30, when the Jacksonville Jaguars, who played at Tottenham last season, return to Wembley for the first time since 2019, having played there for seven straight seasons. They will face the Denver Broncos who are making their first trip to the UK since they last played at Wembley in 2010.
In the first-ever NFL regular-season game in Germany, the two-time Super Bowl champion and current NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by quarterback Tom Brady, will face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, November 13. As previously announced, Munich and Frankfurt were chosen to stage regular-season games in Germany over the next four years. The first game will take place at Allianz Arena – Home of FC Bayern Munich.
The NFL will return to Mexico City on November 21 with Monday Night Football. Estadio Azteca will host a matchup between NFC West rivals San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals in a rematch of the NFL’s first regular-season game played outside the United States. In 2005, the teams played at Estadio Azteca with 103,467 fans in attendance, the eight largest crowd in NFL history.
The full 2022 NFL Schedule next Thursday.
With the fifth overall selection, the New York Giants selected Kayvon Thibodeaux, a 6-5, 258-pound edge rusher from the University of Oregon.
Thibodeaux played in 32 games with 21 starts in three seasons at Oregon. He collected 123 tackles (82 solo), 35.5 tackles for loss, 19.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. Thibodeaux was a unanimous All-America in 2021 when he recorded a career-high 50 tackles, including 12 stops for loss and 7.0 sacks.
After the selection, Thibodeaux reacted to joining the Giants:
Q: You had said on stage that you were getting on a plane and you got a FaceTime from the Giants, what was that like and was that kind of the sign for you that something was happening?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: They were surprised that I answered. But you know me I’m always authentic with it, so just being able to have that last minute conversation gave me that idea that yeah, they really care.
Q; Why are you made for New York? Why is New York the perfect landing spot for you?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: Because I’m hungry. I’m really competitive and hungry and I feel like New York is the pinnacle of a dog-eat-dog world.
Q: Did you spend more time with the Giants than other teams or did you spend a lot of time with a lot of teams?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: I spent the most time with the Giants, definitely.
Q: What did you think about getting to know (General Manager) Joe Schoen, (Head Coach) Brian Daboll and (Defensive Coordinator) Wink (Martindale) and the other guys here?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: It was really dope because we really got to build a foundation, I don’t want to say relationship, but we built a foundation, and now I have a real understanding because when I get there, I can go to them for anything.
Q: What did you think you had to prove to them or were there any questions you felt like they needed answered when you kept going through the process and meeting them at different points?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: I don’t necessarily know if there was anything specific that they needed answers, but I answered all of the questions without them asking. I was able to lay it all out on the line and I think they respected my delivery.
Q: There has been much said about Wink’s defense being multiple. How do you fit into that?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: I’m a smart guy. I feel like his multiple defense is really going to give me the opportunity to be versatile and kind of just show everything I bring to the team.
Q: What’s your relationship like with (Former New York Giants Defensive End) Michael Strahan?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: He literally is one of my mentors and he’s been talking to me throughout this process. He actually came to visit me when I was on my visit with the team, so seeing him out there that was really dope because he’s given me wisdom and he even was able to speak on my behalf because we have built a relationship over the year.
Q: How valuable will it be to have that resource when you get here do you think?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: It’s really dope because he has literally walked in my footsteps and can show me the ropes on the field and off the field.
Q: What are the Giants getting as a player out of you?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: They are getting a leader, they are getting a competitor and they are getting a guy who wants to win at any means.
Q: Did you think there were any misconceptions about you in this Draft process? Obviously, the Giants didn’t buy in to those, but did you think that you’re a little bit misunderstood as a player and a person and as a prospect?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: I feel like anything that was said about me before this point is history, and now all we’re focused on is the future.
Q; What do you remember about the dinner you went on with Joe? He was talking how you took him to Korean barbecue for the first time.
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: Exactly, I took him to my house and we were able to break bread and do everything that we needed and I let them know that I eat, right. It was really dope, we got to break bread and we really got to build that relationship. (celebratory noise) My bad, I’m sitting here with (Giants Tackle) Evan Neal and we’re sitting here – and it’s time.
Q: What’s that like to be there with Evan and knowing you guys just got picked together? I would imagine in your mind, you guys will be together for a while?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: When you think about it, it’s a blessing when you have a complete competitor on the other side of the ball that you’re going to be able to go against every day knowing that you’re getting better because he’s getting better because we want to.
Q: It’s been said you’re probably the best edge rusher in the Draft. How are you against the run?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: You’ve got to watch the tape.
Q: What do you say to that notion that your motor did not always run hot, that you took plays off? What do you say to that?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: I say that the Giants believe in me, and me and Evan are going to go to work, and this is probably one of the greatest moments of my life.
Q: Who is going to win the one-on-one reps in rookie minicamp?
KAYVON THIBODEAUX: It’s going to be 50/50 every time. He’s going to hit me with an upper cut and I’m going to hit him with a right hook. He’ll hit me with a jab and I’m going to hit him with a stomach hit. We’re going to keep going back-to-back.
New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley is completely healthy as he enters his fifth season in the NFL, which is a good thing.
Barkley came into last season working his way back from a torn ACL that he suffered in 2020. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year had a down year in 2021. He rushed for 593 yards, with only two touchdowns on the ground. He added 41 catches and two touchdown receptions.
It was a struggle for Barkley, and he feels he has a lot to prove.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove,” he said following the second day of voluntary mini-camp Wednesday. “I feel like there’s a lot of guys in the running back room, the wide receiver room, the quarterback room, who’ve got a lot to prove. We’re very talented. We believe in each other, and we believe in the system that’s in place.”
The 2018 Pro Bowler’s play was heavily criticized, and he acknowledged on Wednesday that he was bothered by what has been written about him.
“My mindset from just the last two years, to be honest, I kind of just want to kill, go crazy,” he said. “I’m not even focused on that,” Barkley said. “The best thing that I can do is just focus on what I can control. That’s showing up, being healthy, going out there at OTAs, camp, and in season and performing, work hard, keep my mind right, study the playbook.”
The Giants have lost 10 games or more in the last five years, so it’s been a struggle, but the 25-year-old Barkley, the subject of trade talks, has no desire to leave New York. In fact, playing at MetLife Stadium is a dream come true.
“I don’t want to look back on my career and say, ‘Dang, when I was in New York with the Giants, I was part of the down years,'” he said. “I know the talent we have in our locker room. I know what we’re able to do as a team. We’ve just got to continue to stick to the little things, continue to buy-in and continue to believe in each other. To be honest, when I was a kid, I was a Jets fan. I used to drive to New York and pass the stadium, the old stadium. I always told my dad I wanted to play in that stadium. I’m playing in MetLife; obviously, I’m playing for the Giants. Something I wanted to do as a kid. I want to be special here.”
Barkley, who can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, has not always had the luxury of a great offensive line during his time in New York. However, he’s still young, a new coach in Brian Daboll, and a lot of ability, but he is right; in the end, he does have a lot to prove in 2022.
The Giants signed OT Roy Mbaeteka, the team announced Friday.
The 6-9, 320-pound offensive tackle from Nigeria has no high school or college football experience.
The NFL held a showcase for the international players in Arizona that was attended by Giants scout Jeremy Breit, who was so impressed with Mbaeteka that the team flew him to New Jersey yesterday and signed him Friday.
Former Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who lived in Nigeria and is mentoring Mbaeteka, discussed what he saw from the offensive tackle.
“He is big, strong, physical, extremely intelligent, very athletic,” Umenyiora said via the Giants. “He’s built to play offensive tackle in the league. In fact, he reminds me quite a bit of Kareem McKenzie (a former tackle who, like Umenyiora, played on the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII and XLVI teams).”
Since concluding his 12-year career in 2014, he has worked in various roles to help the NFL grow internationally. Last year, Umenyiora was one of the founders of NFL Africa, which is part of the league’s International Player Pathway program (IPP).
Umenyiora believes Mbaeteka can just as good as Jordan Mailata, an Australian native who had no prior football experience when he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and is now the team’s starting left tackle.
“If you have the physical attributes, you can make that transition rather easily,” Umenyiora said. “And I can tell you in Africa, there’s hundreds of thousands of people who have those attributes.”
Logan Ryan won two Super Bowls with Tom Brady in New England, and he’s hoping to do the same with Brady in 2022.
Ryan signed with the Buccaneers, the team announced Thursday.
According to reports, it’s a one-year deal.
“The number one thing about coming here was winning a championship, and that’s what I’m here to do and help with,” Ryan said Thursday. “Being a teammate of Tom [Brady], that’s what he’s about—playing football at the highest level, practicing football at the highest level. Obviously, the expectation and standard is championship, each and every year and each and every day. So I was excited to have that opportunity. That’s what I’m playing for at this point in my career, and it makes a lot of sense. This is a great organization. But, I think the championship opportunity, to go compete for that, and to have a talented roster around me [allows] me to come in and be a great teammate, do great things in the community, and win a championship.”
Tampa Bay lost safety Jordan Whitehead to the Jets in free agency, and they are hoping the 31-year-old Ryan can replace what Whitehead brought to the table. The nine-year veteran has a lot of versatility as he played both corner and safety in his career. He also a leader, and last season he was one of the team captains for the New York Giants.
“Come in and be a great player, period,” Ryan said about what he brings to the Buccaneers. “They know I’m a great teammate. Bring experience; I have some experience, in the secondary. It’s a great, young group, but I just have a little experience to me. Just be a great communicator – help shore up the communication. Some disguise is what I do well. So, some of my strong suits are just a natural fit of what they needed. But versatility is my calling card in this league – it got me 10 years here. So, whatever position that may be, that’s up to Todd Bowles to play me wherever he wants to play me.
“I’ve just got to be able to learn it all. It’s a really talented group. I knew there was an opening there when the young, talented safety (Jordan Whitehead) went to the Jets; I knew there was an opportunity there for myself to play with Mike Edwards, [Antoine] Winfield, Carlton Davis, [Sean] Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean, and all those guys. Like I said, I know the roster really well from watching a lot of film and hearing the recruiting pitch a couple years ago. They have a really good group back there.”
Since entering the league in 2013, Ryan’s 95 passes defensed rank sixth in the NFL. He has recorded at least eight passes defensed in eight of his nine career seasons, marking the most such seasons by any player since he entered the league.
Ryan has recorded 10.5 of his 13.0 career sacks over the past four seasons, ranking second among all NFL defensive backs in sacks since 2018, trailing only Jamal Adams (19.5). Over the last three seasons, Ryan has also developed a knack for knocking the ball loose, ranking tied for third among all defensive backs with nine forced fumbles.
Giants released safety Logan Ryan, the team announced Thursday.
Ryan, 31, signed a one-year contract with the Giants as a free agent before the 2020 season and signed a three-year, $31 million extension with the team near the end of the 202o season.
This move will give Ryan an opportunity to join a contender, and according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the move saves the Giants $6.3 million.
In 2021, the nine-year veteran led the team through the first nine games with 72 tackles, 47 solo stops and two forced fumbles before he missed two games because of COVID. Ryan finished with a career-high 117 tackles and a team-best 77 unassisted tackles despite the absence. The former figure trailed only solo linebacker Tae Crowder, who finished with 130 stops (63 solo).
He previously played four seasons for the New England Patriots, for whom he played on two Super Bowl winners and three with the Tennessee Titans.
Ryan, a South Jersey native, entered the NFL as the Patriots’ third-round draft choice in 2013, from Rutgers. He played on the Patriots teams that defeated Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX and Atlanta in Super Bowl LI. Ryan joined the Titans as a free agent in 2017.
Ryan started all but one of the 31 games in which he played after joining the Giants in 2020. During that time, he totaled a team-high 209 tackles (144 solo) and added 17 passes defensed, 2.0 sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception. A cornerback for most of his career, Ryan started 28 games at safety for the Giants.
The New York Giants released punter Riley Dixon, the team announced Thursday.
Dixon, who spent four seasons with the Giants, became expendable after New York signed former Browns punter Jamie Gillan.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, the Giants will save $2.8 million in cap space by releasing Dixon.
In 2021, the 28-year-old Dixon struggled and finished with a 44.4-yard gross average(worst of his career) and a 39.5-yard net average.
The six-year veteran was acquired by the Giants from the Denver Broncos in a trade for a conditional seventh-round draft choice on April 23, 2018, before his third NFL season.
Dixon owns the Giants’ two highest single-season net punting averages since that became an official statistic in 1976 with 42.0 yards in 2019 and 41.8 yards in 2018.
In 65 games, Dixon had a 45.2-yard gross average and a 40.6-yard net average on 279 punts. He placed 101 kicks inside the 20-yard line and had three punts blocked.
In his first year with the Giants, Dixon set a then franchise record with his 41.8-yard net average on 71 punts. The following season, he reset the record with a 42.0-yard net average.
The New York Giants have responded to former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who sued the NFL, and three other teams, including the Giants, for racial discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, Flores believed his interview with New York was a “sham,” and the team interviewed him to satisfy The Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates.
The Dolphins fired the 40-year-old Flores in January after two consecutive winning seasons.
Here is a statement from the Giants on Flores’ allegations:
“Brian Flores has raised serious issues in the filing of his complaint. The specific claims against the Giants and Mr. Flores’ allegations about the legitimacy of his candidacy for our head coach position are disturbing and simply false.
“After we interviewed six exceptional and diverse candidates, the decision on who we would hire as head coach was made on the evening of January 28, one day after Mr. Flores spent an entire day in our offices going through his second interview for the position, meeting with ownership and other staff members, and receiving a tour of our facility. (See the itinerary below). There is additional concrete and objective evidence to substantiate we did not make our decision until the evening of the 28th.”
According to the lawsuit, before Flores’ second interview with New York, he received text messages from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, his former boss in New England. In those texts, which were allegedly meant for the newest Giants head coach Brian Daboll, Belichick said the following: “Got it – I hear from Buffalo and NYG that you are their guy. Hope it works out if you want it to!”
The Giants responded to the texts from Belichick:
“The allegation that the Giants’ decision had been made prior to Friday evening, January 28, is false. And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he “thinks” Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible. The text exchange occurred the day before Coach Daboll’s in-person interview even took place. Giants’ ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point.
In addition, Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick’s text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search.”
Giants also added the following about Flores in their statement:
“It has been well documented how much research and due diligence we did on Mr. Flores as it related to his candidacy. John Mara called Mr. Flores two days after he was dismissed in Miami. Mr. Mara expressed to Mr. Flores in that January 12 call that once we had our new general manager in place, we would begin the process of hiring our head coach, and we wanted to meet with Mr. Flores because we considered him a serious candidate for the position. Mr. Mara and Mr. Flores then had their first formal conversation in a 25-30 minute zoom call on January 18 (at Mr. Flores’ request) to further discuss his candidacy.
“In between those initial conversations and Mr. Flores’ in-person interview on January 27, there were several other communications between Mr. Flores and members of our organization. This included a dinner with our newly hired general manager, Joe Schoen, the night before Mr. Flores’s in-person interview. The consensus from within the Giants organization after this dinner remained that Mr. Flores was an outstanding candidate, and we looked forward to sitting down with him in person the next day.
“Our hiring process and, most certainly, our consideration of Mr. Flores was serious and genuine. We are disappointed to learn that Mr. Flores was under the mistaken impression the job had already been awarded.
“In his CBS interview yesterday, Mr. Flores was asked if “clubs have the right to hire the person they think is the best qualified for the job or the person they feel is right for them?” Mr. Flores responded “They do. That’s very reasonable to me . . .”. That is exactly what we did.
“We hired Brian Daboll as our head coach at the conclusion of an open and thorough interview process. No decision was made, and no job offer was extended, until the evening of January 28, a full day after Mr. Flores’ in-person interview and day-long visit to the Giants.”
