A top New York Giants insider added more details to a recent report about the growing issues between head coach Brian Daboll and his coaching staff.
The 2023-24 Giants season was a far cry from the joy the team brought its fan base during a surprise campaign in 2022. After reaching the playoffs and winning a game this time last year, the G-Men stumbled their way to a 6-11 finish this past season and have brewing drama among their coaching staff.
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Just a week after defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale resigned from the franchise in frustration, after two of his top assistants were fired by head coach Brian Daboll, a report from New York Daily News G-Men reporter Pat Leonard shed a lot of light on the developing issues between Daboll and his staff.
It seems that the problems go far beyond a schism between Daboll and Martindale, and the New York Giants head coach has developed a reputation with his staff as a finger-pointer who does not take accountability and offers little in the form of solutions.
Some of the most worrisome parts of the story involve Daboll shaming Martindale over the headsets during an eventual win against the Washington Commanders. General manager Joe Schoen is well aware of the outcry from the staff and listened in on Daboll’s questionable management style during four games this season. And that staff members have warned outside coaches from joining the organization due to the ongoing problems.
New York Giants offensive coordinator took the brunt of Brian Daboll’s ‘fury’ in 2023
On Wednesday, Leonard spoke more about the situation during a new edition of his “Talkin’ Ball” podcast and added some fresh details. Firstly, Schoen is actually very closely involved with the day-to-day actions of the roster and helps decide what players will be active on game day. The reporter claims that should be taken seriously as his role is apparently increasing due to the ongoing issues.
He also added that the infamous incident where Daboll stared down special teams coordinator Thomas McGahee during a frustrating moment in the 2023 preseason was not well-received by other members of the staff and the organization had to undertake a “PR show” to cover up the developing drama.
“This [story] is about the Giants as a process, which is still broken and viewed as broken,” said Leonard. “There are still people in the building, and one staffer advised a coach calling about a vacancy and said not to come here because the environment has a toxicity to it.”
The dynamic between Daboll and the team has reportedly been going on since last season and has only gotten worse as the Giants went from a playoff team to an organization with a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The NYDN New York Giants reporter also added that while the schism between Brian Daboll and “Wink” Martindale has gotten much of the attention, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has taken the majority of the head coach’s “fury” over the last two seasons.
“One source said [Kafka] is constantly second-guessed.” The HC reportedly would have his OC run the ball, but if it wasn’t the type of play he liked, he would openly complain about him on the in-game headsets. “It’s the proverbial ‘beat somebody over the head’ and then when there’s a mistake made, blame that person, curse them out, and don’t give a solution,” Leonard said.
“Last season we were riding a wave, and now we’re off the wave,” a player told Leonard during his investigation.
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What seemed like a frustrating and injury-filled season for Big Blue has quickly devolved into one where a mutiny in the coaching staff is growing and the team’s head coach will likely be on the hot seat in his third season with the team.