There’s no doubt in Eli Manning’s mind that the New York Giants are making the right decision in retaining head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
The Giants quickly squashed any rumors of a potential shakeup on Monday morning when they announced that both would be back with New York next season.
The two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback details why it’s the “right decision” to bring both figures back.
“It’s the right decision to keep Coach Daboll and Joe Schoen,” says Manning in a one-on-one interview on behalf of his partnership with Verizon for their Super Bowl Fan Fest. “You have to give these coaches and GM’s time to create their culture and you can’t necessarily do that in two-to-three years. You saw them make the playoffs in their first year together, and went to a playoff game. They have to figure out how to bring in the right players. They obviously need the quarterback this year and figure out how they’re going to do it.”
Giants are retaining HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. pic.twitter.com/TPb4GzOlUn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2025
The Giants had surprising success during the first season of the Daboll-Schoen era, advancing to the playoffs and winning a postseason game during the 2022 season. It was actually the team’s first playoff win since Manning led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLVI at the conclusion of the 2011 season.
However, they did so with Daniel Jones at quarterback and Saquon Barkley at running back. The Giants have since parted ways with Jones after signing him to a four-year, $160 million deal and Barkley has since signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he’s rushed for over 2,000 yards while emerging as an MVP candidate.
”It just takes time to create that culture,” says Manning. “They have some superstars in certain positions that are playing at a high level. And sometimes they can just take those one or two guys in key positions to come in and either go from a team that wasn’t competing for the playoffs to being in the playoffs. You see it this year right now with some teams that you weren’t expecting to be in the playoffs this year that are there.”
Since that surprising 2022 season, the Giants have gone just 9-25 over the past two seasons and now hold the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They’ll obviously be seeking their next franchise quarterback with that pick.
Despite the lack of success and the wrong decision to prioritize signing Jones to a long-term deal over Barkley during the 2023 offseason, Manning still has confidence in both Daboll and Schoen to right the ship.
“I believe they have the ability, they have the work ethic, they have the temperament and can create that culture with the Giants to get us back to being a winning program,” says Manning.
While the top two quarterbacks entering the draft will obviously be the University of Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Manning doesn’t know who is the better fit for the Giants’ system, saying there’s a lot of factors that go into that process.
There’s one problem — both the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns pick ahead of the Giants and they both also need franchise quarterbacks.
That could leave the Giants without both Ward and Sanders if they stick to their pick at No. 3.
“That’s why you have GM’s and people that are looking at the film, looking at all the plays, figuring out are they making good decisions on every play,” says Manning of when it comes to picking a franchise quarterback. “How are they around a lot of teammates, around their community? When you bring in a quarterback, if you’re going to draft one, it’s more than just what they do on the field. It’s what kind of person they are, how they’re going to be involved in the locker room? Can they take that over? Will they be helpful in being great leaders of your franchise?
“Those are the decisions the Giants have to make and it’s not an easy one,” Manning continues to say. “There’s no system where you follow these rules and you’ll automatically pick the best player and best quarterback. They have their hands full.”
The top-3 order in the 2025 NFL Draft:
1. Tennessee Titans
2. Cleveland Browns
3. New York GiantsThe last time Houston/Tennessee drafted No. 1 overall? Earl Campbell almost 50 years ago.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 5, 2025
While the Giants may be left without one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, they could go the route of trading or signing a veteran quarterback. Sam Darnold and Justin Fields are a couple of quarterback options in free agency with the Atlanta Falcons’ Kirk Cousins likely washing out of Atlanta after being replaced by rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Manning is no stranger to that type of situation, beginning his rookie season as the backup to Super Bowl champion quarterback Kurt Warner back in 2004. However, he eventually emerged as the starter in Week 11, starting seven games during his rookie campaign.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist says “not a bad thought” to bring in a veteran quarterback, drawing parallels to how it helped him in his development to learn under an all-time great quarterback in Warner.
“It’s not a bad thought,” says Manning. “When I was drafted, I had Kurt Warner ahead of me. I got to sit behind him, I got to watch him as he prepared, as he watched film, how he asked questions to the offensive coordinator to the quarterback coach about plays and giving his input on plays he liked. The style and the plays that he wanted to put in the game plan for that week. That was very helpful for me to have him there.”
However, Manning does admit that it’s a different game these days, with NFL teams expecting rookie quarterbacks to be ready to start in their first seasons. For example, three of the rookie quarterbacks in the first round this year started in Week 1 with two others — Penix and Drake Maye — eventually emerging as the starters before the conclusion of the 2024 season. He also acknowledges that the Giants will have to make a decision on whether or not it’s better to target one of the top quarterbacks in the draft or bring in a veteran that can make an “immediate” impact.
“I think nowadays it’s a little bit different — they expect a rookie quarterback to come in a play,” says Manning. “They’re not drafting him to have him sit, to have him develop. They want to get him in the game early, which I think is good. You have to get those live experiences. Very important and interesting whether they feel like one of these quarterbacks is the best fit or is worthy of the first pick in the draft or they try to bring in a veteran that can come in and make an immediate impact.”
