The Carolina Panthers were apart of a “revenge game” in Week 1, as quarterback Baker Mayfield collided (sometimes literally) with the Cleveland Browns. So, how about another?
On Sunday, first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will be calling plays against the New York Giants—the franchise he spent four, um, highly-publicized, years with. When asked on Thursday if there are any emotions for him heading back to the Meadowlands, the 45-year-old no-sold it.
“Love New York,” he said with a smile. “Got a lot of great memories there. Great people there, in that organization. Love the city. Love North Jersey. But right now, it’s about gettin’ ready to play a football game. And for me, to spend any time thinking about that would be kinda selfish and not very smart.
“We played ’em twice last year when I was in Dallas, and it didn’t really factor into anything. Playin’ ’em again this year—so far, there’s nothing to it. I try to keep it between the ditches.”
McAdoo first joined “Big Blue” back in 2014, when he was hired by head coach Tom Coughlin as the team’s offensive coordinator. After a pair of strong seasons leading that unit, McAdoo took over for Coughlin at the helm in 2016.
His first campaign as head coach saw instant success, leading the Giants to an 11-5 mark and an NFC wild card berth. The situation quickly soured, however, as McAdoo was ousted following a 2-10 record over 12 outings the very next season.
But, as McAdoo said, he can’t think about any of that this week. There are way more pressing issues at hand for him and his new offense.
