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New York Giants principal owner John Mara has made what seems like an unpopular decision to keep coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen. And we can say it’s unpopular because fans aren’t happy, the New York media isn’t happy, and Mara himself doesn’t sound happy, either.

“I’m going to have to be in a better mood this time next year than I am right now,” Mara told reporters on Monday.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 17: New York Giants owner John Mara stands on the field before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on October 17, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Have The Giants Gotten Better?

The Giants have gone from 9-7-1 in 2022 in the first year of Daboll-Schoen to 6-11 in 2023, and then 3-14 this year.

And Mara doesn’t seem too sure things are getting better.

“How can I say that it’s better if we win three games?” he asked rhetorically. “We need to win more games for us to be able to prove that point. But there’s just a better feeling in the building now that we’ve got the right pieces in place. We have a lot of holes to fill and that’s what this offseason is going to be about.”

This offseason and what follows in the 2025 regular season is going to be key for Daboll and Schoen because Mara wants tangible improvement ASAP.

 “It better not take too long because I’ve just about run out of patience,” Mara said.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 29: Brian Daboll, head coach of the New York Giants reacts to a call during the second quarter of their game against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on December 29, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)

Year Four Will Be A Ride For Daboll, Schoen

Mara at times on Monday sounded like a groom on his wedding day – after he’d gotten hitched to a gal whose father was carrying a shotgun during the ceremony.

He said, “our record is pretty lousy right now.”

He said, “I’m aware of how many games we’ve won and, obviously, the results are not even close to what we want them to be. They’re going to have to get better if we’re going to move on to Year Four.”

The fact is Daboll and Schoen are starting Year Four.

It’s Year Five, which seems tenuous.

And that’s because Mara doesn’t seem confident his team is better today than it was three years ago.

“I’m not sure I am all that confident that it’s that much better,” he said. 

But…

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 05: New York Giants Gerald manager Joe Schoen chats with Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants on January 5, 2025 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.(Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mara Endorsement Weak But Binding

Mara is a thoughtful man, and he understands changing direction now won’t necessarily point the Giants in a better direction. It actually might set them back. So he’s sticking with Daboll and Schoen.

(Which I personally believe is the right call.)

“I think, though, with the draft class that we just had… Again, it’s very unusual that you have six draftees, all of whom you think are going to help us going forward,” he said. “I thought that was a huge step. The free agents that we picked up between (guard Jon) Runyan (Jr.) and bringing Brian Burns in here, I think those are going to help us going forward. I think once you solve the quarterback issue, I think a lot of these other things will improve as well.

“Based on my observation of how they work together, of how the players respond to them and how Joe is going about building the roster going forward, it’s my instinct and my strong belief that we are going to go in the right direction. 

“It’s hard for me to say we’re going in the right direction right now because we’ve been going backwards. Nobody feels that any more than I do. I hate having to go through this process. I hate having to answer these questions. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to take a calm, rational look at things. We did that and this is the decision that we came up with.”

As endorsements go, the words from Mara almost belie the action of retaining his leadership. But he’s a man of conviction, so Daboll and Schoen get one more year.

“If I’m sitting here a year from now, and you’re asking me these questions, I’ll take the heat,” Mara said. “But, at the end of the day, we’ve got to make a decision and we’ve made one.”