Report explains why Giants retained Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll after two straight losing seasons

Some thought shortly before the New York Giants finished the 2024 season at 3-14 that team co-owner John Mara would show both general manager Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll the door in January. 

While Mara decided to give the team's regime another chance to right the ship, he acknowledged at the time that he had "just about run out of patience" following back-to-back losing campaigns.  

For a piece published on Thursday, ESPN's Jordan Raanan detailed how Mara met with Schoen and Daboll on the Friday before the 2024 regular-season finale. According to Raanan, Schoen and Daboll spoke about the club's unsettled quarterback situation and about "adding a veteran (or veterans) in addition to landing a quarterback in the draft" this offseason. 

"Mara and fellow owner Steve Tisch would speak more over that final weekend and come to the conclusion that Schoen and Daboll would ultimately be retained," Raanan added. "The quarterback plan fit what they were looking to achieve this upcoming season -- immediately produce better results while simultaneously addressing their 'No. 1 issue' of finding a quarterback of the future."

Schoen attempted to acquire current Los Angeles Rams starter Matthew Stafford when Stafford was permitted to explore a trade, but it's now known that the 37-year-old "never really wanted to leave" the Rams. Aaron Rodgers later became a potential fallback option for the Giants, but he declined to commit to any team before Big Blue moved on. 

In the end, the Giants signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. New York then traded back into the first round of the player-selection process to grab Jaxson Dart with pick No. 25. As of May 15, the plan was for Wilson to start and for Dart to learn about life in the NFL as an unused spectator for as long as possible. 

"Wilson knew there was a possibility the Giants could draft a quarterback in the first round this year, and he was fine with that," Raanan said. "Not all the quarterbacks available this offseason wanted to step into a situation that could have a highly drafted quarterback entering the picture, a team source told ESPN. Wilson and Winston were willing. They were the veteran quarterbacks of choice."

Wilson didn't play for the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers until Week 7 of the season because of a lingering calf injury. He went 6-1 over his first seven starts but then endured five straight losses (including the playoffs) before Pittsburgh went in a different direction this offseason. 

Meanwhile, Winston went 2-5 with 12 interceptions thrown over seven starts and 12 appearances with the 2024 Cleveland Browns. 

Multiple reporters believe the 2025 Giants could essentially be out of the playoff race before the midway point of November arrives. If that ends up being the case, Schoen and Daboll may need Dart to look like a revelation over the final month of the season to hold onto their jobs.