After falling to a 2-10 start in a highly anticipated 2017 campaign, the New York Giants have fired head coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese. McAdoo’s tenure lasted one and three quarters of a season, seeing the rise and fall of a statistically strong defense and the end to Eli Manning’s 210 game starting streak. Reese’s tenure lasted nearly a decade, starting in 2007 and seeing two Super Bowl victories. Drama and off-the-field stories epitomized the Giants 2017 season more than their results. The firing of McAdoo and Reese embellishes a season that will be remembered for turmoil as they now look for a new head coach and general manager tandem to usher in a new era.
New York Giants Fire Head Coach Ben McAdoo and General Manager Jerry Reese
The New York Giants fired head coach Ben McAdoo Monday morning, marking the first time the Mara family has fired a head coach mid-season since 1976. The Giants organization struggling is an understatement; the team has been marked with injuries and player discontent.
After a 2016 campaign going 11-5 and owning one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Giants started 2-10 behind an offense netting 4.8 yards per play while boasting an injured reserve list that is now 16 players long. Among these are all-star wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Odell Beckham, starting offensive guard D.J. Fluker. Second receivers Dwayne Harris and Keeon Johnson also were put on the list, forcing the Giants to reach to the depth of their roster.
Matters turned worse when mid-way through the season two players told ESPN reporter Josina Anderson, “McAdoo has lost this team.” Naturally, not all players agreed with the notion; Safety Landon Collins and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie both stated McAdoo still had control.
However, that story marked only the beginning to a hard slide. Although the Giants netted a second win over the Kansas City Chiefs in week 11 overtime, the drama rose again when this past week franchise quarterback Eli Manning was benched. Geno Smith and Davis Webb were slotted to play against the Oakland Raiders, but only Smith played, putting up an 89 rating while losing to the Raiders 24-17.
The Giants are now heading into an off-season with a bevy of new expectations. Speculation on them drafting a quarterback or hiring a prominent name to the head coaching position will run rampant among the New York media.
McAdoo is 12-20 as an offensive coordinator, and 13-15 as a head coach, both tenures under the Giants umbrella.
Reese had operated as the general manager since 2007, going 90-82 in that span, including two Super Bowl victories.
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