On Thursday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported that the New York Giants have extended general manager Joe Schoen’s contract for multiple years. Now, it’s hard to be surprised by this decision, especially if you keep up with the mixed feelings about Schoen among fans.
Given the franchise’s tumultuous past, with a decade full of instability and disappointing seasons, one has to wonder: what exactly has Schoen accomplished to merit this extension?
It’s puzzling to see this move right before what could represent a “new era” for Giants football. Since Schoen took the reins in 2022, the team’s record stands at a dismal 22-45-1. Sure, there was a notable playoff run and an upset victory over the Vikings in his first year, but the consistency has fallen off, culminating in a disastrous four-win season that cost Brian Daboll his job.
Adding to the irony, this extension came amidst speculation regarding Schoen’s influence within the organization. Rather than allowing him to face the pressure of a critical 2026 season, the Giants chose to double down on their commitment.
This move now aligns Schoen with new head coach John Harbaugh, as the organization hopes to finally establish some stability after years of, well, floundering.
Harbaugh’s arrival has fans hopeful. Maybe he can cultivate a winning culture here, or perhaps Schoen will benefit from having a coach who can set a standard. But then again, he might just be stepping into the murky waters left by recent years.
And it’s not as if all the challenges are Schoen’s doing. The Giants have dealt with a decline long before he took over.
While Schoen has had some successes, like acquiring Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence—a smart move—the struggles are glaring. Schoen’s approach to the Daniel Jones contract stands out, for instance. After a decent performance in 2022, he handed Jones a hefty four-year deal that quickly became a liability, hampering team flexibility and complicating future quarterback decisions.
Then there’s Evan Neal, the supposed franchise right tackle from the 2022 draft, who hasn’t lived up to expectations and is now emblematic of the Giants’ ongoing issue with offensive line development.
Not to mention the situation with Kayvon Thibodeau, another highly-touted pick who hasn’t reached his potential, raising questions every offseason about his future. Meanwhile, the draft, although featuring some promising talent, has been inconsistent overall. Disciplinary issues and underperformance plagued recent first-round selections like Deonte Banks, while others failed to provide the depth expected.
On the free-agent front, the Darren Waller trade ended up being more of a headache than a benefit, and losing homegrown stars like Saquon Barkley has only deepened the frustration among fans.
This is why the extension feels unsettling. Ownership seems to be banking on recent draft picks to fix years of dysfunction rather than relying on past achievements. Is it too optimistic to think Harbaugh can immediately change the team culture? Or that Jackson Dart might be the answer they’ve been searching for? Right now, the extension appears to be more about hope than any real accomplishment, which is a tough pill to swallow for long-suffering Giants fans.
