Picture this. You’re the general manager of the New York Giants, sitting at 2 wins and 11 losses. Your head coach just got sacked. Your £120 million quarterback got released weeks ago. And now you’re facing reporters who want to know why you still deserve to have a job. That was Joe Schoen’s Tuesday.
The Joe Schoen press conference on December 2nd wasn’t just another bye week chat with the media. It was a bloke trying to justify keeping his position whilst his team sits near the bottom of the league. And honestly? He said all the right things, even if nobody’s buying what he’s selling.
Admitting Mistakes But Not Really
Schoen started with the tried-and-true playbook. “Have I screwed up? Have I made mistakes? Absolutely,” he said. Fair enough. The Giants have dropped 25 of their last 30 games. Someone’s messed up somewhere.
But then came the pivot. Instead of accepting responsibility like a mature leader would, Schoen rattled off the names of young players as proof he’s already built something worth keeping. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Receiver Malik Nabers, who’s now out with a torn ACL. Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Running back Cam Skattebo, who’s got a fractured ankle.
He’s pointing to injured players and rookies as evidence of success. That’s a tough sell when your record looks like a cricket score.
The Daniel Jones Disaster
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. When was Joe Schoen hired? January 21st, 2022. One of his first big moves? Giving Daniel Jones a four-year, £120 million contract after one decent playoff run.
Jones won three more games as the starter before getting released in November. That’s roughly £40 million per win if you’re counting, which everyone definitely is.
Schoen’s defended that decision by saying Jones looked brilliant in 2022. He’s not wrong about that bit. But giving a quarterback that much money after one good season was always risky. Now it’s just expensive.
The Giants are still paying Jones millions not to play for them, whilst trying to figure out who their actual quarterback is. That’s the kind of mistake that gets GMs sacked.
Building Blocks or Broken Pieces?
Selling the concept that the Giants have enough talent to lure quality coaching candidates was also a notable part of Schoen’s pitch during his press conference. He cited Andrew Thomas at left tackle, Dexter Lawrence on the defensive line and a group of pass rushers.
Then he stretched. Begun name-dropping Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz Jr. and Tyrone Tracy Jr. as guys they can build around. Mind you, they’re not bad players. However, if you are relying on interior offensive linemen and a fifth-round running back to demonstrate your exceptional talent, you may face challenges.
“If I’m a coordinator who maybe wants to be the head coach, would this be an attractive job for me with the Giants?” Schoen asked. The silence from journalists no doubt roared.
The Saquon Barkley Mess
Here’s what really stings for Giants fans. They allowed Saquon Barkley to walk to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles after they decided they would rather not pay him. All good from a salary cap perspective. In today’s game, running backs are not worth huge contracts, correct? Except Barkley just ran for 2,000 yards with the Eagles.
The Giants, meanwhile, are sending out whoever is healthy that week. Schoen keeps saying that it was the best financial decision, and in pure technical terms, he may even be right. But watching Barkley dominate for your biggest rival makes that pill impossible to swallow.
Did Joe Schoen Ever Play Football?
Yeah, he did actually. Schoen was a quarterback in his first year at DePauw University before primarily playing wide receiver for his final three seasons. He served as his team’s captain in his final season.
So he knows the game. He’s not some numbers bloke who has never worn pads. He graduated in 2001 with a degree in communications and quickly embarked on an NFL scouting career.
How much does Joe Schoen make per year? Nobody knows for sure. The Giants don’t publicise his salary. But he’s managing a salary cap of about £190 million, which gives you an idea of the responsibility involved. His net worth is estimated at around £2 million, which seems low for an NFL general manager but he’s only been in the top job since 2022.
The Draft Picks That Haunt Him
Schoen’s made three NFL drafts’ worth of decisions now. Some hits, plenty of misses. Kayvon Thibodeaux in the first round of 2022? Decent pick. Malik Nabers in 2024? Brilliant until he got hurt.
But Evan Neal, taken fifth overall in 2022, has been a disaster at tackle. Deonte Banks, the 24th pick in 2023, has struggled. Jalin Hyatt from that same draft barely plays.
In three years of drafting offensive linemen, only John Michael Schmitz looks like he might be a proper NFL starter. That’s not good enough when you’re supposedly rebuilding through the draft.
The Job Security Question
Reporters kept asking Schoen about his future. He kept saying, “I understand the question,” whilst dodging any real answer. Classic move.
Owner John Mara gave Schoen what sounded like a vote of confidence when he fired head coach Brian Daboll in November. But votes of confidence in the NFL are about as reliable as British summer weather. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Schoen is now tasked with finding the Giants’ next head coach. But here’s the awkward bit. What if a quality candidate wants the job but doesn’t want to work with Schoen? The Jacksonville Jaguars faced that exact situation with Liam Coen last year and ended up changing their front office.
When asked about that possibility, Schoen said, “The calls we’ve gotten, I think we’re going to be able to fill the job.” That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of how desirable the position is.
The Bye Week Timing
The Joe Schoen press conference was held during the Giants’ bye week, when GMs commonly address reporters. But the timing made it appear more of a performance review than a routine check-in. Schoen admitted that the team’s ownership will take a look at the football operations department following the season. That’s corporate speak for “My job’s being reviewed and I might get sacked.”
He continued to say he’s “very confident” in the process and excited about the players they have. But confidence, taken alone, does not win football games. Neither does excitement about rookies who are currently injured.
What He Got Right
Look, it’s not all been terrible. Schoen did lock up Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence to long-term deals, securing two homegrown stars. Those were brilliant moves.
He signed linebacker Bobby Okereke to a four-year, £30 million deal that raised eyebrows but worked out well. He’s tried to build through the draft, which is the right approach even if the results have been mixed.
And firing Daniel Jones, whilst expensive and embarrassing, was still the correct decision. Sometimes you have to admit a mistake and move on, even if it costs you millions.
The Reality Check
Here’s the thing about Schoen’s situation. He’s been the GM for less than four years. The Giants were a mess when he arrived, with the salary cap in shambles and the roster full of expensive, declining players.
He’s tried to fix it. Some moves worked, many didn’t. But 2 wins and 11 losses in 2025 is inexcusable no matter how you spin it. Especially after making the playoffs in his first season.
The £215 million he invested in free agency has largely bottomed out. The premium players Pace has selected have generally been misses, not hits, and the situation at quarterback has been nothing but a mess from beginning to end.
What Happens Next
Schoen’s task in the coming months will be finding a head coach who can clean up this mess in relatively short order. But he’s doing so with limited resources, a thin roster and the weight of expectations in New York.
The Giants finished a dreadful season with the second overall pick in the 2026 draft. They are just about certain to draft a quarterback. The issue is whether Schoen will be making the pick or watching it at home like Daniel Jones did.
Owner John Mara’s running out of patience. “It better not take too long because I’ve just about run out of patience,” Mara said recently. That’s not the kind of backing that makes a GM sleep easily.
The Bottom Line
Schoen’s press conference was a man trying to convince everyone, including himself, that he’s still the right person for the job. He used all the proper phrases. “It starts with me.” “Nobody focuses on what went wrong more than me.” “We’re going to get this thing right.”
But words don’t win football games. Neither do lists of injured rookies or promises about building blocks. The Giants need actual results, and they need them quickly.
Whether Schoen gets another chance to deliver those results remains to be seen. But based on that press conference, he’s clearly fighting to keep his job. And in the NFL, once you’re fighting to stay employed, you’re usually already halfway out the door.
The Giants’ next head coach better be brilliant. Because if they’re not, Schoen won’t get a fourth chance to get it right.
