Here Are The Top 5 Giants Head Coach and General Manager Candidates

The New York Giants cleaned house on Monday, firing GM Jerry Reese and head coach Ben McAdoo. The team is 2-10 this season, rattled with injury and the roster as a whole is devoid of depth. Yes, there has been recent success with Super Bowl titles in 2007 and 2011 but other than those great runs, zero playoff wins in the past decade. For an organization that considers itself one of the league’s stalwarts, this is unacceptable. Co-owner John Mara let Reese and McAdoo know they were done Monday morning and immediately began to set his eyes towards the future, saying during Monday’s press conference:


We agreed wholesale that changes needed to be made to this organization to get us back to the team we expect to be. We also agreed that it was pointless to wait any longer to make these changes.

The we, of course referring to himself and fellow co-owner Steve Tisch. Make no mistake about it, this is a pivotal moment for the Giants as a franchise and Mara knows this is on him.

With the recommendation of then GM Ernie Acorsi, Mara believed it was time to promote assistant GM Jerry Reese to the big chair. He also approved of the McAdoo hiring. These were his hires. With Reese and McAdoo gone the Giants are turning the page, and Mara has the opportunity to help the team forge a new identity moving forward.

Stability, promoting from within, and having connections to the Giants organization are all very important to Mara; as evidenced by the fact that Acorsi has been hired as a consultant to lead the next GM search. Acorsi is a good football man and has been a consultant for other teams looking for a GM and coach, including the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. But he’s also 76 and part of the Giants past. It’s time the Giants look to the future with their next regime. Why not use this as an opportunity to look at diverse and innovative minds to lead the charge? No retreads or the same four or five names that come up every time there is a head coach or general manager opening. Look outside the organization, maybe even outside the NFL.

For most fans the “sexy” hire is going to be the head coach as most don’t think about the nuts and bolts of the day-to-day operation. But, the team will not hire a head coach without having a GM in place who will then select a coach. Doesn’t make sense to hire a coach that doesn’t share the same philosophy or viewpoint with the GM. Where should the Giants look for a new GM? What qualities should this person possess? Obviously an understanding of the game and league are paramount. How the salary cap works, how to exploit draft and trade loopholes, a clear vision, and the ability to identify the right people and empower them to make decisions.

A few names come to mind, and sorry Giants fans they don’t include: Bill Parcels or Phil Simms.

• Dave Gettleman. The former Panthers GM constructed the roster that went to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. Granted that roster was actually, kind of suspect. Just happened to have the league MVP who was playing at an all world level that season. But, he is best friends with Acorsi, so this is a possibility.

• Amy Trask. The “Princess of Darkness” was the former CEO of the Raiders for 16 years under Al Davis. She knows football and the league, inside and out and is very connected. She is currently an NFL analyst for CBS Sports and is also the CEO of the BIG3 professional basketball league. She’s a straight shooter and is forward thinking. Could be the kind of change the organization needs.

• Eliot Wolf. The current director of football operations for the Green Bay Packers works under Ted Thompson and is the son of Hall of Famer Ron Wolf. Well regarded as one of the bright young minds. He’s just 35 and would be the youngest GM. Plus there is the Packers – Giants thing. How did hiring someone from the Packers work out last time?…Too soon?

• Nick Caserio. He is currently the director of player personnel for the New England Patriots. Anyone coming from that organization has the halo effect around them. But you can’t argue the success, and while much of it goes to the owner, head coach and quarterback, Caserio is one of the key cogs in the machine.

• George Paton. The Vikings assistant GM has helped to build a very good roster in Minnesota. He’s interviewed for GM jobs in the recent past and was a finalist for the Rams job back in 2012.

The Giants could certainly begin the process of forging a new direction for the franchise with any of the afore-mentioned names. Once they select a GM, a coach is the next task and the GM would have to find his/her guy.

The characteristics needed for a head coach are similar to that of a GM. Must know the game, must have a clear coaching philosophy, and have the ability to identify talent in others and motivate them to succeed.

• David Shaw. The Stanford head coach is well-respected, knows football inside and out. Has NFL experience, knows how to develop qb’s and is an offensive minded guy.

• Josh McDaniels. The Patriots offensive coordinator has experience as a head coach (Denver) and has that whole halo effect thing going. He would be leading an organization without Tom Brady, but maybe he’s ready for that second chance to be a head coach.

• Chris Petersen. The University of Washington head man may never leave Seattle but he runs an NFL offense and knows how to build a coaching staff. He is a pro in every sense of the word.

• Jim Bob Cooter. The Lions offensive coordinator was an assistant in Denver and got high praise from Peyton Manning. The 33-year-old may be a little green yet, but you never know.

• Jim Harbaugh. The Michigan man may be wearing out his welcome in Ann Arbor. He’s got the chops and the NFL experience. But will his unique style mesh in the NYC metropolitan area? What GM would be strong enough to tie their future to him?