Before the New York Giants had head coach Brian Daboll, they had Joe Judge. But before they had Judge, Big Blue had Pat Shurmur. Holy cow, it's shocking how they're just the same coach with different names.
For Giants fans, Shurmur’s name still triggers that faint, familiar sense of exhaustion. His two-year stint in East Rutherford from 2018 to 2019 was a masterclass in mediocrity — 9-23 overall, a lost locker room, and borderline confusing game management.
Every Sunday felt like a new way to lose, and somehow, that was the most consistent thing about his tenure.
After flaming out of the NFL, Shurmur resurfaced at Colorado, joining head coach Deion Sanders’ staff as an analyst before climbing back into the playcaller chair. It was a nice redemption arc — for about five minutes. Now, even college football has decided it’s seen enough of the Shurmur experience.
Deion Sanders demotes former Giants coach Pat Shurmur after offensive collapse
Following Colorado’s 53-7 disaster against Utah, Sanders quietly stripped the 60-year-old of playcalling duties and reassigned him to quarterbacks coach, according to Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today.
Tight ends coach Brett Bartolone has since taken over. The Buffaloes have dropped two straight since the change, including a 52-17 loss to Arizona, but the move at least signaled what Giants fans already knew: when Shurmur’s offense hits a wall, it stays there.
This is familiar territory for the guy who spent 13 years on the NFL sideline. His “offensive mind” label has been on borrowed time since the days he benched Eli Manning for Daniel Jones, mismanaged Saquon Barkley, and put his defense in compromising positions by failing to move the ball consistently.
The same issues that defined his Big Blue tenure — poor adjustments, questionable staff choices, and zero rhythm — have followed him right into Boulder.
To make matters worse, Shurmur lost the one thing propping up his scheme: Shedeur Sanders. With Deion’s son now in Cleveland and two-way star Travis Hunter in Jacksonville, the Buffs’ offense has flatlined. Rather than adjust to his new personnel, Shurmur couldn’t get anything out of the replacements — a familiar indictment of his ability to elevate players.
Coaching has a way of catching up to everyone eventually. Shurmur’s been through enough sidelines to know how this goes. One day you’re on the headset, the next you’re holding a clipboard for someone else. Call it football’s not-so-friendly reminder the game never misses a chance to move on.