The New York Giants’ 2024 season has been nothing short of a disaster, with a 2-13 record and little to inspire hope for a quick turnaround. Amidst the chaos, questions about the team’s leadership, decision-making, and locker room chemistry have only grown louder.
Now, former Giants linebacker and defensive captain Jonathan Casillas has added fuel to the fire, offering a scathing critique of the organization’s cultural failures under general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
Speaking on the Locked On Giants podcast, Casillas didn’t hold back. According to him, the Giants' brass has fundamentally misunderstood the importance of locker room chemistry—a mistake he believes is at the heart of the team’s ongoing struggles. The decision to move on from key veterans like Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, Julian Love, Sterling Shepard, and Leonard Williams, among others, has stripped the locker room of its identity and leadership.
“You got rid of the locker room culture,” Casillas said. “They hurt, and they’ve been losing, so I don’t think they truly understood the locker room chemistry.” The lack of foundational culture could spell long-term trouble for a team trying to rebuild.
Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll created a leadership void for the NY Giants
Casillas’ comments reflect a harsh truth for Giants fans: rebuilding isn’t just about talent acquisition—it’s about fostering the right environment for success. By letting go of players who embodied the team’s spirit, the Giants have created a leadership vacuum that’s impossible to ignore.
Take Saquon Barkley, for example. Casillas called his departure to the rival Eagles one of the biggest mistakes a GM has ever made, not just for what Barkley brought on the field, but for his intangible value in the locker room. “You’re feeling not only his departure on the field but also his presence in the locker room,” Casillas said.
He believes Schoen approached the offseason purely from a business perspective, failing to account for how these moves would affect team dynamics. While adding talented players like Jermaine Eluemunor and Brian Burns, the Giants overlooked the importance of cohesion, chemistry, and continuity.
As the Giants limp toward the finish line of a lost season, Casillas’ critique raises an uncomfortable but necessary question: What is this team's culture? Without a clear identity or established leadership, the Giants’ rebuild looks as directionless as their on-field performances.
The former linebacker insists fixing the problem requires more than just winning games. It starts with building the right locker room and valuing the intangible qualities that make teams thrive. “It’s not all about business,” he said. “It’s about having the right group of men in the locker room with the right coach to lead those guys.”
The hope is Schoen and Daboll are paying attention. Because without addressing these cultural failures, adding talent alone won’t be enough to turn this franchise around.