The pain that NY Giants fans feel after the disastrous performance against the Philadelphia Eagles is all too familiar. Some G-Men supporters held out hope that 2024 would be different, but another year of stalled offensive drives by Daniel Jones and blowout losses to NFC East rivals felt like the nail in the coffin for this season.
Remember when HBO Max’s “Hard Knocks” premiered this summer before the season was doomed and Big Blue had hope? It might seem like a distant memory now, but the behind-the-scenes conversations drew outside criticism.
Whether it be the awkward Saquon Barkley exchange between John Mara and Joe Schoen or disagreements among scouting personnel, the show definitely raised some red flags. Former NFL General Manager Michael Lombardi echoed that sentiment when the episodes were first released, and he hasn't forgotten about it since:
.@MLombardiNFL was offended by the Giants decision-making during Hard Knocks 😳
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 24, 2024
"It looks like people were doing their fantasy draft ... and that's offensive to me." pic.twitter.com/d8KVBj93CL
Former NFL GM doubles down on criticism of the NY Giants front office
Lombardi hopped on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday and didn't hold back. He highlighted a discussion about Brian Burns before the blockbuster trade was completed, explaining that the front office should have been asking how he performed against NFC East rivals and other contenders in the conference. Lombardi drew a parallel between the Giants’ internal talks and a group of friends doing a fantasy football draft in a bar. What a hot mess.
Even before the regular season began, Lombardi bashed the sloppy decision-making tactics within NY's front office. His description of the Giants was a 'team without an identity.' Now that they sit at a 2-5 record and are out of playoff contention, his comments are even more valid.
As a former GM in the league, Lombardi understands how these conversations unfold. He spent two years with the Cleveland Browns from 2013-2014 and served in multiple NFL positions over 30 years. Maybe Schoen should take notes and create a more structured approach to in-house discussions with members of the organization.
Regardless of how they get it done, the Giants must start playing a better and more respectable brand of football moving forward. And until they do, the blame for their struggles will fall directly on Schoen and coach Brian Daboll.