NFL general managers either win or find employment elsewhere. A few GMs find a third option, establishing their role within the organization and their relationship with ownership enough to secure their job safety despite underwhelming on-field results. New York Giants GM Joe Schoen is one of those few, and until this week, Chris Ballard was too.
But cozying up to ownership can only take you so far. The Indianapolis Colts fired Ballard this week after a 2-4 start and an embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 6.
Schoen's job is safe for now, but Ballard's firing should light a fire under him.
Joe Schoen can't get too comfortable with Giants after Colts fire Chris Ballard
Ballard was the Colts' general manager for nearly ten years. He took over when Andrew Luck was about to enter the prime of his career, before his sudden retirement. Under Ballard, Indianapolis only made the postseason twice, winning one playoff game.
He was given a longer leash than most, potentially due to his relationship with ownership and his role within the Colts organization, a smaller operation than many other NFL franchises.
While Schoen is in a larger market, his situation is similar to Ballard's. He hasn't done much winning since taking over, and his draft record is spotty, but he seems to have a close relationship with the Mara family. He became one of the few holdovers in the transition from Brian Daboll to John Harbaugh.
But if Ballard's firing can teach Schoen anything, it's that he can't get complacent. Eventually, he will need to produce winning rosters to keep his job. He may be given more grace than others in his position, but that grace will run out at some point.
Giants' Joe Schoen has to make the John Harbaugh partnership work
Schoen doesn't seem to have complete control of the roster-building process with Harbaugh in the building. The new head coach clearly had some sway this offseason, bringing over a few former Baltimore Ravens players. This rebuild is a collaborative effort, but that doesn't make Schoen's job any easier.
He'll need to find the balance between giving Harbaugh the players he needs to establish his identity and doing what he believes is best for the franchise, both in the short term and the long term.
The Giants have invested in both Harbaugh and Schoen. The general manager's contract was extended this offseason, keeping him in New York through the 2029 season — but those years aren't guaranteed.
If things go south over the next year or two, the Giants may favor Harbaugh over Schoen. After all, the Colts just proved that the head coach's job is sometimes safer than the general manager's.
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