As if Giants fans needed any more ammo to back their disdain for Joe Schoen, one NFLPA report card might be the final straw that breaks the camel's back. The New York Giants general manager earned a D+ in the players’ survey, the lowest grade of any GM in the league. Thirty-two teams. Thirty-two chances to not be last place. Couldn't do it.
Classic.
The report, obtained by ESPN and based on responses from 1,759 players across the league, graded everything from ownership to locker rooms to travel. Schoen’s D+ stood out immediately because it wasn’t just a bad grade... it was the only result lower than a C scored by literally anyone else.
The only other execs even close were Cincinnati’s Duke Tobin and Cleveland’s Andrew Berry, both of whom pulled flat Cs. No one earned a C-, which means Schoen is sitting alone on that island. Hope he likes the view.
This was also the first year players were asked to grade their general managers, which only makes it worse. It’s one thing for fans and outsiders to bash the 46-year-old. It’s another when the guys in the locker room are the ones handing out the lowest grade in the league. That’s brutal. Maybe it’s the wake-up call Schoen needs to finally get his head out of you know where.
Giants fans won't be shocked by Joe Schoen finishing dead last in NFLPA grades
The G-Men ranked 25th overall as a franchise, which is bad enough. MetLife Stadium earned a well-deserved F-. The locker room got a D. Former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen pulled a D+ (that even seems too high). And the head coach duo of Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka only managed a C -- let's go, John Harbaugh, am I right?
But the ugly D+ next to Schoen’s name hits differently because he’s the one responsible for implementing his vision.
When Big Blue fired Daboll and kept Schoen, heads got awfully itchy. The logic shoved down fans' throats was stability. The idea was that the roster architect deserved another shot with a new head coach. Now those same players are essentially saying the architect hasn't earned their trust.
At least they're seeing the same thing we are:
- Schoen gave Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million extension, and it blew up almost immediately
- He's missed on multiple premium draft picks: Evan Neal, Deonte Banks, John Michael Schmitz, Jalin Hyatt, and Joshua Ezeudu
- Saquon Barkley was allowed to walk out of the building with little resistance (aired on HBO for the world to see), drove down I-95, and won a Super Bowl in Philadelphia
- It feels like every notable departure suddenly looks better somewhere else
- Too often, his fragile ego and stubbornness have gotten in the way of smart, reliable decision-making, and the team has paid for it throughout his employment
It’s at least comforting to know the players are living in the same reality as Big Blue Nation. Honestly, the only thing worse than finishing dead last would’ve been if they handed him an A. At least now I know we're not living in a simulation.
Schoen is back for Round 5. He’s now working alongside future Hall of Fame HC John Harbaugh and trying to steer this thing back toward relevance. But getting the lowest GM grade in football has to be the embarrassment of a lifetime. Talk about a savage performance review. Maybe it's what he needs to wake up and smell the coffee.
Whether he does anything with the results or not will shape the next chapter of Giants football.