For the better part of the last decade, the New York Giants’ culture has been dormant. A revolving door of head coaches and a string of losing records had Big Blue predominantly stuck in neutral since the franchise’s last Super Bowl. But people forget that Brian Daboll led this team to the playoffs just three seasons ago, and that was with Daniel Jones under center
During the 2025 offseason, Daboll and Joe Schoen have done a masterful job retooling the roster. They revamped the quarterback room, the regime looks poised for another successful draft class, and the new additions on the defensive line have made it arguably the best unit in football.
Despite the flashy offseason on paper, the Giants are quietly rebuilding that culture, and it all starts with an unexpected source. On Thursday, New York announced their five captains for the 2025 season, all of whom were voted on by the 53-man roster.
Brian Daboll said the captains were "good selections by the players." It was a players-only vote. Each player ranked his choices 1 to 5, and they were the top vote-getters. https://t.co/dr1Rs5ozsk
— Dan Salomone (@Dan_Salomone) August 28, 2025
Giants’ captain selection process suggests Brian Daboll has yet to lose the locker room
The G-Men’s five captains are Russell Wilson, Darius Slayton, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II, and Bobby Okereke. It is worth noting that the 10-time Pro Bowler is a captain in his inaugural season in New York, but it's even more impressive that three of Big Blue’s five captains were not drafted by the team.
It goes to show you that the buy-in isn’t just coming from homegrown talent, but also from players who chose to embrace New York’s vision the moment they walked in the building. Entering Year 6 of what’s been a turbulent tenure at times, Slayton is a first-time captain.
Related: Joe Schoen makes the right call keeping Darius Slayton for one clear reason
For a player who has remained a strong leader through coaching changes, quarterback controversies, and more losing seasons than winning ones, that honor carries weight. The Auburn product has remained committed to Giants football amid trade rumors, and even took a pay cut to remain in New York earlier this offseason.
That’s the beauty in what seems like such a miniscule decision. By handing the responsibility of captaincy to the players themselves, he let the roster affirm who they trust to guide them into a new era. And it has yielded results of the Giants' mix of youth and experience is reminiscent of some of the most iconic squads in franchise history.
It might not show up in the box score come Sundays, but this sort of leadership is the exact sort of foundation a winning franchise needs. And it goes to show that regardless of what hot seat noise surrounds Daboll and Schoen, the locker room remains bought in.