Since winning Super Bowl XLVI in 2011, the New York Giants have only reached the playoffs two times and have picked in the top 10 of the NFL Draft nine times. The identity that both Lombardi-winning teams of the 2000s have seemingly vanished across the last decade.
The tough defenses, the strong quarterback play of Eli Manning, and the ability to shine in clutch time made the G-Men a tough out on any given Sunday.
But in 2025, New York is beginning to recapture that winning formula.
The Giants are getting back to their roots
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll’s vision for the G-Men has been smart, tough, and dependable, and their offseason acquisitions seem to be leaning on those strengths- the same that once led to championship runs.
No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter is as naturally gifted as they come. To think 2024 was the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year’s first season as a full-time edge rusher is mind-boggling. Heck, he’s probably the most hyped-up Giants defensive lineman since Michael Strahan or Lawrence Taylor.
The All-American is paired up with Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, forming a fearsome trio reminiscent of the 2011 team’s iconic pass rush with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Jason Pierre-Paul. Yet this doesn’t even account for the other star on the defensive line: Dexter Lawrence.
Add in third-round rookie Darius Alexander and free agent acquisitions Chauncey Golston and Roy Robertson-Harris, and there is no shortage of potential difference-makers for defensive line coach Andre Patterson to utilize.
The lucrative signings of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland to bolster the back end should mirror the impact of the Antrel Rolle addition back in 2010.
Both are just 25 years old but have displayed high-level production before. Adebo will help Deonte Banks and Dru Phillips continue to develop while Holland is set to provide Shane Bowen’s defense the ball hawk it’s been lacking since Xavier McKinney departed for Green Bay.
Even with all those upgrades, most of the noteworthy changes come on the offensive side of the ball.
With Daniel Jones no longer in the picture, the offense is beginning to take on more personality and confidence. After a historic rookie campaign, Malik Nabers has brought swagger back to MetLife Stadium, evoking memories of Odell Beckham Jr.’s early days.
Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart brings a moxie at quarterback that fans of Big Blue haven’t seen in decades, if at all.
The former USC and Ole Miss star has the arm talent and mobility to thrive within Daboll’s system. Still, it’s his competitiveness that reminds some of another former Giants quarterback who played in Oxford (Manning).
Even Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston — who will start until Dart is handed the keys — possess more flair than the average quarterback.
On an episode of Gruden’s QB Class for Barstool Sports, legendary head coach Gruden even dubbed Dart “the Evel Knievel of quarterbacks."
In the backfield, fourth-round rookie Cam Skattebo runs like he hates the ground — and that passion and toughness have been missing from Giants football for some time. The pairing of him and Tyrone Tracy Jr. forms a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield reminiscent of the Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw days.
Of course, no one in East Rutherford is hanging banners just yet. The NFC East is arguably the toughest division in football, and the roster is still young in several key areas. With Big Blue leaning into the strengths of its past, Sundays at MetLife might finally feel like Giants football again.