The 2026 New York Giants are looking to do something they haven't done in four years: make the playoffs. There is genuine reason to believe this team has as good a chance at playing in the postseason as ever, thanks to an upgraded roster and a revamped coaching staff under John Harbaugh.
However, not everyone is sold on the turnaround.
ESPN’s outspoken commentator Stephen A. Smith chimed in on the playoff discussion Monday morning on First Take. He didn't mince words when asked if the G-Men had a shot at postseason play:
"There ain't no way in hell they're making the playoffs. And I mean no disrespect whatsoever."Stephen A. Smith
It's tough to take the "no disrespect" line seriously after he completely wrote the team off in his classic, boisterous fashion. But love him or hate him, the polarizing figure did lay out specific reasons why Big Blue won't sniff January football.
Even still, disrespect very much taken. Like really? There's no way in hell that they can make the playoffs? I'm not saying they're going to make it, but I won't write them off before training camp has even wrapped up.
Stephen A. Smith is betting against the wrong Giants team
Smith's argument stems from factors completely outside of New York's control.
He pointed to "West" and "South" in a non-directional sense as the two biggest hurdles standing in their way. The on-air personality is talking about a brutal 2026 schedule that features cross-divisional matchups against the AFC South and the NFC West.
That means nearly half of the Giants' season will be spent battling the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans.
While there are certainly winnable games in that mix, Smith doesn't see enough victories to warrant a postseason berth.
In truth, the rest of the schedule isn't much kinder. New York must navigate six grueling games against their traditional NFC East rivals, a division that could easily produce three playoff teams. Throw in a late-season showdown against the we're-here-to-prove-last-year-was-a-fluke Detroit Lions, and the Giants' margin for error is slim to none.
Yet, Stephen A. might be discounting what the Giants can control. This isn't the same lost team of recent years -- at least, fans better hope not. Aggressive, no-regrets decisions have injected a good amount of talent onto the roster, giving them a much better chance than the version Stephen A. seems to be evaluating.
It feels like Smith overlooked a lot of the good that happened this offseason in North Jersey. Big Blue added serious veteran talent by signing free agents Isaiah Likely, Darnell Mooney, and Tremaine Edmunds.
They also brought in some potential game-changers through the draft, bringing in Arvell Reese, Francis Mauigoa, Colton Hood, and Malachi Fields. Management even shored up the special teams unit, landing All-Pro punter Jordan Stout and a potential kicker of the future in undrafted rookie Dominic Zvada. Things are looking up.
If the new coaching staff under Harbs can get the most out of its new-and-improved weapons and survive the scheduling gauntlet, the G-Men have enough talent to surprise the skeptics. It won't be easy, but ruling them out before kickoff is a mistake.
Here's to hoping Stephen A. adds another L take to his resume.
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