Giants’ Brian Daboll’s Latest Decision Perceived as Shot at Owners

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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll.

Did New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll just fire a public shot at John Mara and the owners ahead of Week 4?

According to New York Daily News reporter Pat Leonard, “Daboll touched the organization’s third rail on Thursday when he used air quotes while referencing the ‘medical people’ in the building.”

Explaining: “The Giants’ head coach was asked why his team was practicing outside on the wet and rainy fields, because he typically keeps the players on the indoor turf when there is inclement weather. ‘It’s good for the guys’ legs,’ Daboll said. ‘Instead of going in on turf, we’d rather be out here. I wish it wasn’t slippery, but we’d rather go in here than go in there. And so would the (air quotes) ‘medical people.’”

“Taking on head athletic trainer Ronnie Barnes and his department in the Giants’ organization is a good way for a coach to expedite his firing,” Leonard added, but the quote does more than potentially insult a member of Mara’s staff that’s been with the organization since 1976. It also calls out the potential hazards of a turf field.

Both Giants and New York Jets ownership have long defended the usage of turf at MetLife Stadium, despite many public complaints from players. Never has the head coach of the Giants outright blasted the usage of turf, however, which is why this quote caught the attention of Leonard, among others.

The Athletic’s Dan Duggan also highlighted this quote in an X post, labeling Daboll’s decision to practice outside “extremely rare” under his tenure as HC. So, why do this now?

In Leonard’s eyes, Daboll is “acting like he has nothing to lose,” which could imply he’s one bad loss from Mara and company showing him the door.

Art Stapleton Refutes Brian Daboll Practice ‘Shot’ at Giants in Week 4

GettyIs the relationship between New York Giants president and CEO John Mara (left) and head coach Brian Daboll (right) beyond repair?

Not everyone viewed this quote as a “shot” at Mara and the organization as a whole. NorthJersey.com beat reporter Art Stapleton took to social media to refute the idea that this was all an intentional stirring of the pot by Daboll.

“Been getting questions about what Brian Daboll said about practicing on grass fields in drizzle today instead of indoors on turf and I really did not take his reasoning as a shot at anyone,” Stapleton reacted.

Continuing: “Players prefer grass. Better on their legs. ‘Medical people’ – docs, trainers, PT, rehab – agree. So, they deal with wet fields and stay outside today.”

Stapleton could certainly be right in how he took Daboll’s quote, but unfortunately, perception is reality.

If enough people in the media see Daboll’s decision and justification as a “shot” at ownership, it becomes very easy for it to turn into one, even if it was unintentional.

It feels like the Giants head coach is walking on eggshells after the 0-3 start, and rather than tiptoe his way to a firing, he’s stomping down and making as much noise as he can.

Practice ‘Shot’ Theory Jives With Jaxson Dart Explanation

For Leonard, this isn’t a one-off example of Daboll going rogue in recent days. After the decision to bench Russell Wilson for Jaxson Dart became public, the Giants head coach went out of his way to state that it was his decision, rather than general manager Joe Schoen’s or Mara’s.

“He has gone on the offensive publicly two days in a row, distancing himself from Giants owner John Mara and GM Joe Schoen, a pairing that strode slowly in lock step off the practice field on Wednesday,” Leonard wrote on September 25.

“Daboll repeatedly called Russell Wilson’s benching for Jaxson Dart ‘my decision,’ rather than a collaborative one, during his Wednesday press conference,” Leonard went on. “And he implied that someone else in the organization had leaked 11 days ago that the Giants had ‘no sense of urgency’ to play Dart.”

While a lot of Leonard’s Week 4 article would likely qualify as informed speculation, he does connect some notable dots.

The only way to know for sure if he or Stapleton is right is the length of Daboll’s leash. If the Giants fall flat on their face with Dart at QB on Sunday and Daboll is fired, it’s a clear sign that there was a behind-the-scenes feud between the NYG head coach and the powers that be.

Michael Obermuller covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, where he began writing in 2021. His areas of focus include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers, with expert knowledge on each based on years of coverage. Michael is an NYC area native and Quinnipiac graduate. More about Michael Obermuller