December 18th, 2023 at 10:37am CST by Adam La Rose
Once again, Trevor Lawrence‘s health is a question mark in advance of Jacksonville’s next game. The team’s franchise passer is in concussion protocol, head coach Doug Pederson said after Sunday’s loss.
Pederson added (via ESPN’s Michael DiRocco) Lawrence is believed to have suffered the head injury during one of three scrambles on Jacksonville’s final drive against the Ravens. Now, attention will turn to his ability to clear the league’s protocol within a one-week timeframe, something which does not happen often. In the event he does miss the Jaguars’ upcoming game against the Buccaneers, it will be Lawrence’s first absence in his NFL career.
The 2021 No. 1 pick has dealt with knee and, more recently, ankle injuries this season. Lawrence managed to play in Week 14 despite suffering a high ankle sprain which forced him to leave the game the week prior, and Sunday’s contest marked his healthiest point of the season in some time from a mobility standpoint. Now, however, Jacksonville faces the distinct possibility of relying on backup C.J. Beathardin a crucial late-season matchup.
Having lost three straight, the Jaguars find themselves in a three-way tie atop the AFC South. The Colts and Texans both won in Week 15, bringing their records to 8-6. After once appearing to be a lock to win the division, therefore, there is still plenty at stake to close out the season for Jacksonville. Beathard has made five appearances this season and 11 in total in his three years in Duval County,
The 30-year-old has not started a game since 2020, however, and he has attempted just 27 passes in that span. Beathard completed nine of 10 passes for 63 scoreless yards while also fumbling in relief of Lawrence during the Jags’ overtime loss to the Bengals. He will look to improve on that outing if he does indeed get the nod in Week 16. Third-stringer Nathan Rourke – who was waived over the weekend but could be retained on the practice squad – would be in line to serve as the backup in the event Lawrence were unable to clear concussion protocol over the next several days.
The Eagles are in the midst of a two-game losing streak that has put their chances of winning the NFC East, to say nothing of securing the conference’s No. 1 seed, in serious jeopardy. Philadelphia has surrendered at least 33 points in each of its last three games, and as it seeks to right the ship, it is making a major change on the defensive side of the ball.
Per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia has replaced Sean Desai as defensive coordinator, which includes assuming Desai’s play-calling duties (though Desai will remain with the Eagles in a different capacity). As Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, a team source has confirmed the move, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, among others, says that Desai will retain the formal title of defensive coordinator. Rapoport adds that Desai will head to the coaches’ booth while Patricia will man the sidelines, and all reporters are in agreement that Patricia will take over as defensive play-caller.
Patricia’s lengthy stint as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator from 2012-17 preceded a forgettable tenure as the Lions’ head coach from 2018-20. He rejoined the Pats the following year and was curiously chosen to serve as New England’s offensive play-caller in 2022, a decision that was criticized at the time and that only got worse from there. This offseason, he was a candidate to join Sean Payton‘s first Broncos staff as defensive coordinator, though he eventually wound up in Philadelphia after Denver went in a different direction.
According to Rapoport, as relayed by Kevin Patra of NFL.com, Patricia has served as a consultant for all three phases of the Eagles’ operation this year despite his official title of senior defensive assistant, and he has earned the respect of the players. By contrast, Brooks Kubena of The Athletic reported just yesterday that safety Kevin Byard had persuaded Desai to allow the secondary to handle its own scouting report of the Seahawks, the club’s upcoming opponent.
Desai was the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2021, and Chicago finished that season sixth in terms of total defense, though it’s points-per-game and defensive DVOA rankings were not as impressive. When head coach Matt Nagy was let go at the end of the 2021 season, his defensive-minded replacement, Matt Eberflus, elected not to retain Desai, who subsequently became associate head coach and defensive assistant for the Seahawks.
Still, Desai’s one season of relative success as defensive coordinator and his long track record as a defensive assistant at the collegiate and NFL levels made him a popular DC target in the 2023 hiring cycle, and he took interviews with five different clubs. He ultimately chose the Eagles and became the replacement for Jonathan Gannon, who left Philadelphia to take the Cardinals’ head coaching gig.
Unfortunately for Desai, the Eagles presently rank in the bottom-10 in terms of both total defense and points-per-game after finishing in the top-10 in both categories in 2022 (Philadelphia actually surrendered the second-fewest yards per game in 2022). While none of Patricia’s Detroit defenses were successful, and while Bill Belichick had a major role in the quality New England defenses that Patricia coordinated, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni clearly felt a change was in order.
And Sirianni is no stranger to such a move (although he did tell reporters at the beginning of this week that no coaching changes were on the horizon, as McLane observes). During Sirianni’s first season as Philadelphia’s HC in 2021, he ceded offensive play-calling duties to then-offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, which triggered dramatic improvements from quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense as a whole.
Patricia will have a chance to engineer a similar turnaround beginning tomorrow night, when the Eagles take on a Seattle club that may be without QB1 Geno Smith. Philadelphia faces the Giants twice and the Cardinals to close out the season, and those teams have fielded two of the league’s worst offenses in 2023.
The Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley on Friday after an embarrassing loss to the division-rival Raiders. Even before the firing, there was already plenty of speculation as to who the club’s next head coach would be, as it became increasingly clear that Staley would not be retained for the 2024 season. Now that Staley is officially out, that speculation has naturally ramped up.
Of course, legendary Patriots HC Bill Belichickhas been rumored as a possible target for the Bolts, and Armando Salguero of Outkick.com acknowledges that the connection makes plenty of sense. The last three head coaches the club has hired were first-timers, and Salguero says the team wants a proven leader. Belichick certainly fits that description, and his hiring could generate excitement for a team that has struggled to create much of a connection to Los Angeles fans since moving from San Diego.
And assuming Belichick leaves New England at season’s end, he will not want to go to a rebuilding club or one without a top-flight quarterback. The two other teams who have fired their head coaches this year, the Raiders and Panthers, would not necessarily offer Belichick — who will turn 72 in April — the chance to win right away. The Chargers, on the other hand, have a Pro Bowl-caliber QB in place in Justin Herbert and a fair amount of talent on both sides of the ball, and as Salguero writes, the team wants to stop wasting Herbert’s prime years and wants to bring in a coach who knows how to maximize a signal-caller’s abilities.
However, Salguero hears that there is resistance to a Belichick pursuit within the organization, and one of the reasons for such resistance is the fact that Belichick would want to remake the franchise as he sees fit. That would include, perhaps, displacing president of football operations John Spanos, son of owner Dean Spanos. Salguero’s sources believe it is unlikely that Belichick would agree to leave the team’s current infrastructure in place and report to John Spanos, so the fit between Belichick and the Chargers may not be as perfect as it might appear.
Salguero also hears that Jim Harbaugh could be a more viable candidate for the post. A recent report said that a “Spanos family confidant” reached out to people connected to Harbaugh to gauge his interest, and while Harbaugh is rumored to want a great deal of control over football operations should he jump back into the professional ranks, Salguero believes the former 49ers HC may be more amenable than Belichick to keeping the Bolts’ current front office framework in place.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network (video link) says the Chargers’ job is a coveted one, primarily due to the presence of Herbert. He reports that the team will keep an open mind with respect to its impending HC search and will consider CEO-style coaches along with those who would double as the offensive or defensive coordinator. Rapoport names Cowboys DC Dan Quinn and Lions OC Ben Johnson — both of whom are expected to be among the hottest names in the 2024 hiring cycle — as realistic candidates.
Recent reports have suggested that there is mutual interest between Johnson and the Chargers, though it is worth noting that the 37-year-old has never served as a head coach before. Quinn, meanwhile, spent over five years as the Falcons’ head coach and came up heartbreakingly short of winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl during his second season at the helm.
December 17th, 2023 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose
Given the NFL’s recent switch to a seven-team playoff format, claiming the No. 1 seed in each conference (and with it the lone bye in the wild-card round) carries particular significance. In the case of the NFC, a shortlist of teams will compete for the top spot over the final four weeks of the season.
Three of them – the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles – entered Sunday at 10-3, though one member of the latter pair will be saddled with the No. 5 seed after finishing as the runner-up in the NFC East. The 49ers’ win over the Cardinals and Cowboys’ loss to the Bills separates San Francisco for the time being. The Lions, meanwhile, improved to 10-4 after their impressive showing on Saturday. Detroit will have work to do to overtake the conference’s other three heavyweights, but changes atop the standings could take place over the following month.
San Francisco currently leads the way, and owning the head-to-head tiebreaker against both Philadelphia and Dallas (by virtue of blowout victories) will help down the stretch. The 49ers’ commitment to Brock Purdyunder center has proven to be sound, as last year’s Mr. Irrelevant has improved on his rookie output. Purdy leads the NFL not only in completion percentage (70.2%) but also yards per attempt (9.9) and passer rating (116.9) while playing with arguably the league’s top skill-position group.
The 49ers’ offense (led by Purdy and fellow MVP candidate Christian McCaffrey) has shown itself to be an elite unit, as expected, this season. The team’s defense has also recovered from a downturn during their three-game losing streak. The trade deadline acquisition of Chase Youngadded to San Francisco’s front seven, but injuries in the secondary have left the 49ers in need of other in-season additions. A reunion with Jason Verrett and the signing of Logan Ryanhas given San Francisco a pair of veteran defensive backs to at least serve as depth on the backend. Only the 49ers’ Christmas Day game against the Ravens will see them face an opponent currently over .500 the rest of the way.
The Cowboys split the season series with the Eagles, allowing them to own the tiebreaker for the time being. A more daunting path awaits Dallas to close out the campaign, however, with road games against the Bills and Dolphins followed by a crucial matchup against the Lions. The Cowboys’ offense especially has proven to be one of the league’s best units this season, however, led by Dak Prescott. In line for an extension this offseason, the 30-year-old leads the NFL with 28 touchdown passes, and his passer rating sits at a career-high 107.5.
While those figures have Prescott in the MVP conversation and in line for a raise on his next pact, judgement of the Cowboys will of course depend on their postseason showing. The fate of head coach Mike McCarthy has been a talking point for some time now, owing in large part to the team’s inability to break through in the playoffs during his tenure. He could be in store for a new contract, however, especially if 2023 were to produce a deep run toward a Super Bowl. Given Dallas’ impressive home winning streak, securing the top seed could be imperative in that effort.
The Eagles enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, but consecutive losses have led to questions on the defensive side of the ball in particular (and now prompted a signficant change on the sidelines, with Matt Patricia assuming play-calling duties). That unit was affected more than the offense in the offseason exodus of talent following Philadelphia’s run to the Super Bowl, and the inside linebacker spot has drawn attention recently. The Eagles won out the competition to add Shaquille Leonardafter his sudden Colts departure, giving them a former All-Pro in the second level.
Leonard played sparingly in his Philadelphia debut (which fittingly came in Dallas after the Cowboys finished as the runners-up in the pursuit to sign him). Regardless of the role he plays down the stretch, Philadelphia could be in line for a rebound from the team’s recent showing. The Eagles play the Giants twice in the season’s final three weeks, and despite New York’s current winning streak, Philadelphia’s upcoming Monday night game against the 6-7 Seahawks will likely prove to be the strongest remaining challenge.
After a strong late-season run to close out the 2022 campaign, the Lions entered this season with the team’s highest expectations in years. For the most part, Detroit has lived up to the hype so far. Impressive performances from a number of contributors (including rookies Jahmyr Gibbsand Sam LaPorta) on offense has confirmed OC Ben Johnson’ status as one of the hottest head coach candidates for the upcoming hiring cycle. The 37-year-old drew interest last year before committing to a second campaign in the Motor City, but he has already been linked to multiple current vacancies.
Of course, the Lions’ offensive success has the chance of complicating quarterback Jared Goff’s future with the team. The former No. 1 pick has one year (and no guaranteed salary) remaining on his deal and Detroit drafted a potential successor this April in the form of Hendon Hooker. Goff leads the league in passing yards (3,727) entering Sunday’s action, however, and he could be playing his way into a new contract. The Lions, like the Eagles, will likely need to rely on their offense to overcome defensive shortcomings down the stretch. Games against the division-rival Vikings await the NFC North leaders with the aforementioned Cowboys contest in between.
One notable free agent who could help tip the scales is Zach Ertz. The veteran tight end asked for and was granted his Cardinals release, leaving him free to join a contender. Several teams could stand to add the three-time Pro Bowler, and the 49ers are believed to be interested in making him part of an already deep pass-catching corps. To no surprise, a reunion with the Eagles could also be in store. Both San Francisco and Philadelphia will have competition (from each conference) to land Ertz, however.
With the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles set to play their respective Week 15 matchups today and tomorrow, how do you see the race to the No. 1 seed playing out? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and leave your thoughts in the comments section below:
The Steelers woes at linebacker this year will now extend to the practice squad as Tariq Carpenter has been released from the 16-man roster. According to Brooke Pryor of ESPN, Carpenter’s departure is a result of his arrest earlier today for a simple assault charge.
Carpenter was originally drafted to Green Bay in the seventh round of the 2022 draft as a safety out of Georgia Tech. As a rookie, Carpenter appeared in 14 games after missing the Packers’ first three. While near the end of the year, Carpenter found a few snaps on defense, he was almost exclusively utilized on special teams. He failed to make the 53-man roster in Green Bay this year and, three days later, signed with the Steelers’ practice squad unit.
This year, Pittsburgh has seen a litany of issues stack up at the linebacker position. They currently have three off-ball linebackers on injured reserve in Kwon Alexander, Chapelle Russell, and Cole Holcomb. The team liked Carpenter as a linebacker and, for three games in the middle of the year, called him up as a standard gameday elevation for depth. During the three games in which he made an appearance, Carpenter only appeared on special teams.
The Steelers recently signed Blake Martinez, who had recently come out of an early retirement, off of the Panthers’ practice squad and have been relying more on practice squad linebacker Kyron Johnson lately, so it seems that Carpenter’s absence won’t cause too much of an issue. Still, in a year with so much attrition at the inside linebacker position, any loss of depth is a hit.
The Colts battled through a number of injuries to beat the Steelers and remain in the playoff hunt for the AFC yesterday. Two key players in wide receiver Michael Pittman and running back Zack Moss were forced to exit the game early with injuries and failed to return.
Pittman was knocked out of the game with a concussion after receiving a hit from Steelers safety Damontae Kazee that resulted in Kazee’s ejection. Without his favorite target by far, quarterback Gardner Minshew was required to spread the ball out, completing passes to eight other players for the rest of the game. Though they were able to find success, Indianapolis will hope that Pittman can work his way through the concussion protocols quickly as Pittman is the target on nearly a third of the team’s pass attempts.
There was serious concern when Moss exited the game with an injury to the same arm that was broken around the start of the season. He was forced to leave the game due to issues with grip. With Jonathan Taylor missing most of the season thus far, Moss has taken the crown as the team’s leading rusher. Luckily, X-rays came back negative on Moss’ arm, so he should be able to return next week.
Here are a few other injury updates from around the AFC this week:
Joining fellow Bengals defender D.J. Reader, who was announced to be out for the season last night, seventh-round rookie cornerback DJ Ivey left yesterday’s game with a torn ACL that will end his season, as well, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. The late-round pick out of Miami (FL) will see his rookie season cut short just as he was beginning to earn some more playing time in Cincinnati. He received a game ball last week for making a key pass breakup and recovering a fumble on punt coverage.
After Kazee was ejected, the Steelers were left with two backups in the game when Minkah Fitzpatrickleft the game with a knee injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Fitzpatrick was able to walk off the field under his own power, but after a brief evaluation on the sideline, it was determined that he should not return for the second half of the game. Another starter, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, will be a question mark to make a Week 16 appearance as he is reportedly in concussion protocol, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Lastly, from today’s games, the Jets were once again forced to turn to a new passer, this time Trevor Siemian, after starting quarterback Zach Wilson was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the second quarter, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. If Wilson is unable to come back next week, it’ll likely be Siemian starting for New York against the Commanders.
We discussed the money aspect of new Browns’ starting quarterback Joe Flacco‘s one-year contract with Cleveland a couple days ago. Now, let’s take a look at the length of Flacco’s newest deal. According to Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, Flacco is only on a one-year deal in order to maximize his leverage in free agency so that he can play next year, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
To reiterate, Flacco’s contract is an incentive-laden one that can earn him as much as $4.05MM. A lot of the cash is tied into wins. For the regular season, Flacco is making an additional $75K for each win, while that price escalates with each round of the postseason. And, while Flacco is certainly focused on going 1-0 each week, that isn’t stopping him from also considering his future. You read that last paragraph correctly, Flacco, at 38 years old, has every intention of playing in the 2024 season.
Now, there are a couple of teams starting quarterbacks on expiring contracts. The Vikings have Kirk Cousins playing on a contract year, and Baker Mayfield is on a one-year tryout with the Buccaneers. Minnesota hasn’t loved what they’ve gotten out of Joshua Dobbs so far and likely won’t be looking to Nick Mullens as the quarterback of the future. Tampa Bay has another year on former second-round pick Kyle Trask‘s rookie deal but chose Mayfield to take over under center this season. Realistically, these teams with an opening at starter are likely going to be pursuing options coming out of college with more long-term potential. But, if either team doesn’t fall in love with anyone at their range of picks, Flacco could serve as an effective one-year rental.
More realistically, there are a number of team’s who have been forced to rely on backup quarterbacks this season, and some of those quarterbacks are on expiring deals, as well. The Titans seem set to move forward with rookie second-round pick Will Levis and don’t seem to have much faith in Malik Willis moving forward, while Ryan Tannehill‘s deal is set to expire. Other teams with young starters whose backups are bound for free agency are the Commanders (Jacoby Brissett), Eagles (Marcus Mariota), 49ers (Sam Darnold), and Colts (Gardner Minshew). Other teams who have been forced to face the importance of a backup quarterback despite having established starters this year are the Seahawks and Saints, and both Drew Lock and Jameis Winston are in contract-years, as well.
Many of those teams will likely re-sign their respective backups to another one-year deal. If one or another puts forth a strong outing in relief, they may even earn themselves a multi-year contract. Familiarity is a big factor in the decision of appointing a backup quarterback, so those who are already with a team will have an advantage. Regardless, any of these squads may see what Flacco is doing in Cleveland and decide that he is an upgrade over what they currently have on the roster.
Seeing what we’re seeing from Flacco right now, it’s insane to think that some teams in the NFL were fully content with what they had on the roster. After injuries to (or benchings of) quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Daniel Jones, Jimmy Garoppolo, Matthew Stafford, and Cousins, we saw many teams attempt to make it work with what they had on the roster while Flacco’s agent, Linta, was furiously calling these front offices and banging the table for his quarterback, according to Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post.
In an interview, Linta even admits to begging Jets general manager Joe Douglas to give his guy a shot. “I really couldn’t get anyone at the top to give him a shot,” Linta said of his efforts. “I begged (Douglas). I mean, Joe played pretty well for (the Jets in 2022), but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t get anything going. Nothing.”
Eventually, though, the Browns answered the call, bringing in Flacco to keep their playoff hopes alive and potentially save their season. Despite throwing three picks today, Flacco showed the cool composure of a 16-year veteran, leading the Browns to another win. If he keeps this up, he will almost certainly earn himself another chance to play in 2024. Flacco may be the next on a relatively short list of quarterbacks to play into their forties.
The Steelers’ postseason prospects have taken a steep turn for the worse over their past three games. Losses to the Cardinals, Patriots and Colts have Pittsburgh sitting at 7-7, and struggles on offense could produce more changes than the ones already made.
The Steelers made an extraordinarily rare move in firing offensive coordinatorMatt Canada last month. The switch to Mike Sullivanas play-caller appeared to be a shrewd move in the team’s first game, but things have not gone according to plan since then. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett– who has not made the Year 2 jump which many passers experience – exited the Arizona loss with a high ankle sprain. No firm timeline has been placed on his return, but a four-week absence has been reported as the team’s expectation.
Backup Mitch Trubisky has played in place of Pickett, but his performances have left plenty to be desired. The former No. 2 pick has thrown as many touchdowns (three) as interceptions since taking over for Pickett in Week 13, failing to eclipse 190 passing yards in a contest during that span. Pittsburgh’s offense gave the team a 13-0 lead early against the Colts on Saturday, but came up empty afterwards en route to a 30-13 defeat.
In his post-game remarks, head coach Mike Tomlin indicated (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor) the Steelers are “going to do things differently next week.” While adjustments on defense could be included in the coming days, the team’s offense will be a unit to watch. Tomlin declined to confirm Trubisky as the Steelers’ Week 16 starter. That could be due to the fact Pickett’s availability is uncertain, but it could also mean third-stringer Mason Rudolph could be in play to get the nod next week.
The latter finished Saturday’s loss, his first appearance in the 2023 season. Rudolph did not see the field last year, and he has made just two starts since the beginning of the 2020 campaign. Giving the nod to the 28-year-old would come as a surprise given his lack of game action, but it would likewise not come as a shock to see Pittsburgh make a notable switch in another bid to produce a spark on offense. Inconsistencies in the passing game in particular have been an ongoing source of frustration for the team, one which is still in the mix for an AFC wild-card spot.
Tomlin’s streak of never posting a losing season is once again under threat, but the way in which this year ends is not expected to have an effect on his job security. The way in which he and the rest of the team’s staff proceeds in the near future will nevertheless be a key storyline to watch as Pittsburgh aims to rebound from the current skid.
The potential return of Aaron Rodgersto the Jets’ lineup has been a storyline since his New York debut lasted four offensive snaps in Week 1. He has maintained an aggressive rehab schedule since tearing his Achilles, however, and another milestone in that process in within reach.
Rodgers in on track to receive medical clearance to return to play in the coming days, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The four-time MVP returned to practice late last month, opening his 21-day activation window. The Jets must bring him off injured reserve by Wednesday to avoid having him revert to season-ending IR, though it very much remains to be seen which direction team and player will take.
As Schefter and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network note, Rodgers and the Jets will discuss their course of action given the fact he is far from 100% healthy and New York’s bleak playoff chances. Sitting at 5-8 to begin the day, the team faced a steep uphill climb to remain in touch of the postseason as of Week 15. The Jets could be eliminated from the playoffs today depending on how their game and others in the AFC shake out. Knowing the slim chances of a wild-card berth, it is currently unlikely Rodgers takes the field before September 2024.
The Jets’ December 24 matchup against the Commanders has been known as Rodgers’ targeted return date, but both reports confirm it would be unlikely he would be in the lineup at that point even if he is cleared. The 40-year-old has yet to fully simulate a game environment in practice, though head coach Robert Saleh has expressed a sense of being impressed by his mobility when on the field. As things currently stand, Zach Wilsonis in line to remain New York’s starter to close out the season after (once again) being placed back atop the depth chart.
Given the injuries suffered by Rodgers (who underwent a speed bridge procedure to rapidly accelerate the healing process) and a number of other key offensive players, the Jets are expected to treat 2023 as a write-off. No major staff changes are expected as a result, and any tweaks on that front, along with roster moves, will likely be made with Rodgers in mind. The future Hall of Famer is essentially on the books through 2024 as a result of the revised pact he agreed to in the offseason. That contract calls for over $38MM in compensation next year, which remains the most probable point at which he will be available for the Jets.
Earlier this month, Giants defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale addressed the November 26 report from Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer suggesting that there is palpable tension between Martindale and head coach Brian Daboll. The report, which surfaced just two weeks after Martindale and Daboll engaged in a heated exchange during New York’s Week 10 loss to the Cowboys, was supported by Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News and even indicated that Martindale could be fired before the end of the season.
When speaking about his relationship with Daboll, Martindale said, “[w]e’re fine. It’s the same thing as it was last year. It was just different because we were winning more games” (via Leonard).
Indeed, the 5-8 Giants, who surprisingly advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs during the first season of the Daboll-Martindale partnership, have just a 4% chance of qualifying for the postseason this year (and that is despite the club’s current three-game win streak). Martindale’s unit ranks in or just outside the bottom-10 in total defense, points allowed per game, and defensive DVOA, which is largely why he was reported to be on the hot seat even before the Glazer report (though those rankings are not appreciably worse than they were in 2022, and by measure of DVOA, the Giants’ defense is actually performing better this season).
Losing obviously creates tension, and if the relationship was not in a great place even during a winning season, it stands to reason that it would deteriorate during a disappointing campaign. For what it’s worth, Martindale — who says that Daboll was the one to bring the Glazer report to his attention — indicated that he would like to be back with the Giants in 2024, though his remarks were not especially emphatic.
“Yeah,” Martindale said when asked if he wants to remain with the team. “Yeah.”
However, the 60-year-old coach also acknowledged that he could not say what would happen at the end of the season.
“As far as where I’m gonna be at, no one knows that,” Martindale said. “I say we, [my wife Laura] and myself, worked long enough and hard enough in this league that you hope you have all kinds of choices. I might be grabbing my golf clubs and go to play golf in Florida. … So you just don’t know what’s gonna happen. I can’t predict the future.”
Martindale interviewed for the Colts’ head coaching job last year and also interviewed for the Giants’ HC post back in 2020, but it seems unlikely that he will be on the head coaching interview circuit in 2024. He is under contract with New York for one more season, and given how popular he is in the locker room — and given how it would look for Daboll if he were to have to replace all three of his top coordinators in one offseason, which is a distinct possibility — Dan Duggan of The Athletic believes ownership will intervene and try to keep the relationship between Daboll and his DC in a tolerable place (subscription required).
Duggan does go on to say that such an intervention may not happen if the Daboll-Martindale rift is, as Glazer suggested, unable to be mended. And Duggan, who acknowledges that Glazer “doesn’t miss,” has heard nothing that would contradict the Fox personality’s report.
Therefore, Daboll could indeed be looking to replace Martindale, special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka in short order. Like Martindale, Kafka’s job security was called into question in November, and Duggan suggests that Daboll could seek to more firmly take the reins of the offense as he enters his third season with the Giants, which would lead to a parting of the ways between Kafka and the team.
