New York Giants ownership raised a few eyebrows Monday morning with their decision to retain head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen after a dismal 3-14 season.
But in an interview with USA TODAY Sports a few hours after the team’s announcement, former Giants quarterback Eli Manning applauded the move as ‘the right decision.’
‘You’ve got to have that continuity,’ Manning said in an interview to promote Verizon’s Super Bowl FanFest. ‘To change things up has not worked. It has not worked for the Giants these last 10 years of changing every two or three years.
‘I think Brian Daboll has showed that he has won, two years ago in the playoffs. So I think the opportunity for them to go in, they’ve got to figure out the quarterback situation this year, but they have talent. They have guys around that are playing at a high level. It’s just building that great team culture. That just takes time, and I think it’s the right move to give him that time to do that.’
Manning, the former No. 1 overall draft pick, spent the entirety of his 16-year career in New York before retiring after the 2019 season. In his 12 seasons playing for head coach Tom Coughlin, the Giants won two Super Bowl titles and recorded an overall record of 102-90. In the nine seasons since, they’ve cycled through four full-time head coaches and gone 51-96-1.
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Perhaps that’s why Manning, 44, is such a fan of NFL franchises seeking continuity − and why he was disappointed by some of the week’s other big coaching moves, including the New England Patriots’ firing of Jerod Mayo after one season.
‘Just giving a coach one year to try to change things up in New England with Mayo is tough,’ Manning said. ‘Coming off a bad year, you have a brand new quarterback that you take early that’s getting playing time and then you come in and change. One year, it’s hard to, again, create that culture, get the draft picks, develop players, get everybody going and playing the way you want it played.
‘I always kind of have the players and the coaches’ back on this, because none of it is usually deserving. But that’s just the business we’re in. Organizations, owners they want winning teams very quickly and right now.’
Manning spoke to USA TODAY Sports and other media outlets to promote the first-ever FanFest, which will allow fans in the 30 cities with NFL teams to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday from their home team’s stadium. The local events will feature local musicians, food from local restaurants and meet-and-greet opportunity with retired NFL stars like Tiki Barber, Derrick Brooks and Marshall Faulk.
‘I think it’s just an awesome experience for fans … just the opportunity for fans to go to the stadium, go on the fields and watch the Super Bowl, be in an iconic local venue,’ Manning said. ‘Obviously this is a giant Super Bowl party across the country, but it’s also very local.’
Manning said he will be in New Orleans during the week of the Super Bowl − which is when he will also learn whether he has been inducted to the Hall of Fame. (The Hall of Fame class will be announced Feb. 6, before the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.)
Manning is one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Hall and figures to be one of the most hotly-debated candidates for this year’s class. A four-time Pro Bowl honoree and two-time Super Bowl MVP, he ranks 11th all-time in touchdown passes thrown but also 12th in career interceptions.
When asked about the so-called hot takes surrounding his Hall of Fame resume, Manning demurred.
‘I consider an honor just to be included,’ he said. ‘It’s one of those deals where I can’t control it anymore. It’s out of my hands. I can’t throw any more touchdowns, I can’t throw any more interceptions, I can’t have good plays or get any more wins or losses. The information’s out there, the stats are out there and all I can do is sit and wait.’
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.