JAN. 18. REPORT: GIANTS AGM BRANDON BROWN FOR IN-PERSON INTERVIEW WITH RAIDERS MONDAY. Brandon Brown, assistant general manager of the New York Giants, who was reportedly wanted by the Las Vegas Raiders for their vacant position of general managershould have a in-person interview with the Raiders on Monday, according to FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz.
Schultz added that Brown already had a virtual interview with the Raiders.
The Raiders, who conducted their head coach and general manager searches simultaneously after firing Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco from their respective positions, cast a wide net for the general manager position.
Among the candidates they have would have met or expressed interest in Interviewees for the general manager position are Jon-Eric Sullivan (Packers), Jon Spytek (Bucs), Sheldon White (Steelers, also a former Giants defensive back) and Chad Alexander (Chargers).
Unlike other teams currently conducting general manager and/or head coaching searches, the Raiders have not confirmed who they have spoken with for either of their openings.
JAN. 17. REPORT: GIANTS ASSISTANT COACH LOOKING AT JETS TO FILL D-BACKS COACH ROLE. The New York Giants, who parted ways this week with defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson and safeties coach Michael Treir, are would have been interested talking with New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel about filling one of those vacancies.
Manuel, 45, is a former NFL defensive back who entered the league in 2002 with the Cincinnati Bengals, who selected him in the sixth round of that year’s draft.
Manuel also played for Seattle, Green Bay, Carolina, Denver and Detroit before finally making it a career after the 2009 season.
He began his coaching career as an intern at Florida, his alma mater, in 2011. From there, he joined the NFL, earning a spot with Seattle (with whom he went to a Super Bowl championship). , Atlanta, Philadelphia and the Jets. , with whom he has been since the 2021 season.
As a player, Manuel appeared in 116 games with 58 starts. He recorded 368 tackles, two quarterback hits, one sack, 16 assists, two interceptions and one defensive touchdown.
Manuel served as defensive coordinator for the Falcons under head coach Dan Quinn during the 2017-2018 seasons.
JAN. 15. Giants quietly tweaking S&C, assistant coaching staff. The New York Giants may not be making any significant changes to their coaching staff, but that doesn’t mean some changes haven’t already taken place.
Defensive assistant Ben Burress, director of strength and conditioning Frank Piraino and director of sports nutrition and performance Steve Smith are no longer listed in their respective roles, according to the team’s website.
Burress as offensive assistant. He then spent the next three seasons as a football data and innovation research analyst before returning to a more coaching role, this time as a defensive assistant, in 2023, a role he also busy last year.
Burress temporarily replaced outside linebacker Charlie Bullen earlier in the season when he was sidelined after suffering a broken leg that required surgery. Bullen did not make the trip for the team’s Week 2 game against Washington, so Burress served as the outside linebackers coach in his place.
Burress would take on an offensive assistant role at the University of South Carolina.
Piraino, hired last year after five seasons with the Titans and then-head coach Mike Vrabel, would join Vrabel in New England in a similar role.
Smith was hired by the Giants in 2020 after Pratik Patel, the team’s former director of nutrition and assistant strength and conditioning coach, left the organization. It’s unclear if he has another role planned at this time.
JANUARY 13: GIANTS LOSE A KEY FRONT OFFICE EXECUTIVE TO THE PATRIOTS. As Yahoo’s Charles Robinson first reported this weekend and confirmed by Albert Breer of SIexecutive advisor to New York Giants general manager Ryan Cowden is joining Mike Vrabel with the New England Patriots.
Cowden, who worked with Vrabel in Tennessee with the Titans, interviewed with the Giants in 2022 for their general manager job that ultimately went to Joe Schoen.
Schoen hired Cowden in 2023 to serve as an advisor.
During his time with the Titans (2016 to 2022), Cowden served as director of player personnel, vice president of player personnel and interim general manager in 2022.
Prior to working with the Titans, Cowden and Schoen were colleagues in the Carolina Panthers’ scouting department.
Cowden’s new position with the Patriots is not yet known. He will work under Eliot Wolf, the Patriots’ executive vice president of player personnel, who is considered the highest-ranking officer in the Patriots organization.
JAN. 7. GIANTS CO-OWNER JOHN MARA HAS A SURPRISING REACTION TO SAQUON BARKELY’S SLEEP AID AD. New York Giants co-owner John Mara wasn’t too happy with former running back Saquon Barkley’s new Unisom sleeping pill commercial, but not for the reason you think.
The ad, which lightly referenced Mara’s now-viral comments about not being able to sleep at night if Barkley signed with the Eagles, appeared on the running back’s Instagram account a few days ago. (Barkley had the script rewritten because he reportedly felt the original version was too close to the bone.)
John Mara called Saquon Barkley and joked that he was “very upset” about the commercial Barkley did because he wanted to be featured:
“There is an acting gene in our family, it’s not just my nieces” pic.twitter.com/6V9JgmSjkh
– Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 6, 2025
Mara, the uncle of actresses Kate Mara (House of Cards, We are Marshall) and Rooney Mara (The girl with the dragon tattoo), didn’t seem to mind the Barkley reference in the commercial, but he took playful offense at not being asked to participate in the commercial, telling reporters, “There’s an acting gene in my family; It’s not just about my nieces.
JAN. 6: MIKE KAFKA FIRES AN INTERVIEW REQUEST FROM BEARS, SAINTS. According to the NFL Network, the Chicago Bears have requested permission from the New York Giants to interview with assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for their vacant head coaching position.
Kafka, a Chicago-area native and former NFL quarterback, played football at St. Rita High School in Chicago and college football at Northwestern University.
In addition to the Bears, the New Orleans Saints also requested permission to speak to Kafka about their vacant head coaching position, reports NFL insider Josina Anderson.
A fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2010, Kafka is regularly sought after for head coaching vacancies, even though the past two seasons have seen the Giants’ offense rank at or near the bottom of the league. the league in all major statistical categories.
Kafka was stripped of playing duties at times in 2023 before losing them completely in 2024 when head coach Brian Daboll opted to take on those responsibilities himself.
Under Daboll, however, the Giants’ offense was no better and, in some categories, even worse. In his discussion with team president and COO John Mara, the topic of play calling was one that Mara said had been discussed and one that Daboll said that he would think about the future.
Following. John Mara on Why Daboll, Schoen Stay. John Mara explains why the Giants are sticking with Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen. dark
Kafka, who told reporters last week that he was under contract with the team for 2025 and did not want to speculate on his future, had the opportunity to interview for a lateral transfer last offseason with the Seahawks after missing out on his head coaching job. jobs, but the Giants refused permission.
Seattle ended up hiring Ryan Grubb as offensive coordinator, whom they fired on Monday after the Seahawks failed to make the playoffs.
JAN. 3: SAQUON FUNLY TROLLS THE GIANTS IN NEW ADVERTISING. Former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has a solution for anyone who bleeds Giants blue and might still be having sleepless nights about joining the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.
At least that’s what he admits in a new ad for Unisom, which Barkley posted on his Instagram account.
As we now know, Barkley, who obviously didn’t write the commercial or the jingle, not only signed with the Eagles, but he also had a career-high 2,000 rushing yard campaign, just 101 yards to beat the NFL’s singles. -season rushing record set by Eric Dickerson in 1984.
Meanwhile, the Giants saw their 100th season implode due to inconsistent quarterback play, injuries, questionable coaching and, some would say, Barkley’s detour to the Eagles.
So Barkley’s solution for anyone still losing sleep over his signing with the 2024 NFC East Champs is to try the over-the-counter product.
“I heard some of you were having trouble sleeping, so I wrote you a lullaby,” Barkley said.
“Rockabye baby, wake up in your bed with the thought of 2,000 whirlwinds in your head. It’s certainly difficult to lose sleep over football; but not for me. Good night to all of you.
What if it didn’t work?
“Try counting sheep,” Barkley said, as images of lambs with his face superimposed on the animal’s head repeatedly jumped over a fence.
Barkley is not expected to play in the Eagles’ Week 18 regular-season finale when Philadelphia hosts the Giants.
