THE NEW YORK Giants have fired both head coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese after 12 games of a historically bad season for the franchise, according to widespread reports in America.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take over as interim head coach and Kevin Abrams as GM for the rest of the season, per Aditi Kinkhabwala.
The NFL Network journalist broke the news that Reese had received the chop just moments after her colleague, ‘NFL insider’ Ian Rapoport, told his followers that McAdoo had been relieved of his duties.
#Giants have informed coach Ben McAdoo that he’s been relieved of his duties as coach. Less than a year after making the playoffs. Unreal
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 4, 2017
McAdoo took the reins from two-time Super Bowl winner Tom Coughlin in January of last year and steered the Giants to the playoffs in his first season in charge, tying the held by Dan Reeves for most regular season wins – 11 – by a first year head coach.
This season, however, has seen the hapless G-Men cement themselves as one of the three worst teams in the entire league. Big Blue’s record currently stands at 2-10, with their season having all but ended in its opening month.
In spite of his relative success as an offensive coordinator for the club, McAdoo has never been able to translate such naus into points as a head coach.
Indeed, in his 28 games in charge of the Giants, a team brimful of offensive weapons has never scored 30 points or over.
Injuries to key receivers such as bona fide superstar Odell Beckham Jr and veteran star Brandon Marshall have plagued their efforts this term, but so too have countless disciplinary issues – many of them poorly handled – as well as an offensive line which, in spite of requiring significant rejuvenation for some time, has regressed due in large part to a lack of investment in that area of the field.
The latter has seen general manager Reese join McAdoo on his way out the door of MetLife Stadium; Reese, despite overseeing two Super Bowls in his role as GM, has faltered consistently in recent years with several draft busts.
It was Reese, too, who was part of the decision-making process which saw Tom Coughlin ousted from his role and replaced by his then-offensive coordinator McAdoo as head coach.
Reese had been an employee of the Giants organisation since 1994, when he joined as an area scout. He was named GM in 2007.
From our breaking news segment on @nflnetwork: Reaction to the #Giants firing Ben McAdoo, fewer than two years into a stint with the GMen that included 1 playoff appearance. pic.twitter.com/kJ68eOzXI9
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 4, 2017
The firings of both McAdoo and Reese arrive just a week after it was confirmed the Giants had opted to bench their franchise quarterback, Eli Manning, for yesterday’s game at the Oakland Raiders, in doing so ending Manning’s 210-game starting streak spanning nearly 14 years.
The decision was met with widespread derision for the manner in which it was handled, and Manning’s replacement, Geno Smith, fumbled twice in potentially fruitful offensive positions while also throwing for a touchdown in last night’s 24-17 defeat.
Reports on Sunday claimed that members of the Giants’ ownership were appalled by how the Manning situation played out, and that there had been heated internal debate as to the future of McAdoo for his role in what was a botched and maligned manoeuvre.
Rapoport reports that Manning, twice a Super Bowl MVP, may well be back under center for next weekend’s divisional fixture with arch rivals the Dallas Cowboys – this just days after it seemed the 36-year-old no longer had a future with the franchise.
The next shoe to drop: Don't be surprised if the #Giants turn to Eli Manning under center once again in front of their home fans this coming Sunday. pic.twitter.com/voFxOyXZ0a
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 4, 2017
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