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Giants Rumors: DC Patrick Graham Expected to Interview for Vacant Head Coaching Job
January 22, 2022
The New York Giants are expected to interview defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for their vacant head coaching job, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
ESPN's Jordan Raanan added that he was "told to watch" Graham as a potential candidate for the Giants since "ownership thinks highly of him."
Graham served as the Giants' DC and assistant head coach under Joe Judge from 2020-21.
Judge was fired at the conclusion of the 2021 season after going just 10-23 in two seasons. None of the Giants' past three head coaches have managed to make it beyond two years with the organization.
While the Giants struggled as a whole under Judge, it was primarily the offense that was to blame for New York's poor performance.
With Judge at the helm, the Giants ranked 31st in total offense and 31st in scoring in each of the past two seasons.
Graham's defense wasn't great in 2021, ranking 21st in total defense and 23rd in scoring, but it was among the better defenses in the NFL in 2020, finishing 12th in total yards allowed and ninth in points allowed.
In addition to having some success as the Giants' DC, Graham has a long and impressive resume as an NFL assistant coach.
He broke into the league with the New England Patriots in 2009 and remained with them through 2015 in multiple roles, winning one Super Bowl during his tenure.
Graham then spent time with the Giants and Green Bay Packers before serving as the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator for one season in 2019 and then returning to the G-Men in 2020.
Although Graham has some factors working in his favor, he may face an uphill climb in terms of being chosen as the new head coach as an in-house candidate.
Following the retirement of general manager Dave Gettleman, the Giants went outside the organization to hire former Buffalo Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen as the new general manager this week.
Per the Giants' official website, Schoen has already interviewed a pair of Bills assistants in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
The Giants are also reportedly expected to interview former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who was fired despite leading Miami to a winning record in each of the past two seasons.
Graham has some stiff competition, but if ownership is indeed behind him, Schoen figures to give him a fair shot to win the job at the very least.