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Giants Rumors: Patrick Graham to Remain DC for Brian Daboll If He Doesn't Land HC Job
January 31, 2022
The New York Giants reportedly plan to keep defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to work under new head coach Brian Daboll, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Daboll confirmed the news at his press conference Monday.
"The players respect him," the new coach said of Graham.
The only holdup could be if Graham earns a head coaching job, with the 43-year-old "still in the mix" for the Minnesota Vikings opening, per Rapoport.
If he is not hired by Minnesota, Graham would remain in New York after spending the past two seasons as the team's defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Joe Judge.
Graham also spent 2016 and '17 with the Giants as the defensive line coach, coinciding with the organization's last playoff berth in 2016. Ralph Vacchiano of SNY reported ownership "loves" the coach, which likely contributes to him remaining on staff.
Prior to his first stint in New York, Graham spent seven years with the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick, serving as a defensive line and linebackers coach after starting as an assistant. From 2013-15, he was on the same staff as Daboll, who was the Patriots' tight ends coach.
Daboll went on to become the offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017—the Crimson Tide won the national championship that season—before running the Buffalo Bills offense the past four years. The squad was in the top three in points scored in each of the last two seasons.
Graham hasn't had as much success as a defensive coordinator, including one failed season with the Miami Dolphins when his team finished dead last in points allowed in 2019. Things went much better in 2020 with the Giants when the team ranked ninth in points allowed and 12th in yards allowed.
The unit regressed this past season (23rd in points allowed), but still ranked 15th against the pass and tied for 14th in takeaways.
Keeping Graham should maintain some continuity for a squad that has had a lot of staff turnover in recent years. Daboll will be the fifth different permanent head coach for the Giants in eight seasons, featuring just one playoff appearance in this stretch.