Giants DC Shane Bowen reflects on Shrine Bowl HC experience

Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen shares his head coaching experience during the Shrine Bowl.

Jan 30, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; West head coach Shane Bowen of the New York Giants looks on from the sidelines during the first half against the East at AT&T Stadium. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen stepped into a head coaching role this past week at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Bowen, who led the West team and was joined by Giants' inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu as the squad’s defensive coordinator, spent extensive time with draft prospects on offense and defense.

During the week, players are asked to learn a new scheme and playbook quickly while attempting to impress scouts and their coaches. Coaches receive an up-close look at how players react in these scenarios, which is crucial to the draft process.

Bowen told Giants.com that he found the experience of interacting with prospective draft picks .  

"I think just our ability to be able to ask them questions as we're installing (schemes) and going through things and letting them ask questions, I think that's a big part of it, too," said Bowen.

"Obviously, being able to install it, minimal walk-through time, minimal jog-through time, and then being able to come out here and execute, I mean, that's telling, too. So I thought they've handled it well."

Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen looks on during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The 38-year-old has spent his entire 16-year coaching career on the defensive side of the ball. Before last season with New York, Bowen was the Tennessee Titans' defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2023.

Bowen said he spent more time with the offense to improve his coaching repertoire. He said he gained an inside look at how offenses use cadences, identified the “Mike” (middle) linebacker, and other key offensive topics.

"I've actually been sitting more in on those meetings than the defensive side, and again, just trying to grow as a coach myself here on that side of the ball, how they're teaching fundamentals and how they're teaching them to win one on one blocks, no differently than how we do on defense," said Bowen.

"It's invaluable knowledge to me. Learning, hearing the details of it all right, a little bit more in-depth, especially this week with these young guys. So it's been fun."

Unfortunately for Bowen, the West lost 25-0. Before Thursday, the West had won seven of the past eight matchups, dating back to 2016.

This past season under Bowen, the Giants ranked 21st in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing 24.4 points a game. They also ranked eighth in pass defense, allowing 210.6 yards per game, and 27th in run defense, allowing 136.2 yards per game.

Bowen's less aggressive scheme doesn't utilize as many blitzes as his predecessor, Wink Martindale, system did. Still, the Giants were able to sack the quarterback 45 times to finish eighth in the league.

After the season, it was thought, largely due to team co-owner John Mara’s publicly expressed displeasure with how the defense performed, that head coach Brian Daboll might not retain Bowen.

However, the Giants ultimately retained Bowen for a second season, instead terminating defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson and safeties coach Michael Treier.  

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