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Giants Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen Could Be on the Hot Seat

Shane Bowen's first season as Giant's defensive coordinator was nowhere near being successful.

Patricia Traina

Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen looks on during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility.
Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen looks on during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll might be safe for 2025 but the same probably can’t be said for defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

Bowen, who just finished his first season as the Giants' defensive coordinator, had a rather rough go of fitting his scheme to the personnel he inherited when he was hired by Daboll last year,

The Giants' defense finished 27th or lower overall in several major statistical categories, particularly against the run, which had been one of the appealing items on Bowen’s resume from his days with the Tennessee Titans. 

In fact, other than its third-down conversion rate (37.04%, ninth in the league), Bowen’s Giants defense was probably one of the worst in the league. Its -81.7 point differential was 32nd, and its 75.76% goal-to-go conversion percentage was 23rd.

All of these struggles weren’t lost on Giants COO John Mara, who, in discussing the team's decision to retain Daboll as head coach, spoke of his unhappiness with the defense.

“Quite frankly, I didn't think our defense played very well this year at all,” Mara said. “I know that when you have an offense that performs like that, you're putting more pressure on your defense. But we need to make improvements there. I'm tired of watching teams go up and down the field on us. So, I think that has to be addressed.” 

The decision to keep Bowen and see if the players get more comfortable in his system or to start from scratch rests with Daboll. He told reporters on Monday that he would sit down with each of his assistants in the coming days to determine their next move.  

New York Giants defense
New York Giants defense gets ready on the field during a game between New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. / Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I'll just say everything wasn't good enough,” Daboll said when asked about Bowen. “When you only win three games, there's a lot of things that need to be improved. Again, it's only the day after the last game. So, we'll get started on that process.”

If Daboll does move on from Bowen, who succeeded Wink Martindale after the first two years of Daboll’s tenure, the Giants would be onto his third defensive coordinator in four years.

One such possibility if Daboll does move on from Bowen is Lou Anarumo, who the Cincinnati Bengals recently dismissed. Anarumo, a Staten Island, New York native, served as the Giants defensive backs coach in 2018.

He also received an interview for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy that ultimately went to Daboll in 2022.

Another name to watch is Matt Eberflus, most recently the Chicago Bears head coach. Eberflus, who was fired mid-season, had some success as defensive coordinator with the Colts, where he had current Giants inside linebacker Bobby Okereke under his watch. 

Okereke flourished in Elberflus’s scheme and the Colts finished with a top-10 defense in fewest points allowed in three of their four seasons under Eberflus’s watch.

In addition, Eberflus and Daboll were on the Browns staff during the 2009-2010 seasons, so there is a familiarity there. 

A potential change at defensive coordinator is just one thing that could help fix the Giants defense. 

An infusion of talent, including a legitimate cover cornerback and defensive line depth, would also be a big help to a unit that was clearly understaffed this season at times. 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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