Giants Add Three More to Defensive Coordinator Search

One of the newest candidates for the team's defensive coordinator role is already on the team's staff.

The New York Giants are reportedly meeting with three more candidates for their vacant defensive coordinator opening. The three candidates are Chargers defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley, Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, and Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson.

Let's break down what we know of each candidate.

Jun 1, 2022; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers secondary coach Derrick Ansley during organized team activities at Hoag Performance Center / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Ansley

The 42-year-old Ansley has primarily been a defensive backs coach in his career, which began in 2005 with Huntingdon. He also had two stints at Alabama, the first as a graduate assistant from 2010-2011 and the second as the school's defensive backs coach in 2016-2017, where he would have crossed paths with Daboll, who was the school's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2017.

Ansley broke into the NFL coaching ranks with the Raiders in 2018 before returning to the college ranks for two seasons in 2019 and 2020 as a member of the University of Tennessee staff, where he was the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

He was hired by former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley in 2020 as the team's defensive backs coach and took over the defensive play calling after Staley was fired last month.

As a player for Troy University, Ansley is currently tied for the second-most interceptions in school history. 

 This is the second request the Giants have reportedly made of the Chargers regarding their coaching staff. Last week, New York was denied permission to speak with special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken about the Giants’ vacancy that arose after head coach Brian Daboll relieved Thomas McGaughey of his duties the day after the season ended. 

It is unclear if the Chargers granted the Giants permission to speak with Ansley.

New York Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson talks to reporters on the first day of mandatory minicamp at the Giants training center in East Rutherford on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 :: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jerome Henderson 

Henderson is a former NFL defensive back (1991-1998) who made stops with the Patriots (twice), Bills, Eagles, and Jets. He transitioned to the front office as a Director of Player Development for the Jets in 2006 before returning to the field in 2007 as the teams assistant defensive backs coach.

Before coming to the Giants in 2020 as a member of former head coach Joe Judge's staff, the 54-year-old Henderson's coaching career has also included stops with the Browns, Cowboys, and Falcons.

Among some of Henderson's higher-profiled players who's coached include Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis of the Jets, Browns cornerback Joe Haden and safety T.J. Ward (both consensus All-Rookie selections in 2010), Cowboys corners Brandon Carr and 2012 first-round draft choice Morris Claiborne, and Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant.

This past season, Henderson worked to help Giants first-round draft pick Deonte Banks develop into a CB1 following a rookie campaign that saw Banks become the first Giants rookie defensive back since 1999 to record 60+ tackles (64), 11+ pass breakups (11), and two interceptions in a season (15 games played). 

Anthony Campanile during his days with the University of Michigan / Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Campanile

Campanile ((pronounced CAMP-uh-neel-ee) started his coaching career at Garden State, serving as a linebackers coach for Fair Lawn HS in 2006 before jumping over to Don Bosco Prep, first as the school's defensive coordinator for two years and then as its offensive coordinator in 2010-2011. 

He moved to the college ranks in 2012, joining the Rutgers Scarlet Knights program as a defensive assistant before moving to the offensive side (tight ends and later wide receivers) for three years.

Campanile also had coaching stints with Boston College (2016-2017) as their defensive backs coach/co-defensive coordinator and Michigan in 2019 as the school's linebackers coach.

He was hired as the Dolphins linebackers coach in 2020 by then-head coach Brian Flores and retained by current head coach Mike McDaniel. Campanile interviewed for the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator job last offseason, but lost out to Vic Fangio, who replaced the fired Josh Boyer.

In 2022, the Dolphins defense ranked fourth against the run (103.0 rushing yards/game), Miami's best run defense since 2011 when they finished third. Campanile coached linebackers Jerome Baker (100) and Elandon Roberts (104) as part of that defense, who became the first Dolphins teammates to reach the 100-tackle mark since 2018. 

The year prior, the Dolphins pass rush recorded 48 sacks, one short of the franchise record (1983 and 2005), with the linebackers contributing 19.5 of those sacks.

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