Giants are ‘not happy’ with Joe Schoen discourse
Giants ownership is reportedly not pleased with the buzz surrounding the team headed into this week’s NFL scouting combine.
No, not co-owner Steve Tisch’s 400-plus appearances in the Epstein files. It’s what people are saying about general manager Joe Schoen!
Giants ownership is not happy with the characterization outside the building that Schoen’s responsibilities are diminished or that he has been relegated to scouting and nothing else. He has operated this offseason in the same manner he has in his previous four with the Giants, other than initially being immersed in the comprehensive head coach search that identified (John) Harbaugh as the No. 1 target as soon as he became available.
This, of course, a pointed rebuttal of the rival Daily News’ recent report on Schoen. But it also contradicts the takeaway most observers would likely have given the events of the last few weeks.
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Harbaugh reports to Giants co-owner John Mara. He also has final say on personnel matters. Schoen came off like a guy busted down a few pegs the last time he spoke to local reporters. His contractual status remains unclear. The team hired Dawn Aponte as senior vice president of football operations and strategy with a slew of responsibilities. She is also a direct report to Harbaugh. And Harbaugh keeps signaling that Schoen is beneath him between words of praise.
So … Schoen’s responsibilities seem diminished. Even this report acknowledges that — the dispute over whether Schoen is solely involved in scouting appears to be doing a lot of work. Plus Aponte reporting to Harbaugh is said to be “curious and is sure to be a topic of conversation.” And Harbaugh and his assistants also “have already clued Schoen and the scouts in on what traits and physical attributes they are looking for in the players in this draft.”
The other piece of news from the report: There is “no chance” Schoen gets fired after the draft and he is still expected to receive a contract extension. But for how long? That will tell the entire story about how diminished, or not, his role is moving forward.
As always with the Giants: Believe their actions, not their words.
James Kratch is a veteran sports reporter and editor. He currently reports on the youth sports industry for Buying Sandlot and was previously ESNY's managing editor. Before that he spent a decade at NJ Advance Media (The Star-Ledger and NJ.com), where he covered high school sports, the Giants and Rutgers.
