Sam Darnold is getting the lion’s share of news coverage as the Seattle Seahawks prepare for Super Bowl Sunday. But this column isn’t about Darnold or the Seahawks. It’s about Ben McAdoo, the Patriots’ senior defensive assistant and former NY Giants head coach.
Ben McAdoo has been with other clubs since leaving East Rutherford. His stops have included Jacksonville, Dallas, Carolina, and now New England, where he is making a significant contribution.
McAdoo at practice with Drake Maye (photo courtesy ABC7NY)
Of course, McAdoo would love to be more than just an assistant coach. He hasn’t said so publicly, but there’s no doubt he wants to be a head coach again. At the age of 48, he still has an opportunity to get another shot despite the fact that his time with the Giants did not go well.
The record wasn’t half-bad, 11-5 in 2016, followed by a disastrous 2-10. McAdoo failed to connect with the players, never clicked with the media, and (I believe) wasn’t ready to be a head coach.
The Giants hired him in 2014 as Tom Coughlin’s offensive coordinator; he was elevated to head coach soon thereafter — too soon as I see it. Besides, everything seemed stacked against McAdoo from the moment he took the job. He replaced a legend, had to deal with veterans who were used to Coughlin, and had loose cannon Odell Beckham Jr. to contend with.
McAdoo’s bland personality wasn’t a good fit for a job, and multiple players (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Janoris Jenkins, and Eli Apple) expressed their dissatisfaction with him.
McAdoo then lost his job after he benched Eli Manning for Geno Smith in Week 13 of the 2017 season. Smith offered nothing when he started in the Giants’ 24-17 loss to the Raiders, and days later, the Giants’ head coach was fired. Politically, it was a bad move, too. Giants owner John Mara loves Manning like a son, and fans wanted to see Manning, not Smith, behind center.
So, what makes me believe now is the time for McAdoo’s return as head man? I believe he has learned from his experience in NY, and he is working under a role model in Vrabel. With a new perspective and a fresher approach, McAdoo could succeed if given a second chance.
What gets overlooked is that he led the NYG’s to the playoffs in his first season, and there’s evidence that he understands the politics of the league, remaining silent as he has about his time with the Giants. That tells me McAdoo has moved forward, which couldn’t have been easy.
Hopefully, McAdoo will get a second chance, and sooner rather than later.
