There’s no worse feeling than watching a promising foundation get ripped apart before it has a chance to solidify.
For the New York Giants, that’s exactly what’s on the table in 2025.
This isn’t just a make-or-break season. It’s a pressure cooker where the future of a new quarterback, a front office, and a coaching staff could all implode under the weight of unmet expectations.
A familiar NFL nightmare looms
The Giants just drafted Jaxson Dart in the first round, the quarterback Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen handpicked as their future centerpiece.
But the nightmare scenario? Daboll and Schoen don’t survive the season.
That would mean a complete teardown—new offense, new staff, new system—for a 22-year-old quarterback still learning the pro game.
We’ve seen this movie before, and it rarely ends well for the young passer at the center of the storm.
John Mara’s expectations are real—and justified
Managing partner John Mara has shown patience, but not infinite forgiveness.
After an ugly 2023 campaign and a barely improved 2024, Mara needs to see legitimate growth—especially after a substantial investment in the roster this offseason.
The defense was rebuilt. The quarterback room was overhauled. The front office spent money and capital like a group ready to win now.
And then came the schedule.
The season starts with a heavyweight gauntlet
The first three weeks of the season look like a buzzsaw.
The Giants open against the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys—both on the road—then return home to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.
That stretch could easily land them in an 0–3 hole.
From there, the road doesn’t get much easier, with games against the Chargers, Eagles (twice in three weeks), Broncos, and 49ers stacked in the middle of the schedule.
Dart’s development becomes the lifeline
If the Giants hit a skid early—and it’s likely—they’ll eventually turn to Dart.
That move won’t just be about salvaging the season. It will be about preserving the long-term vision.
Dart has all the traits teams covet: size, arm talent, mobility, and high-end leadership. The front office is betting everything on him.
The hope is that, by midseason, he’s fully immersed in the offense and ready to start building chemistry with the team’s core.
If he flashes that promise, even during a losing campaign, Mara might decide stability is worth more than a reset.
The bar isn’t perfection—it’s progress
This isn’t a year where the Giants need to go 11–6 or win a playoff game to justify keeping Daboll and Schoen.
They need to show cohesion, competitiveness, and—most importantly—a functional offensive structure that supports their young quarterback.
If they stay competitive in most games and Dart looks like a legitimate starter, that may be enough to buy another year.
But if the season starts with a collapse and ends with more questions than answers, a total rebuild becomes a real possibility.
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