On Wednesday night, one of the New York Giants’ most permanent fixtures became the latest casualty of the new regime. According to multiple reports, the Giants have parted ways with Kevin Abrams, the team’s senior vice president of football operations and strategy.
Abrams, who had been with the franchise for a staggering 27 seasons, was widely considered untouchable for previous regimes. But as Harbaugh takes the wheel with a mandate to overhaul the Giants’ organizational structure, the decision to move on from Abrams serves as the loudest signal yet that the old way of doing business in East Rutherford is dead.
The Giants Move on From Kevin Abrams: The End of a 27-Year Run
Abrams was originally hired by Ernie Accorsi in 1999 as a salary cap analyst. He climbed the ranks to spend 20 years as the assistant general manager under Jerry Reese and Dave Gettleman. He was a key architect in the cap management of two Super Bowl rosters and even served as the interim GM in 2017.
When Joe Schoen arrived in 2022, Abrams took a backseat to Brandon Brown but remained a high-level strategist and lead contract negotiator.
For ownership to green-light the exit of a man who survived four different GM regimes is a massive moment that signals the organizational overhaul that is forthcoming in the John Harbaugh Era.
According to Connor Hughes of SNY, “Kevin Abrams is just the beginning for the Giants.” More changes are expected to be made in the coming days.
The John Harbaugh Stamp on Operations
The timing of this move is no coincidence. Just 24 hours after his introductory press conference, Harbaugh is already acting on his desire to put his stamp on everything, from strength and conditioning to the modernized analytics department.
Abrams’ role as the head of football operations and strategy sat directly in the crosshairs of Harbaugh’s vision for a modernized infrastructure. By clearing this seat, Harbaugh and Schoen are making room for a new wave of analysts and cap strategists who prioritize the process-oriented decision-making that Harbaugh has practiced for nearly two decades.
Harbaugh and the Giants hit a snag in their contract negotiations, not about money, but about reporting structure. It was always clear that, wherever Harbaugh went, he wanted front office control. This decision to move on from Abrams proves that Harbaugh got what he wanted and is now kicking off the process of rebuilding the Giants’ organizational structure.
The Giants’ new organizational structure should now more closely match that of the Baltimore Ravens — a welcome change for most fans of Big Blue. The Ravens are widely regarded as one of the best-run organizations in all of sports, and Harbaugh played an integral role in shaping that structure.
No More Half Measures in East Rutherford
The exit of Abrams coincided with a massive sweep of the coaching staff. Harbaugh is letting go of most of the defensive staff and special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial.
It appears Chris Mara’s recent move to “take the reins” has empowered the new regime to act quickly and harshly. For years, the Giants have been criticized for half measures and protecting tenured employees for the sake of relationships.
By letting go of a respected veteran like Abrams, the Giants are proving that in the Harbaugh era, results and alignment are the only metrics that matter.