The season is barely in the rearview mirror, and the Giants have already made a significant signing to push them into the New Year.
Patrick Graham, the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach, who won raves from his players and denied points for the opposing offenses, is not going anywhere. He signed a contract extension and the team announced on Tuesday night that Graham has decided not to consider head coaching opportunities for 2021.
The jets just a day after they fired Adam Gase reached the Giants, asking his permission to interview Graham for their head coaching job. There are five other openings and Graham could have attracted another interest. Graham has closed all investigations and will return for a second season to further strengthen what was the strongest unit in the team.
Graham, a two-year coordinator – led the show in Miami for the Dolphins in 2019 – was considered a long-time candidate for a head coach concert, but so was Joe Judge when he came out of nowhere to take them. on the Giants job a year ago. It only takes one team to fall in love.
A team has already fallen in love with Graham and that team manages to maintain the relationship.
“Yes, it worked! Now it will be much easier to find Pat “, Blake Martinez broadcast the line, after seeing the news about Graham.
At the start of the day, Martinez didn’t feel as agitated, thinking of losing Graham to another team.
“It’s kind of one of those sweet, bitter things,” Martinez said. “I’m like, ‘OK, Pat.’ I’m kind of like Clinger’s girlfriend from Stage 5. I’m like, “You’re not allowed to leave me. I’ll find you. But no, I’m excited about him. He is an extremely intelligent coach, an extremely amazing coach and I am happy for him. “
If Graham had an official fan club, Martinez would be the president, treasurer and chief recruiter. They worked together in Green Bay in 2018, and Graham was a big believer that Martinez could be the centerpiece of a defense, lobbying for his signing into the free agency. Martinez finished third in the NFL with 151 tackles and is a game in the middle of the Giants defense.
Logan Ryan, the safety veteran whose versatility has allowed Graham to use him in a variety of roles, calls Graham “Black Picasso.”
The Giants ranked 6-10 and were carried away by a defense that finished 12th in the NFL and improved from 30 in 2019 to nine in scoring defense, allowing 22.3 points per game. The Giants were the second best in the league in defense in the red zone. Despite not having a top scorer, Graham managed to put the Giants in 40 sacks, tied for 12th place in the league.
Graham coached the Giants defensive line in 2016 and 2017, hired by Ben McAdoo. Graham’s personality has emerged this season as probably the most reliable sounding board for first-year head coach Joe Judge.
Graham said he explains who the coach’s closest allies are with this: “When we go to the team, who do I have dinner with?” Invariably, he was with the judge, who worked with Graham in New England with Bill Belichick’s staff.
“I’m attracted to people who are better than me,” Graham said.
Last week, as he was preparing for the season finale against the Cowboys, Graham was asked about “your defense.” He didn’t let it slip. “Our defense,” he said. There is no ego problem with Graham, an Ivy League product prone to correcting anyone who says he played at Yale. “I was on the team at Yale,” he says.
The giants wanted to keep him on their team, although the judge would not stand in anyone’s way, of course.
“I probably expect a series of requests for several of our coaches during this off-season,” the judge said. “We’ll take care of that as they come.”
The Giants managed internally by sweetening and extending Graham’s agreement. The Chargers asked permission to speak with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about the opening of their head coach.
For now, any head coach aspirations for Graham will be pushed into the future.
“I think he would do a good job,” said defender James Bradberry. “Coach Graham is a very, very smart guy. I know he went to an Ivy League school. His football knowledge, his football IQ, is above many guys I’ve met. I wish him well if that happens. I think he would be a good candidate. “
He is no longer a candidate. The giants took care of that.