Giants hiring Shane Bowen as new defensive coordinator after long search
LAS VEGAS — It was not a race for Brian Daboll. He wanted to take his time and talk to several candidates before making a decision regarding the most important position on his Giants coaching staff.
He conducted his interviews and on Monday hired Shane Bowen, who was the most experienced of the eight known candidates Daboll interviewed, with three years in the NFL as a defensive coordinator with the Titans.
Bowen, 37, was available when Mike Vrabel and his assistants were dismissed after the Titans finished this past season with a record of 6-11, in last place in the NFC South.
This is a critical hire for Daboll as he enters his third year with the Giants.
He was a smash hit in 2022, named the NFL’s Coach of the Year after the Giants went 9-7-1 and won a playoff game for the first time since 2011.
Daboll was less of a smash hit in 2023, as the Giants slumped to 6-11 and after a turbulent season there was an ugly exit by defensive coordinator Wink Martindale with one year remaining on his contract.
In addition to the eight known interviews, it is believed Daboll spoke with more individuals than that for the job. Daboll wanted to make sure the fit was exactly right.
Martindale was a productive coordinator on the field but the fit within Daboll’s staff left plenty to be desired, resulting in a parting of the ways after he cursed out Daboll and stormed out of Daboll’s office after being informed two of Martindale’s defensive assistants were getting fired.
It also seems apparent Daboll was not fixated on bringing in a “name” defensive coordinator, as he is a big believer in staying true to the interview process and seeing where it leads him.
Like Martindale, Bowen had never worked with Daboll before coming to the Giants.
Bowen played linebacker at Georgia Tech and got his coaching start in 2012 at Ohio State. His first NFL job was in 2016 with the Texans.
Bowen moved to the Titans in 2018 and Vrabel made him the defensive coordinator in 2021. This past season, the Titans were 18th in the league in total defense, 13th against the run, 18th in pass defense and last in interception percentage.
The Titans were first in red-zone defense and goal-to-go defense. In 2022, the Titans under Bowen were first in the league in run defense and last in the league in pass defense.
Bowen met with the Jaguars in addition to interviewing with Daboll. It is likely Daboll will allow Bowen to suggest assistants to fill roles on the defensive staff, with outside linebackers coach currently a vacant position.
Two candidates who likely were high on Daboll’s list opted for familiarity over a possible move to the Giants. Dennard Wilson, the Ravens’ defensive backs coach, interviewed twice with Daboll but was hired by the Titans— Wilson and Titans general manager Ran Carthon are extremely close.
Bobby Babich, the Bills’ linebackers coach, had past experience with Daboll but was promoted to defensive coordinator in Buffalo and there was no reason for Babich to leave that situation.
Daboll also spoke with Brendan Daly, the Chiefs’ linebackers coach. He would not have been available to be hired until after Super Bowl LVIII.
Two former NFL defensive coordinators, Bowen and Derrick Ansley (Chargers) also met with Daboll, as did Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile. Giants defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson was the only in-house candidate.
On the day Daboll found his new defensive coordinator, he lost one assistant, as tight ends coach Andy Bischoff departed to work for newly hired Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers, The Post confirmed.
Bischoff has never before worked with Jim Harbaugh but he does have extensive experience with Jim’s younger brother, John, the head coach of the Ravens.
Bischoff was an assistant in Baltimore for six years with John Harbaugh, who no doubt gave his endorsement to his brother as he assembles his first Chargers coaching staff.
Bischoff will be the run game coordinator in addition to the tight ends coach for the Chargers, so it is a slight promotion for Bischoff but not a completely new role.
As such, the Giants could have blocked the interview and prevented Bischoff from going to the Chargers but chose not to do so.
Another reason Bischoff left the Giants is that he is close with Greg Roman, who is being hired by Jim Harbaugh for a coaching role on offense with the Chargers.
When Roman was the tight ends coach in Baltimore, Bischoff was his assistant.
Bischoff, 53, had never worked with Daboll before the pairing in 2022. He was the Texans tight end coach in 2021.
And so, Daboll has to find a new tight ends coach to work with Darren Waller — who is expected to return, coming off an injury-filled first season — and Daniel Bellinger and whoever else is on the roster at the position.
