Head coach Brian Daboll and the New York Giants are currently in the midst of what figures to be somewhat of a crossroads offseason as for the future direction of the franchise. A year ago at this time, the Giants' fanbase was filled with optimism, fresh off of a surprising season that netted the team not only a trip to the playoffs, but a win vs the Minnesota Vikings when they got there; however, the 2023-24 campaign was filled with frustration for Daboll and his staff, even leading to some calls for the relatively new coach to be placed on the hot seat not very long into his tenure.
One of the biggest causes of frustration for the 2023-24 Giants was the team's production–or lack thereof–out of the quarterback position, as starter Daniel Jones struggled mightily before going down with a season-ending injury midway through the year.
Ultimately, the starting job went to backup Tommy DeVito, whose family seemed to embody many Americanized cliches of Italian culture and were quick to capitalize on the viral fame they achieved. Perhaps the most notable example of this was DeVito's agent, Sean Stellato, who at times looked like he stepped straight out of a Godfather movie and onto the sidelines at MetLife Stadium to support his client.
Recently, Stellato had the moment of a lifetime when he met Pope Francis and gifted him a football with the Pope’s coat of arms emblem, per NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter.
It was just the latest example of DeVito's inner circle capitalizing on the viral sensation they became with their hand gestures, outfits, and mannerisms caught by television cameras who were happy to indulge entertained fans at home by showing them every time their relative did something good on the field.
Where do the Giants go from here?
Unfortunately for the Giants, the good feelings and positive vibes from the DeVito family didn't result in a ton of wins for the team, as the Giants' lack of offensive line protection and pass rush, combined with the obvious inexperience of DeVito himself, kept the team well short of repeating a trip to the NFL postseason.
This year, Jones is expected to be back and ready to go for the season opener, but that still hasn't necessarily alleviated concerns about the gigantic contract the Giants shelled out to him following the 2023 season despite not having a huge track record of success at the NFL level.
The team also recently endured the losses of running back Saquon Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles and tight end Darren Waller, who retired.
In theory, the team should be able to at least bounce back from the dismal campaign that was 2023-24 just by staying a bit healthier this year, but there's no guarantees, especially considering that their divisional rival Philadelphia Eagles are likely to be improved this season.
In any case, the Giants' season is set to get underway in early September.
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