There was a buzz in 2022 when Brian Daboll took over the Giants—he flipped the script, leading them to a surprising playoff berth with a feel-good 9-7-1 finish after years in the wilderness. Analysts praised his quarterback coaching chops and tough-love culture, building momentum on the backs of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. It felt like Daboll had crafted something special, a foundation the Giants hadn’t had in ages.

But then? Two seasons of struggles: a 6-11 finish in 2023, followed by a franchise-worst 3-14 in 2024. Jones hit the wall: injuries, turnovers, and a stagnant offense that never recovered. Daboll’s QB-guru reputation took a hit as the team stumbled through offensive line meltdowns and locker-room frustration. A head coach who has a reputation for working with top-tier quarterbacks throughout his career? It’s a rough patch for him, without any doubt.

And now with a new signal-caller room and huge expectations, this season is definitely going to be a make‑or‑break—at least that’s what the Giants’ legend Rashad Jennings believes. Jennings’ point? Well, according to him, the Giants brought in Daboll, given that he has worked with some top-tier quarterbacks, both in the NFL and in college football. “There is a lack of lust at the quarterback position with the Giants and that’s one of the reasons why he brought him (Daboll) in,” Jennings said.

During his time as the offensive coordinator of Alabama, Daboll worked with Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. To spice things up, the head coach worked with Josh Allen as well when he served as the OC of the Bills. And Jennings believes that Daboll was supposed to be the guy to run the quarterback position in New York.

“He worked with Tua (Tagovailoa) when he was in Bama, he worked with (Jalen) Hurts when he was in Bama, he worked with Josh Allen, as we know, when he was in Buffalo. He had a cup of tea behind working with Brett Favre. So he’s worked with a caliber of great quarterbacks in the NFL, and bringing him over, there was no doubt that he was gonna be the guy to make that position run,” Jennings added. Noted.

But despite that, things didn’t work out well with Daniel Jones. Just one standout season in his first year as the head coach, and then? Everything went south, and now? Even Jones is not with the Giants, as the New York team had a quarterback room shuffle. Speaking of which, the Big Blue has now brought a couple of veteran quarterbacks—Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston— to give Daboll an opportunity. And that means only one thing: it’s going to be a must-win season for Daboll.

Brian Daboll to endure a must-win season with Russell Wilson

The Giants didn’t stay quiet this offseason when it came to fixing their quarterback room. They flirted with Aaron Rodgers in free agency. They were ready to throw big money at Matthew Stafford and even stirred up the headlines heading into the draft. In the end, Brian Daboll and company landed on a different duo. Wilson and Winston. Maybe not flashy. But definitely bold.

However, Jennigs laid out everything plainly and simply that the Giants gave Daboll an opportunity by bringing these two veterans. “Well, (it) didn’t work out with Daniel Jones,” Jennings continued in his argument. “I think now they gave him an opportunity with bringing in two veterans in a Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, to be able to produce. So I think it is a must-win for him right this second.”

Wilson and Winston’s last seasons are well-documented. While the former Steelers quarterback turned heads in the initial phase of his season with Pittsburgh, he wrapped up his 2024 season with a five-match losing streak, including the wildcard round. Need to flip the script this season. Winston, on the other hand, stepped up when the Browns‘ QB1, Deshaun Watson, went down with an injury.

Winston appeared in 12 games, started 7. In those 7 starts, he was already down to 2-5 by the time the 2024 season ended. And now, if we round all that up, then it’s safe to say that it’s not just a must-win season for Brian Daboll. In fact, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston are on the hot seat as well.