The New York Giants are still shaking up their coaching staff after parting ways with head coach Brian Daboll. While everyone expected some changes, the speed of the recent overhaul caught fans and even the players off guard. After an overtime loss to the Lions, the Giants fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. This move hit hard for many, including offensive lineman Brian Burns, who didn’t hold back and openly pushed back on the decision.

“It’s just a bummer because I like Shane. I worked with him this whole year,” Burns said to the reporters. “Being a leader of the defense, you know, we had to develop a certain relationship. So, that’s why it’s a bummer. It’s tough sometimes having a relationship with somebody for so long, and then they just leave.”

While initially hired with optimism, Bowen faced growing criticism from players and insiders due to the defense’s repeated late-game collapses and inconsistent performance throughout the season.

Bowen was brought in by Daboll before the 2024 season, replacing Wink Martindale. Under his watch, the defense has stayed in the bottom half of the league, just like last year, struggling to make a real impact.

Bowen’s defense has been terrible against the run, going 3-14 last season and 2-10 this year. This season, they’ve given up the third-most points and third-most yards in the NFL, and now the Giants are the only team officially out of playoff contention.

It’s now time for Charlie Bullen to take over the reins, and Burns isn’t staying quiet about it.

Brian Burns reacts to Charlie Bullen’s new role as DC

Charlie Bullen is the New York Giants’ interim defensive coordinator as of November 2025, promoted after the firing of Shane Bowen following the team’s string of late-game collapses. Bullen, who was the outside linebackers coach, has over a decade of NFL coaching experience, including prior roles with teams such as the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, and a collegiate stint at the University of Illinois. With such an impressive resume, Burns could keep himself from praising his new DC with high hopes.

“Charlie’s a smart coach. I feel like he’s been around a lot, he has a lot of experience,” Burns said. “He was under a great tree. Talking ball with him every day, watching extensive film with him every day, I picked up on his football knowledge. I feel like, on our defensive staff, we could’ve really went either way. All our coaches are experienced and are very smart, so I feel like we could’ve went either way, but they chose Charlie and I’m grateful for that because me and him have a very, very tight relationship.”

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Interim head coach Mike Kafka chose Bullen over other internal candidates, signaling a desire to inject energy and accountability into the defense. Bullen faces the challenge of fixing a defense that has repeatedly lost double-digit leads. But his mid-season promotion is seen as an opportunity for him to prove himself as a coordinator and potential future head coach candidate.