Giants’ Joe Schoen says listening on headset was about superstition

As the relationship between New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale deteriorated last season, general manager Joe Schoen decided to jump on the coaches’ headset over the course of a few games.

It wasn’t an unusual practice — NFL GMs often listen in — but it was the first time Schoen had ever done that before.

That normally wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow but with tensions reportedly running high, Schoen’s timing was curious. Was he listening in to see how Daboll interacted with his staff or was there something else to it?

Schoen was asked that very question during his availability on Tuesday at the 2024 NFL Combine and he explained it away as mere superstition.

Joe Schoen confirms he was on the coaches headset for Washington game and because they won and he is superstitious he stayed on until they lost.

Says it wasnt because of Brian Daboll-Wink Martindale coaching

‘Something I always wanted to do. Nothing sparked it.’ #Giants

— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) February 27, 2024

“We were at Washington, and I can show you guys sometime, but where they put us is not a great spot to watch the game. So, I went and did it, and it was amazing,” Schoen said, via Giants Country.

“Just the communication of the coaches from an evaluation standpoint when I talk to John Mara after the game or my personnel staff, I can say, ‘Yeah, player X screwed that up’ or ‘Yeah, we called this, but this happened’ or ‘The safety was over, and he was supposed to be that way’ or whatever it may be. You just have an intimate knowledge of what went on and why during the game.”

Schoen says the team could have been 9-0 at the time and he still would have listened in. The fact that he did it right as reports began to surface about Daboll and Martindale is nothing more than a happy accident.

“I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also like sitting with my staff, but I’m not the only GM that’s ever done that, and, again, from an evaluation standpoint, it was beneficial, so that was the reason behind that,” Schoen said.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.