After Giants Hire Shane Bowen As New Defensive Coordinator, What’s Next For The Team?

Last week, the New York Giants officially announced the hiring of former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, as their new defensive coordinator to replace Wink Martindale.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll reportedly placed high importance on taking their time with the hire, looking for just the right man for the job. The search took over three weeks and eight interviews before they settled on Bowen.

Bowen began his NFL coaching career with the Houston Texans in 2016 where he was the defensive assistant for two years before joining the Titans. He then served as the Titans outside linebackers coach from 2018-2020 before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021. He’s held that position for the last three years.

In his first season with the Titans, they had the second-ranked rushing defense. The following year, they led the league against the rush, allowing just 76.9 yards per game. Last year, they dropped to 13th in rushing defense, 18th in yards allowed and 16th in points.

That’s still a major upgrade from the Giants position last year, who were tied for first in turnovers at 31, and in the bottom six in the league for yards and points allowed. Both teams finished their season with a 6-11 record last year.

Bowen’s firing from the Titans likely has a lot to do with the firing of their head coach Mike Vrabel, who had brought Bowen in the same year he was hired in 2018. They shared a history of coaching together at Ohio State and in Houston, dating back to 2012.

Vrabel though, is still looking for a new position. Rumors around the league list him as a potential top candidate as the defensive coordinator for the 49ers. With the current Giants coaching staff, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to continue working with Bowen.