Former New York Giant Sam Beal has been missing since July, and his family is asking for help to find the ex-cornerback.

It has been eight months since Beal’s family last heard from him, according to his sister, Essence Zhane.

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Beal was last seen with his girlfriend before going missing. He borrowed his girlfriend’s car and was supposed to be at a job, but the 29-year-old never arrived. The next day, Beal called his girlfriend, telling her he was in Virginia Beach and planning to return home. The car was later found in Virginia Beach, with Beal’s shoes and socks on the passenger side. The only items Beal had were his wallet, clothes and a pair of slides.

Beal’s sister stated on social media, “I’m a big sister, and I need my brother to know that We Love You and miss you, and this has been a heavy feeling for months to carry around,” as the investigation to find Beal continues.

Beal was a third-round pick in the 2018 supplemental draft, being drafted out of Western Michigan as a cornerback. Beal only played in nine games, as the cornerback battled injuries and opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. The Giants released him in 2021.

Police are asking that anyone with information on Beal to contact authorities in Kenwood at (616) 698-6580 or Virginia Beach police at (757) 385-4141.

The New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Monday after a 2-8 start to the season.

The 50-year-old finishes his tenure at MetLife Stadium with a 20-40-1 record. Thirty-three of those 40 losses came within the previous two and a half seasons.

Daboll was hired in 2022 and led the Giants to the NFC Divisional round in his first season, only losing to the eventual Super Bowl finalists, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The following two seasons, however, got progressively worse for Daboll’s side. The Giants missed the playoffs twice, finishing with a 6-11 record in 2023 and a 3-14 record in 2024.

In 2025, New York has found ways to lose in spectacularly bizarre fashion. Twice this season, the Giants have lost a game while leading by double-digit points with under four minutes remaining. In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, Daboll’s men lost 40-37 despite scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 25 seconds to go.

In October, the Giants faced the Denver Broncos. Despite the team leading 26-8 with six minutes remaining, the Broncos completed a monumental comeback on a last-second field goal, becoming the second team in NFL history to score 30 points or more after recording none through three quarters.

The final blow to Daboll came last Sunday against the Chicago Bears, when the team suffered another late collapse in the fourth quarter, losing its fourth straight game.

Following Daboll’s dismissal, assistant coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as the interim head coach. His first game – and the Giants’ first in the post-Daboll era – will be a home match against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The New York Giants have informed multiple teams that they are not interested in trading edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

As the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, he is under contract through 2026 after the Giants exercised his fifth-year option valued at a guaranteed $14.751 million. Despite external speculation that the Giants might move him, especially after Abdul Carter was selected third overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team clearly views Thibodeaux as a foundational piece.

His early career has had its peaks and valleys. He posted 11.5 sacks in his record season but dealt with a wrist injury in 2024 that limited his impact. This season, he has recorded 2.5 sacks, though pass-rush expectations remain high on the Giants squad seeking to rebuild.

From the Giants’ perspective, retaining Thibodeaux makes sense. They have already invested significant resources in veteran edge rusher Brian Burns and have committed heavily to Carter as a rookie anchor in the rush. This front-three allows New York to keep pressure on opposing quarterbacks without dismantling one of the defense’s few strong units.

The Giants’ message to the league is clear: Thibodeaux is not available. Whether his role evolves or his production resurges, for now, he will remain as a non-negotiable piece of the team’s defensive core.

Prior to this season, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart had no experience playing in the NFL. The team drafted the rookie quarterback and expected him to be a backup to Russell Wilson.

Fast forward to October, and Dart is aiming to kickstart the Giants’ season as the starting QB.

Dart started his third straight game for New York on Thursday night, defeating the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, 34-17 at MetLife Stadium. The rookie is now 2-1 as the starting quarterback after throwing one touchdown and rushing one score on Thursday.

He now hopes the team’s theme will start to change.

“It absolutely is (a statement) because you have to have a lot of respect for that team (Eagles),” Dart said after the win. “Quite honestly, nobody really expected us to put up a performance like this. As a locker room, as teammates, we felt confident.”

“We’re just trying to play for each other and win games. We want to find an identity. I felt like we did a good job of putting that a little bit together tonight.”

The victory is the Giants’ second straight home win against teams with winning records. In Dart’s first start, he threw 111 yards and recorded one throwing and rushing touchdown to beat a then-undefeated Los Angeles Chargers.

Rookie running back Cam Skattebo also helped the Giants in their win over the Eagles. The former Arizona State player posted a season-high 98 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the night.

“I just think there’s – at times – some negativity that’s surrounding here,” Dart said on changing the tone regarding the team. “For us, some of the new guys that are coming here, we just got here, so we don’t feel like we were involved in the past. We’ve got a lot of winners on this team, guys who come out every single day, work their a– off to put on a good showing on Sundays.”

Dart looks to continue his surging form next Sunday as the Giants travel west to face the Denver Broncos.

“We do feel like we’re a really good team,” Dart said. “We have really good players. We’re just trying to win games. We’re just trying to stay internal and stay connected each and every day.”

Going into week four of the NFL season, banter between teams is just getting started. The New York Giants secured their first win of the season with a 21-18 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. It was Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who stood out. He passed 111 yards, rushed 54 yards, and scored. His dynamic debut not only helped the Giants earn a much-needed victory but also gave fans a glimpse of a promising future under center.

After their win, they decided to troll the Chargers by posting a pic of a broken charger on their X page captioned, “Low power mode,” a jab at their name and poking fun at their lack of energy late in the game.

The Seattle Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night, 23 to 20. Arizona tied it up with only 28 seconds left. In the final moment of the game, it was a 52-yard field goal from Jason Myers that won them the game. After this nail-biter of a game, the Seahawks decided to post a graphic of the team driving monster trucks in the Arizona desert, dirtying the rival team’s jerseys.

Teams are starting to get a little more creative with their social media banter, adding a new element to the game.

From the Giants’ “broken charger” post to the Seahawks’ monster truck graphic, playful trolling has become a staple of the NFL’s online culture. These moments don’t just entertain fans, but they keep the tradition of rivalries alive long after the final whistle, adding a new twist to the culture.

New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Jaxson Dart will replace veteran quarterback Russell Wilson as the starting QB for the rest of the season.

The swap is expected to be in effect starting on Sunday when the Giants host the Los Angeles Chargers. Dart will be making his first NFL appearance after being drafted in the first round earlier this year.

“I met with both Russ yesterday and Jaxson privately,” Daboll said on Wednesday. “Russ was nothing but a pro, which I expect him to be. It’s my decision going with Jaxson. We’re going to get him ready to play this week and for the remainder of the season.”

Wilson signed for New York in March on a one-year contract and was named the starting quarterback prior to the season. However, after three straight losses, which included a 22-9 Sunday Night Football defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs, where Wilson threw for 160 yards and two interceptions, Daboll appears to pull the plug early.

“The conversations I’ve had with these young men will be private, and the details will be private,” the head coach said. “All I can tell you is that we’re going with Jaxson, and we’re getting ready to play.”

For now, the veteran quarterback is only focused on helping the team win and rallying behind Dart for the remainder of the season.

“For me right now, I think it’s really about the team, helping Jaxson the best I possibly can,” Wilson said on Wednesday. “I remember coming in as a young rookie, looking for help, looking for answers and stuff like that. I just told him, ‘I got your back and I got whatever I can help you with.'”

2025 was not a good season for the New York Giants. Nothing this team tried seemed to work, and they ended up going 3-14 and landing the third overall pick in the draft. New York cut their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, in week 12, knowing the team wasn’t competing for the playoffs. The Giants decided to stick with their head coach, Brian Daboll, after two disappointing seasons, trying to keep some stability with the team.

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The Giants’ offseason would bring significant changes to the struggling franchise, starting with the addition of new talent at the quarterback position, including Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. Both were brought in to compete for the starting job, but it was announced that Wilson would be the week one starter. New York also added several pieces to their secondary, which only had five interceptions last season, ranking second-to-last in the NFL. They signed safety Jevon Holland and cornerback Paulson Adebo, who both have been starters for the majority of their careers.

The Giants also signed other key additions like defensive lineman Roy Robert-Harris, defensive end Chauncey Golston, wide receiver Zach Pascal and offensive lineman James Hudson III. The Giants also let quarterback Drew Lock, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, defensive end Azeez Ojulari and guard Wyatt Davis all walk this offseason.

The Giants had one of the best drafts in the NFL, selecting edge rusher Abdul Carter with the third overall pick out of Penn State. Carter was arguably the most “pro-ready” out of any of the prospects in the draft, falling to number three overall. The Giants also made a considerable move, trading back into the first round to select quarterback Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss with the 25th overall pick. Dart will have the opportunity to compete with the newly signed quarterbacks for the starting position in the regular season. The Giants also made other key selections like defensive tackle Darius Alexander, running back Cam Skattebo and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow.

New York will have a challenging 2025 season, having the most demanding schedule in the NFL, according to Fox Sports. The team will play nine playoff teams from last season, including the Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, twice. Some of the more winnable games for the Giants will come against the Cowboys, the Saints in week five, the Bears in week 10 and the Patriots in week 13. With a challenging schedule and numerous new additions to the team, New York’s pass rush must dominate as it did last season to make a return to the playoffs in 2025.

NEW YORK GIANTS TICKETS & SCHEDULE

• Week 1, Sept. 7 at Washington Commanders 1:00 p.m.
• Week 2, Sept. 14 at Dallas Cowboys 1:00 p.m.
• Week 3, Sept. 21 vs. Kansas City Chiefs 8:20 p.m.
• Week 4, Sept. 28 vs. Los Angeles Chargers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 5, Oct. 5 at New Orleans Saints 1:00 p.m.
• Week 6, Oct. 9 vs. Philadelphia Eagles 8:15 p.m.
• Week 7, Oct. 19 at Denver Broncos 4:05 p.m.
• Week 8, Oct. 26 at Philadelphia Eagles 1:00 p.m.
• Week 9, Nov. 2 vs. San Francisco 49ers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 10, Nov. 9 at Chicago Bears 1:00 p.m.
• Week 11, Nov. 16 vs. Green Bay Packers 1:00 p.m.
• Week 12, Nov. 23 at Detroit Lions 1:00 p.m.
• Week 13, Dec. 1 at New England Patriots 8:15 p.m.
• Week 14, Dec. 7 BYE
• Week 15, Dec. 14 vs. Washington Commanders 1:00 p.m.
• Week 16, Dec. 21 vs. Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m.
• Week 17, Dec. 27/28 at Las Vegas Raiders TBD
• Week 18, vs. Dallas Cowboys TBD

New York Giants Game/Season Odds

New York enters week one vs the Commanders as +7 underdogs playing in Washington, D.C., in a huge divisional matchup to start the year. New York only has +20000 odds of winning the Super Bowl and +8000 odds of winning the NFC Championship. They are also favored in only one game this season, against the New Orleans Saints in week five. 

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Jaxson Dart wasn’t the only member of his family who shone at his preseason debut over the weekend. The mom of the New York Giants quarterback went viral in the stands of the game.

The first-round pick out of Ole Miss, who could start for the Giants in 2025, depending on how things go with Russell Wilson, had a big-time showing in his first preseason game. Dart completed 12 of 19 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown while leading the Giants on three consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter. The Giants topped the Bills, 34-25, on Saturday.

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Giants head coach Brian Daboll was not surprised.

“Just about what I thought he would do,” Daboll said after the game. “Efficient, effective, aggressive, confident in the pocket. Some stuff we can work on, but he’s doing good.”

Meanwhile, while Dart shone on the field, his mom went viral in the stands of the game.

Dart and his fellow New York Giants quarterback, Tommy DeVito, posed for photos with their families following the game.

“Jaxson Dart shares a postgame moment with his mom after his first NFL game,” one reporter shared.

NFL fans were quick to notice. “Great moment. Well done,” one fan wrote.

“Dart’s mom is ripped lol,” one fan added.

“How old is she?!??!” another fan wrote.

Dart’s performance, meanwhile, is continuing to make waves amid the NFL community on Sunday.

“Jaxson Dart had himself a fine debut. He saw a lot, reacted well, made smart decisions, and has NFL talent. Excited to see more,” NFL analyst Brian Baldinger wrote on X.

Former NFL coach John Gruden added: “DART! Let’s go, Jaxson, rooting for you!!”

Russell Wilson is the clear-cut starting quarterback as the New York Giants begin training camp, coach Brian Daboll said Wednesday.

“These guys will be out here competing, but Russ is our starter,” Daboll said.

Daboll did leave the door open for Jaxson Dart, selected 25th in the draft by the Giants after a trade up from No. 34 with the Houston Texans, to win the No. 2 job. In addition to Wilson and Dart, the Giants also signed veteran quarterback Jameis Winston this offseason and still have Tommy DeVito on the 90-man roster.

“We’re going to go out here, we’re going to practice, guys are going to compete and the roster will be set when the roster’s set,” Daboll said. “Our goal right now is just to improve each person every day, and we’ll take it from there.”

Dart’s development is of paramount importance to the future of the franchise.

“I think it’s important for all the players to develop. That’s what this time of year is for,” Daboll said. “For all young players … it’s really every young player, our goal is to develop those guys and when they’re called upon, be ready to go.”

The 10-time Pro Bowler signed a one-year contract and quickly established himself as a leader and respected voice in the room during the team’s offseason program.

He also organized throwing sessions with various players during the offseason in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

Unofficially, Wilson was 8 of 14 with a pair of touchdown passes as the Giants did 11 on 11 drills in the red zone on Wednesday. Dart was just 2 of 5, throwing a pick-six to Nic Jones on his first pass of training camp.

He played last season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting 11 games, and threw for 2,482 yards with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, completing 63.7% of his passes.

The New York Giants, as expected, took Penn State defensive lineman Abdul Carter with the third pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

What wasn’t expected was for the Giants to trade up in the first round to take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 pick.

The Giants traded pick 34, 99 and a third-round pick in 2026 to move up nine spots and take Dart. It was very possible Dart would have been available for the Giants at 34.

There was speculation that the Giants were going to draft Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders after trading up. The Giants met with Sanders on multiple occasions and held private workouts with him.

Ultimately, Dart was the choice they made.

Dart joins a quarterback room of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. It’s unlikely he gets playing time right away, but he’ll be able to learn from two veteran quarterbacks.

“I think from a developmental standpoint and the ability to grow, I think it’s a perfect situation for a young quarterback,” Giants GM Joe Schoen said.

Carter was the more traditional pick. Considered one of the best defensive prospects in the draft, he now joins a front with Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns.

“As a kid, I had a dream that I got drafted to the Giants,” Carter said. “This moment is just surreal for me and my family.”

The NFL Draft is just days away. The New York Giants, who hold the third pick, are getting a closer look at former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders, who is considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft, is holding a private workout for the Giants one week before the draft, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.

There have been rumors connecting Sanders to the Giants. Former Miami quarterback Cam Ward is likely to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans, while Sanders’ former teammate Travis Hunter could land with the Cleveland Browns, who have the second pick.

In the past year, the Giants have made major changes to their quarterback room. Longtime Giants quarterback Daniel Jones was released midway through the 2024 season. In the offseason, the Giants added quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to the roster.

If the Giants decide to draft Sanders, he will likely sit on the bench and learn from Wilson in his rookie season.

The Giants have had their eyes on Sanders for a long time. Giants personnel was reportedly in attendance for every Colorado game this past season, according to Pelissero.

How the Giants proceed in the draft is still up in the air. Former Penn State defensive lineman Abdul Carter has been mocked to the Giants. It’s also possible the Browns take Sanders despite having Deshaun Watson on the roster.

All the questions will be answered in days to come.

The New York Giants have their new starting quarterback.

Russell Wilson is signing a one-year, $10.5 million deal with New York, which could reach $21 million with incentives.

Wilson will now join and lead a quarterback room that includes newly signed Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito.

Wilson is heading to New York after a season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he also signed a one-year deal.

Over his tenure with the Seattle Seahawks (2012-2021), Wilson won a Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, where he’ll now call home and earned nine Pro Bowl Selections.

Now headed to his fourth team, Wilson battled through a calf injury last summer to start 11 games for the Steelers last season. He began the season on a high but struggled toward the end, finishing with a 6-5 record as a starter, 225.6 yards passing per game, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

Wilson was rumored to be a potential option for the Giants, Cleveland Browns and Steelers.

The New York Giants have reached an agreement with Jameis Winston, he confirmed on Friday.

Winston’s deal with the Giants is set for two years at $8 million.

Winston took to X on Friday, posting, “Start spreading the neWs,” along with an apple emoji to celebrate joining his new team.

Winston met with the Giants earlier this week.

Entering the 2024 season as Deshaun Watson’s backup, Winston took over as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback after Watson suffered a season-ending right Achilles tear in Week 7.

He brought new life to a Browns offense that had yet to score 20 points in a game with Watson at quarterback.

However, Winston was benched in Week 16 after throwing eight interceptions over a three-game stretch. The Browns finished 2-5 in his starts. He completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, along with one rushing score.

At the Super Bowl, where he was working as a media correspondent, Winston asked Eagles running back Saquon Barkley for his thoughts on where he should sign. Barkley’s choice? New York.

Winston later made it known that he was interested in the Giants.

“Would I really sign with the Giants? Absolutely!” Winston said. “I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”

Winston was selected as the No. 1 overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 draft. After five seasons with the Bucs, he spent four seasons with the New Orleans Saints before signing with the Browns last offseason.

Winston has played 105 games over his 10-year career, with 87 of those being starts. He has completed 61.2% of his passes, totaling 24,225 yards, 154 touchdowns and 111 interceptions.

The New York Giants reached an agreement with Jevon Holland, landing him on a three-year, $45.3 million deal.

The contract has a maximum value of $46.8 million, with $30.3 million guaranteed.

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The Miami Dolphins’ struggles in 2024 extended to Holland, who failed to register an interception and recorded just 62 tackles, the lowest mark of his career.

As a rookie, Holland started 13 games for the Dolphins and was often utilized as a blitzer. The next season, he became a team captain—the youngest in franchise history—and continued his strong play with 96 tackles in 2022, followed by 74 in 2023.

Over four seasons, Holland has recorded five interceptions, five forced fumbles and 301 tackles.

Other signings for the Giants include Paulson Adebo, Roy-Robertson Harris, Darius Slayton, James Hudson III, Chris Board, Chauncey Golston and Stone Forsythe.

The New York Giants have reached a two-year, $10 million deal with Roy Robertson-Harris, his agent, Ronald Slavin of SportStars told uSports.

Robertson-Harris was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2017, where he spent his first four seasons.

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In 2021, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, only to be traded to the Seattle Seahawks in 2023, in exchange for a sixth-round pick, while in the midst of a three-year, $23.4 million deal with Jacksonville.

Over 11 games with the Seahawks, Robertson-Harris tallied 13 tackles, one tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. He was released on March 4 in a move to free up salary cap space.

Robertson-Harris, who has experience at multiple positions along the defensive line, has played 117 games with 62 starts, racking up 211 tackles (122 solo), 27 tackles for loss, 67 quarterback hits, 14 pass deflections and 19 sacks.

Other signings for the Giants include Paulson Adebo, Jevon Holland, Darius Slayton, James Hudson III and Chris Board.

The Minnesota Vikings had a shockingly successful 2024 NFL season – at least relative to expectations – in large part due to the meteoric rise of quarterback Sam Darnold, a journeyman quarterback on a one-year deal. His presumptive price and the drafting of J.J. McCarthy, though, made Darnold remaining unlikely in the long-term. Now, following a Wild Card meltdown, it’s time for the Vikings to revive the quarterback question.

Darnold put up 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2024, with a passer rating of 102.5. He also effectively won the Vikings’ Wild Card matchup for the opposing Los Angeles Rams, spontaneously losing pocket awareness so thoroughly that he was sacked nine times. His QBR was 13.6.

Regardless of regular season performance, it’s difficult to justify retaining a quarterback who’s let the fans down in a moment of such spectacular hope.

As a contract seems increasingly unlikely, the next viable option for the Vikings would be a franchise tag – which would guarantee Darnold a bit over $40 million in 2025 and around $48.3 million for 2026 if he is tagged again. That number would eat up over two thirds of Minnesota’s cap space for 2025. While it would remain an option to trade Darnold under the tag, there’s no certainty of a deal. Unsurprisingly, there is reportedly “not much momentum” on the side of the franchise tag.

Meanwhile, with Matthew Stafford off the table, teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers are willing to pay a lot for a veteran quarterback. If Darnold hits free agency on March 12, he’ll have no shortage of suitors.

The Raiders and Giants are reportedly the most serious contenders, and that has a lot to do with desperation. If you watched football this season, you may remember that the Raiders split time between three backup-pedigree quarterbacks, while the Giants benched and then cut Daniel Jones, their former ‘quarterback of the future.”

The most likely scene is this: three or four teams each backed into their own corner, hoping Darnold will solve their QB worries. Darnold, who will take advantage of the high-pressure quarterback market to secure a deal for probably more than he’s worth.

And the Vikings? Well, star wideout Justin Jefferson isn’t worried about that.

“I’m not sure who the quarterback is going to be, and just like I said last year, it truly doesn’t matter personally to me,” Jefferson said. “It doesn’t matter who’s going to throw me that ball, I’m gonna make the most of my opportunities. I’m gonna try to make him look like the best quarterback in the whole NFL.”

Eli Manning, the New York Giants’ legendary quarterback, isn’t the only big name looking to buy a minority stake in the historic franchise.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., the famed boxer, has surfaced as a potential buyer alongside his business partner Meyer Orbach, with an offer for a 10 percent share of the Giants, valued at around $700 million.

“My partners and I are always looking at different opportunities, including ownership of sports teams. I can’t comment further than that,” Orbach, a prominent figure in real estate, said.

Another investor is expected to join the group, and they plan to submit the proposal soon.

This news comes just days after the Mara and Tisch families hired Moelis & Company, an investment bank, “to explore the potential sale of a minority, non-controlling stake in the New York Giants,” according to a statement from the team.

Moelis reached out to potential suitors earlier this month.

In August 2024, the Giants, fresh off a disappointing 3-14 season, were given a $7.3 billion valuation.

Prior to the news of the sale breaking, Manning—who played for the Giants for 16 seasons and won two Super Bowls—expressed interest in buying a stake in his former team.

“There’s probably only one team I’d be interested in pursuing, and it’s the one I played for 16 years, and it’s local and makes the most sense, but we just got to figure out if they would ever sell a little bit,” he shared back in January. 

In August, the NFL began allowing private equity investment, capping ownership at 10 percent for franchises. 

In October, Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion – six with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – was involved in an ownership group’s purchase of a 10 percent stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, with his share totaling five percent.

With the New York Giants exploring the sale of up to 10% of the franchise, a familiar face might be among the potential buyers.

Eli Manning, the franchise legend with two Super Bowl MVPs and 11th place in NFL history for both passing yards and passing touchdowns, has openly expressed interest in owning a stake in his former team.

“It’s definitely something of interest,” Manning said in an interview in January. “There’s probably only one team I’d be interested in pursuing, and it’s the one I played for for 16 years. And it’s local and makes the most sense, but we’ve just got to figure out if they would ever sell a little bit.”

The NFL introduced a rule in August enabling private equity firms to buy as much as 10% of a franchise. While John Mara and Steve Tisch will remain in charge, their partial sale is expected to establish a record-breaking valuation for an NFL team.

“The Mara and Tisch families have retained Moelis & Company to explore the potential sale of a minority, non-controlling stake in the New York Giants,” the organization said in a statement. “There will be no further comment in regard to the process.”

Ownership of the Giants remained solely with the Mara family from 1925 to 1991, at which point they sold a 50% stake to the Tisch family.

The franchise’s valuation is projected to be between $7.3 billion and $7.85 billion.

The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills led the way in December, becoming the first teams to sell minority shares to private equity firms. The Bills’ 10 limited partners include NBA Hall of Famers Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, and former U.S. soccer player Jozy Altidore.

The Philadelphia Eagles followed suit, recently selling 8% of their team at an $8.3 billion valuation, with the two family investors paying a combined $664 million for their stakes.

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito said Thursday that the team is still recovering in some ways from the departure of running back Saquon Barkley. With the dreadful Giants and playoff-bound Eagles prepare to face off in Week 18, DeVito reflected on what the franchise-defining player meant to the team.

DeVito noted Barkley’s obvious talents, which have resulted in a 2,000-yard rushing season with the Eagles. But the young quarterback spent far more time discussing Barkley’s impact in the locker room. He noted the veteran rusher as one of two strong leaders the team lost in the off-season, along with wide receiver Sterling Shepard.

“Two guys that were among the most vocal leaders on the offense, guys that have played a ton,” DeVito said. “Those two guys meant a tremendous amount, but obviously Saquon is my guy. He kind of helped bring me into this whole role and how everything went down. He was kind of my rock through it all. To see him go and how it went down, it was tough. Obviously, it’s a business as well.”

The Giants made the decision to part ways with Barkley during the off-season, conforming with lazy conventional wisdom. In recent years, many have argued that stars in the backfield are easily replaced and aren’t worth paying. But there’s no running back like Barkley.

New York signed doomed quarterback Daniel Jones to a $120 million extension in 2023, but when its star running back and franchise leader came calling, the team let him walk. The Eagles gave him what he deserved, a three-year, $37.75 million contract. He is now in line to receive MVP votes after rushing for 2,005 yards. He is the ninth rusher to earn 2,000 yards in a season and the first since Derrick Henry in 2020.

Now, Barkley and the Eagles are NFC East Champions and on their way to the playoffs. The Giants have released Jones and can only hope to start over again with a draft pick befitting a 3-13 team. The team can improve to 3-14 in Week 18, but a win out of nowhere against the Colts last week proved that the Giants aren’t tanking intentionally.

With the ultimate revenge game written in the stars for Week 18, Barkley made the surprising decision to decline the opportunity to break Eric Dickerson‘s longtime rushing record against his former team. Doing so would have been twisting the knife in a Giants organization that is likely more than aware of its mistake by now. The merciful move to rest for the playoffs may not pull as many headlines as the alternative, but Barkley’s horizons extend far beyond petty grievances now. He is finally with a contender.

The New York Giants will start quarterback Drew Lock in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons. It will be their fifth quarterback change since releasing Daniel Jones after their Week 11 bye.

In the past month, New York has alternated between Lock and Tommy DeVito, but neither passer has managed to stay healthy for two games in a row. DeVito sustained an arm injury and more recently a concussion, while Lock is returning from a Week 14 foot injury. If both players become unavailable in the near future, Tim Boyle would have to step back in, a move that doomed the team to a 35-14 beating against the Ravens last weekend.

With a 2-12 record and three games remaining, the Giants are tied for dead last in the entire NFL. With a premium draft pick in next year’s draft, New York is almost certain to draft a quarterback, widely speculated to be either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. With an army of teams plummeting through the standings late in the season, the Giants may have to keep losing to ensure an early pick, but that hasn’t been an issue to this point.

Even with Jones returning from injury at the start of the 2024 season, very few people expected anything from the Giants. They’ve lived up to every expectation in this context, never proving to be a serious competitor at any point. Playmakers like Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy have proved themselves as young talents, but they’ve struggled to produce consistently as the team shuffles between quarterbacks.

As December wears on, New York must simply march to its certain end, and hopefully a brighter future. That future may or may not include head coach Brian Daboll, who led the team to the playoffs in 2022 before amassing a dreadful 8-23 record over the last two seasons. It’s hard to blame the upstart head coach for the team’s passing-related struggles, but it may be hard to justify his stay as the team starts anew in 2025.

In Week 16, this doomed Giants team will face the Falcons, who haven’t managed to do much better this year despite much higher expectations. New York will face rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in his first NFL start, replacing Kirk Cousins well ahead of schedule. His performance could be educational for the Giants in a number of ways, potentially providing a hopeful message or stark warning for betting on young passers.