| 2017 New York Giants season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | John Mara Steve Tisch |
| General manager | Jerry Reese (fired week 13) Kevin Abrams (interim) Dave Gettleman (week 17) |
| Head coach | Ben McAdoo (fired week 13, 2–10 record) Steve Spagnuolo (interim, 1–3 record) |
| Home field | MetLife Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 3–13 |
| Division place | 4th NFC East |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | SS Landon Collins |
| Uniform | |
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The 2017 season was the New York Giants' 93rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 42nd season playing in The Meadowlands, their 8th playing at MetLife Stadium and the second and final under head coach Ben McAdoo. Coming fresh off an 11–5 season, the Giants hoped to win a Super Bowl and were expected to be playoff contenders by many critics. However, things rapidly fell apart after key injuries, drama, and controversial decisions plagued the team. An 0–5 start to the season (their second in 5 years), coupled with major injuries to the team, including star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., had the Giants suffer a 3–13 record, their worst season in franchise history. By Week 10, after losing to the previously winless San Francisco 49ers, the Giants were standing at 1–8, their worst record since 1980. The Giants were eliminated from playoff contention on November 26 with wins by the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks, three days after their own loss to the Washington Redskins.
On November 28, it was announced that Geno Smith would start against the Oakland Raiders in Week 13, which snapped Eli Manning's 210 consecutive games started streak, the longest active streak in the NFL at the time. It started controversy, with present and former teammates, opponents, fans, executives, and television and radio show hosts coming to Manning's defense. The benching of Manning also led to speculation he would possibly join the Jacksonville Jaguars, which would reunite him with former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who at the time was Jacksonville's executive vice president of football operations. With the move, the Giants became the last team in the NFL to start an African-American quarterback in at least one game.[1] After losing to the Raiders by a score of 24–17, and with the Giants standing at 2–10, both McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese were fired, leaving Steve Spagnuolo as the interim head coach and Kevin Abrams as the interim general manager. These were the Giants' first mid-season staff firings since the 1976 season.[2] Manning was then renamed the starter for the Week 14 game against the Cowboys.
A 30–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14 dropped the Giants to 2–11, surpassing the most losses in the Eli Manning era with 10 losses (2004, 2014, and 2015). With a 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, the Giants tied their single season loss record with 12, and after a 23–0 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, the Giants fell to 2–13, setting a new record for most losses in a single season in franchise history, eclipsing the previous record of 12, which had been done six times in franchise history: 1966, 1974, 1980, 1983, 2003 and later in 2019, and the worst under a 16-game schedule format. In their last game, the Giants defeated the Washington Redskins to ultimately finish the season at 3–13.
The Giants' 3–13 record was their worst record in a 16-game season in franchise history, their worst winning percentage since 1974, the worst record in the Eli Manning era, their worst record since 2003, finished last place in the NFC East for the first time since 2003, and second-worst in the league behind the Cleveland Browns. The Giants also went 1–11 against the NFC in 2017 and 1–5 against the NFC East. In the process, the Giants acquired the second pick of the 2018 NFL draft.
On December 29, 2017, Dave Gettleman was hired as the new general manager for the team. Gettleman quickly address the offensive line issues which led to the release of offensive tackle Bobby Hart and the benching of 2015 1st rounder Ereck Flowers. Flowers started all games to this point being the only consistent starter on the offensive line.
- ^ "Geno Smith will become the Giants' first black starting quarterback in franchise history". SB Nation. November 28, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "Giants fire coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese, source says". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017.