Ever since the New York Giants moved on from Brian Daboll, the coaching conversation has been all over the map. But the most unexpected pitch didn’t come from an insider, a former coach, or even someone tied to the league. It came from Draymond Green, a $100 million NBA forward who had no problem tossing out a rather bold opinion.

In a conversation with insider Jordan Schultz, Green said the Giants should forget the up-and-comers and go with a “sure thing,” a coach who hasn’t held an NFL job in nearly half a decade: Jon Gruden.

“I know people are going to hate this name,” Green said. “He’s (Gruden) supposed to be great with quarterbacks. But more importantly, he can handle what comes with New York. He got the demeanour. I think New York Natives will love him. I think they should hire Jon Gruden.”

The Giants are already walking a fine line, deciding whether to reset completely or build around a rookie quarterback. Going for someone who has never been a head coach is a risk. His last NFL play-calling as a head coach came in 2021 (and ended messily) is its own gamble.

Gruden has a track record with quarterbacks. He won a Super Bowl in Tampa back in 2002. But his last run in Las Vegas finished with a 22–31 record and zero playoff appearances. That’s a long way from “sure thing,” no matter how tough or New York-ready his personality might be.

“You don’t wanna go with someone who hasn’t had experience, because they’re not in a position to swing. Like, you’ve been swinging now, for these guys that don’t really have the resume as head coaches. You don’t really have that luxury right now. You need a sure thing,” Green added.

Former NFL guard Richie Incognito shared a similar sentiment on the November 10 episode of The Arena. 

“I would love to see Jon Gruden in New York…He’s a great motivator, he holds you to a high standard, and he gives you a ton of freedom,” he said.

There’s certainly a scarcity of proven coaches in the market. Whether the Giants feel the same way is another conversation entirely. But interest on Gruden’s side? According to his brother, that door would absolutely be open.

Jon Gruden might be interested in the Giants’ HC job

Jay Gruden might have given the most telling insight yet into where his brother’s head is. Appearing on The Arena: Gridiron, the former Washington head coach said Jon Gruden would “very much” be interested in the Giants’ vacancy. And a big part of that interest comes down to one person: rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.

“I think he’d be very interested,” Jay said. “He loves football. He loves Jaxson Dart. If you have a young quarterback as talented as Jaxson, you want a guy like Jon who’s going to challenge him every day. If you want a guy that gets the most out of your quarterback, the most out of your team, then I believe Jon Gruden would be a good fit.”

It’s not a wild argument. Jon Gruden, for all the noise around him, has always seen offense through a quarterback’s eyes. And for a Giants team that’s betting its future on Dart, that’s not nothing.

His resume with quarterbacks is better than people remember. Andy Dalton played some of his best football with Gruden in Cincinnati, going 30–18 as a starter. Kirk Cousins had his breakout season under him. Robert Griffin III trusted him. Whether the situation was great, average, or chaotic, Gruden generally found a way to bring stability to the position.

And right now, quarterback stability is exactly what the Giants lack. While Daboll was a fan of Dart, the rookie’s development was a concern, especially as he faced four concussion evaluations this season. If the Giants are serious about developing Dart the right way, they need someone who can build around him, protect him, and slow the game down for him. Gruden might just be the guy for that.