A recent report suggests that the New York Giants may once again be sabotaging their own head-coaching search. Though the team finally moved on from Brian Daboll and has a chance to reset, general manager Joe Schoen and the organization seem stuck relying on the same old habits that have repeatedly held them back.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan noted that three names are already emerging as near-certain interviewees: Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and former Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce.

What do they all have in common? Each has previous ties to the Giants—Anarumo as a former defensive backs coach, Spagnuolo as the coordinator behind a Super Bowl run, and Pierce as a star linebacker on that same championship team. Instead of exploring the broader coaching landscape, the Giants appear intent on recycling familiar faces.

But nostalgia shouldn’t steer a search this important. If the Giants want real progress, they should be prioritizing the top candidates of the current cycle—not reflexively turning to people who once wore the uniform or stood on their sideline.

To be fair, Anarumo is a respected defensive mind who has boosted his reputation with a strong start in Indianapolis. Pierce brings leadership and intensity but is more suited for a significant assistant role at this stage than a head-coaching seat. And while Spagnuolo’s résumé as a defensive coordinator is nearly unmatched, he’s approaching 66 and hasn’t had a successful full-time head-coaching run—his last one ended almost 20 years ago with just 11 wins in St. Louis.

Another underlying issue: all three candidates come from the defensive side of the ball at a time when teams increasingly lean toward offensive-minded head coaches. The Giants haven’t resembled their glory days for close to a decade, and clinging to the past has only fueled their ongoing dysfunction.

There’s a line between honoring the franchise’s history and chasing a version of the past that can’t be recreated—and right now, the front office seems more interested in the latter.