The New York Giants made a dramatic coaching move only hours after drawing sharp criticism from President Donald Trump, dismissing defensive coordinator Shane Bowen in the wake of Sunday’s late-game collapse against the Detroit Lions.
New York had built a 27–17 advantage in the fourth quarter, only to unravel spectacularly on both offense and defense. Instead of opting for a seemingly routine field goal that would have widened the lead, the Giants chose to push for a touchdown. The gamble backfired badly, resulting in a turnover on downs. Detroit capitalized immediately, driving the field for a tying field goal that forced overtime.
Once in OT, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs delivered the decisive touchdown, sealing a 34–27 New York defeat and dropping the Giants to a dismal 2–10 record. The decision-making left Trump stunned, especially after the midseason firing of former head coach Brian Daboll.
“Why didn’t the New York Giants kick the field goal?” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It made no sense. I watched the ending and thought, ‘That’s strange!’ Going for the touchdown instead of taking the three points was CRAZY!”
The fallout was swift. Interim head coach Mike Kafka confirmed that Bowen had been relieved of his duties, continuing the organization’s rapid overhaul. According to the New York Post, Kafka has not yet named an acting defensive coordinator, though secondary coach Marquand Manuel — previously the Falcons’ DC in 2017–18 — and outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen are believed to be candidates.
The frustration wasn’t limited to coaches. Wide receiver Malik Nabers, sidelined with an injury, voiced his anger on X in a post that was later taken down. He suggested the coaching decisions were so illogical that it felt intentional.
“Sometimes it feels like they want us to lose,” Nabers wrote. “How do you throw instead of running to make them use their timeouts? And then you skip the field goal? It’s basic football sense!”
Kafka defended his strategy afterward, saying the staff wanted to “go up two scores” and believed the moment was right to stay aggressive. “We thought taking points there would put us in a strong position,” he said, insisting the call aligned with the game’s overall rhythm.
But the risk proved disastrous. Quarterback Jameis Winston overthrew tight end Theo Johnson on the fateful fourth-down attempt, handing Detroit the possession it needed to pull even.
The loss was even more bitter given Winston’s highlight-reel moment earlier in the quarter. With the Giants ahead 20–17, Kafka dialed up a reverse pass that saw Gunner Olszewski hit Winston streaking up the sideline. Winston shrugged off linebacker Derrick Barnes and weaved into the end zone for a 33-yard score — one of the most electrifying plays of New York’s season.
That excitement quickly evaporated, however, as the Giants’ latest meltdown delivered their sixth consecutive defeat and their second loss since Kafka took over as interim head coach.
