A day after their season-ending loss in Philadelphia, the Giants held team meetings and exit interviews Monday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Members of the organization, including team president John Mara and players, addressed the media.

Here are the key takeaways from the day followed by full transcripts:

📰 The morning started with Mara issuing the following statement: "Now that our season is over, we felt it necessary to make this statement. Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll will continue in their respective roles with the organization. As disappointing as the results of the season have been, Steve (Tisch) and I remain confident in the process that Joe and Brian have implemented and their vision for our team. We look forward to the future and achieving the results we all desire."

📰 Speaking to the media later, Mara said nobody is more frustrated than him but this is "best course of action." He met with Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll for several hours on Friday to talk about the future. "After which I had a conversation with (Chairman and Executive Vice President) Steve Tisch and we spoke some more over the weekend. We came to the decision that staying with both of them is the best course of action for us right now."

📰 The No. 1 issue for the Giants going into the offseason is finding the quarterback of the future, whether that be via the draft or acquiring a veteran. "It's going to be up to them to decide, ultimately," Mara said about Schoen and Daboll.

📰 Mara said nobody feels the "lousy" record more than him, but at the end of the day, you need to make a calm, rational decision. "We're going to stay with them."

📰 Mara knows it's not the "most popular" decision, but it's the "right" one. He pointed to Brian Daboll being the Coach of the Year two seasons ago and the "outstanding" draft class and free agents that Joe Schoen and his staff brought in this year. But the results "are not even close" to where they want.

📰 Mara said it is his "instinct" and "strong belief" that they are ultimately going to go in the right direction. "It's hard for me to say we're going in the right direction right now because we've been going backwards. Nobody feels that any more than I do. I hate having to go through this process. I hate having to answer these questions. But at the end of the day, you've got to take a calm, rational look at things. We did that and this is the decision that we came up with."

📰 Beyond the quarterback, Mara "quite frankly" didn't think the defense played "very well this year at all."

📰 Mara knows the offense's struggles put more pressure on the defense, but they need to make improvements there. "I'm tired of watching teams go up and down the field on us. So, I think that has to be addressed. I think we need some more depth in the offensive line. But, the number one thing, certainly, is the quarterback. "

📰 On the 2024 draft class: "It's very unusual that you have six draftees, all of whom you think are going to help us going forward."

📰 Once they solve the quarterback issue, Mara thinks "a lot of these other things will improve as well."

📰 Improvement better not take too long because Mara has "just about run out of patience."

📰 Mara: "I didn't need planes flying over me to tell me how upset the fans are. I hear from them every day. So, that really did not have much of an effect. I get how upset they are. I try to respond to them. Nobody was more upset than I am about how we performed in recent years. I have to stand up here and take the heat for that."

📰 Mara said he will "take the heat" if he's in front of microphones having the same conversation a year from now.

GIANTS PRESIDENT JOHN MARA

JOHN MARA: So, you all got the statement that we issued this morning. I met with (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe Schoen and (Head Coach) Brian Daboll Friday afternoon for several hours. After which I had a conversation with (Chairman and Executive Vice President) Steve Tisch and we spoke some more over the weekend. We came to the decision that staying with both of them is the best course of action for us right now. I think in Brian's (Daboll) case, he was the Coach of the Year two years ago. That didn't disappear all of a sudden. I still believe he can do that again. And in Joe's (Schoen) case, I thought we had an outstanding draft class this year. I thought we had a really good free agency period. I really like the staff that he's put together and built. I think that they're the right two guys to lead us going forward. I understand, believe me, that that's not going to be the most popular decision in Giant land. But we believe it's the right decision for us going forward. So, with that, I thought I'd come out and face the music and listen to your questions.

Q: What is your message to Giants fans who are very frustrated right now?

JOHN K. MARA: Nobody's more frustrated and upset than I am. I appreciate the fact that they have hung in there with us. I get your frustration, I feel your pain, but I still believe this is the right decision for us going forward.

Q: You said that Brian was Coach of the Year, great draft class, but, at the end of the day, you guys won three games. So, how does that all connect?

JOHN MARA: I'm aware of how many games we've won and obviously the results are not even close to what we want them to be. They're going to have to get better if we're going to move on to year four.

Q: After the season last year, you always say, 'I need to see progress. I need to see the arrow pointing up. I need to see improvement.' What signs are there with a three-win team that any of that has taken place?

JOHN MARA: Certainly, the signs were not based on our record. However, in Joe's (Schoen) case, I think the draft class that we had was really productive. I think all six of those guys are going to help us a great deal. I thought the free agents we brought in, including (outside linebacker) Brian Burns, were really a big plus. I think the staff that he's assembled around him and the process that we go through now and the information that we have in making personnel decisions is better than I've ever seen it before. In Brian Daboll's case, I'm at practice all the time, I go to the team meetings, I watch the players and I watch how they react. I still think he's the right guy to lead us. If I'm sitting here a year from now and you're asking me these questions, I'll take the heat. But, at the end of the day, we've got to make a decision and we've made one.

Q: Is this really a two-year commitment to them? Because I think back to when you had (quarterback) Daniel Jones and you said, 'We've done everything to screw him up, firing the coach after a rookie quarterback.' If you're going to draft a rookie quarterback and then change the Head Coach and General Manager after that, is this really a two-year commitment to them?

JOHN MARA: I understand the question, but I'm not going to put any kind of time limit on it. But I certainly understand where you're going with that.

Q: You do need a quarterback. So, how important is that decision going to be to keeping them here and seeing what they can do?

JOHN MARA: That's obviously the number one issue for us going into this offseason, is to find our quarterback of the future. Whether that be via the draft or acquiring a veteran, it's going to be up to them to decide, ultimately.

Q: You talk about the process being good, the free agency being good, their process, all this stuff. How do you justify… How did you get to 3-14 then?

JOHN MARA: Because we stunk this year. The results on the field were not what we wanted them to be. There were a number of factors that went into that. A lot of that has already been discussed with the coach (Brian Daboll) and with Joe (Schoen) and will continue to be discussed. But I liked what I heard from them on Friday afternoon. I like what their plan is going forward and we're going to stay with it.

Q: But you can see how people have trouble separating the two?

JOHN MARA: I understand that. I understand that. Believe me, I understand that. It's a bottom line business. You're judged on what your record is, and our record is pretty lousy right now. I get that and I take responsibility for that. But, again, when you make these changes, and God knows we've made them in the past and been impatient in the past. When you do that, you feel like you take one step forward, two steps back and I just didn't want to fall into that cycle again. I wanted to give people a chance to build this thing the right way and to get us to where we need to be.

Q: Why do you believe you're building it the right way when it's gone from 9-7-1 to 6-11 to 3-14?

JOHN MARA: I certainly can't justify it based on the records, but, again, based on my observation of how they work together, of how the players respond to them and how Joe (Schoen) is going about building the roster going forward, it's my instinct and my strong belief that we are going to go in the right direction. It's hard for me to say we're going in the right direction right now because we've been going backwards. Nobody feels that any more than I do. I hate having to go through this process. I hate having to answer these questions. But at the end of the day, you've got to take a calm, rational look at things. We did that and this is the decision that we came up with.

Q: What did they share with you Friday that gives you the confidence?

JOHN MARA: I'm not going to go into all the details.

Q: But, fans are going to want to hear something…

JOHN MARA: I understand that. I understand that. Obviously, the quarterback is the big issue. Maybe he (Brian Daboll) makes some other changes in the way he operates going forward. I talked to him about, 'Do you really believe that it's in our best interest for you to continue calling the plays?' I said, 'I'm not going to demand that you do one thing or the other. But are you better off letting somebody else call the plays?' That's a discussion that we're going to continue to have. There are issues like that that we have to have some further discussion about. But at the end of the day, he's got to make the decision on whether he does that, on whether he wants to make replacements in the staff. That's got to be his decision at the end of the day.

Q: Do these guys come back on a hot seat now?

JOHN MARA: You guys are going to have them number one on the hot seat going forward. So, no matter how I answer that question…

Q: In your mind…

JOHN MARA: We're going to have to see. I'm going to have to be in a better mood this time next year than I am right now.

Q: Beyond quarterback, what are some of those other issues that you see?

JOHN MARA: Quite frankly, I didn't think our defense played very well this year at all. I know that when you have an offense that performs like that, you're putting more pressure on your defense. But we need to make improvements there. I'm tired of watching teams go up and down the field on us. So, I think that has to be addressed. I think we need some more depth in the offensive line. But, the number one thing, certainly, is the quarterback.

Q: What makes you confident that this roster is better than it was three years ago when these two took over this team?

JOHN MARA: I'm not sure I am all that confident that it's that much better. I think, though, with the draft class that we just had… Again, it's very unusual that you have six draftees, all of whom you think are going to help us going forward. I thought that was a huge step. The free agents that we picked up between (guard Jon) Runyan (Jr.) and bringing Brian Burns in here, I think those are going to help us going forward. I think once you solve the quarterback issue, I think a lot of these other things will improve as well.

Q: When a fan hears that you're not confident the roster is better three years after they've been in charge…

JOHN MARA: How can I say that it's better if we win three games? We need to win more games for us to be able to prove that point. But there's just a better feeling in the building now that we've got the right pieces in place. We have a lot of holes to fill and that's what this offseason is going to be about.

Q: How long will it take to improve the product?

JOHN MARA: It better not take too long because I've just about run out of patience.

Q: Is the money remaining on their contracts a factor? There was a report that you had a problem with…

JOHN MARA: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. That's never been a factor in any coaching decision that we've ever made here.

Q: You talked about how important the quarterback position is. You had the No. 1 pick two weeks ago and then you win the (Indianapolis) Colts game. Then it seemed like you didn't go all out yesterday. Why not have just tanked if you knew they were coming back?

JOHN MARA: If I had thought that we were tanking either one of those games, I would have fired everybody. We are never going to do that in this organization as long as I'm standing on this side of the grass.

Q: We didn't get to talk to you after the planes. How much did that bother you?

JOHN MARA: I didn't need planes flying over me to tell me how upset the fans are. I hear from them every day. So, that really did not have much of an effect. I get how upset they are. I try to respond to them. Nobody was more upset than I am about how we performed in recent years. I have to stand up here and take the heat for that.

Q: The big failure of this regime was the Daniel Jones contract. I think the question is how much of a hand did ownership have in that deal? Are you absolving them of that mistake?

JOHN MARA: No. We made a decision at the end of the '22 season, based on how Daniel (Jones) had played, that we were going to sign him to that contract. I approved that and we live with the results.

Q: When you say you believe in Joe (Schoen) and Dabs (Brian Daboll) after speaking with them on Friday, after watching them but you also do not want a starting over process, you've been through this process enough. Is it more belief in them than the pain of having to start over? Or is it not wanting to start over?

JOHN MARA: I think it's a combination of things. It's a belief in them, number one. But, number two, I think when you start over, you really set yourselves back. When you have a belief in the two individuals that are leading the organization, you have to have the patience to stay with it. Again, if we're standing here, if I'm standing here a year from now and we're having the same conversation, I'll take the heat for it. But we still believe that it's the right decision going forward.

HEAD COACH BRIAN DABOLL

Q: As the season wound down, what were your feelings about what was going to happen next year with you? When did you finally get that notification that you were going to be back?

BRIAN DABOLL: Like I said, I've been in constant communication with ownership. I heard this morning. I am thankful for the opportunity. We have a lot of work to do. Obviously, 3-14 is not good enough.

Q: You said you heard this morning?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yes.

Q: That was through (President) John (Mara)?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah.

Q: We spoke with John (Mara). He talked about the defense not being good enough. Have you made any staff changes?

BRIAN DABOLL: I haven't made any staff changes. I'll just say everything wasn't good enough. When you only win three games, there's a lot of things that need to be improved. Again, it's only the day after the last game. So, we'll get started on that process.

Q: Are you considering staff changes?

BRIAN DABOLL: We just got done with meeting with the players. I'll sit down with all the coaches, and we'll make the best decisions we can for the football team.

Q: You say that, but by this point last year you had already moved on from (former Special Teams Coordinator) Thomas McGaughey and (former Offensive Line Coach) Bobby Johnson. So, it's not crazy that you would have already thought about making staff changes…

BRIAN DABOLL: I haven't thought about it in terms of… I got a lot of confidence in the guys that have put the time and effort and energy in. The results were terrible. But we're moving forward here and we'll do everything we can do to improve it.

Q: John (Mara) also said you guys had a long meeting on Friday and you laid out your plan. So, within that plan there was nothing about staff changes?

BRIAN DABOLL: What I talk about with John is private. We had a long conversation about a lot of different things.

Q: Well, within that plan, he expressed he wasn't happy with the defense. So, it seemed to put (Defensive Coordinator) Shane Bowen in the crosshairs if the owner saying he's not happy with the defense.

BRIAN DABOLL: I wouldn't take it as that. You're not happy with anything when you win three games.

Q: He also mentioned… He said to you, 'Have you thought about not calling plays next year?'…

BRIAN DABOLL: I brought that up. I brought that up to him in the meeting. Again, there's no decision that's been made. We'll sit back and take a look at everything and do what we need to do.

Q: When we talked to you at the owners meeting, you were pretty adamant about wanting play calling back. You talked about the number of head coaches who were offensive minded that are still calling plays. So, to give it up after one year after taking it back, why is that something you're considering?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I'm not saying I'm giving it up or not giving it up.

Q: Why is that something you're considering?

BRIAN DABOLL: We won three games. So, I'm going to consider every option to try to be better.

Q: What is your vision for the team going forward? John (Mara) talked about the fact that he remains confident in both your vision and (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe's (Schoen) vision.

BRIAN DABOLL: I would just say we got a lot of work to do and that's what we'll do.

Q: How much of your future here, do you think, is tied to who the quarterback is going be in September?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'm focused on today. I just found out we're going to be able to stay. So, got a lot of work to do and that's what we're going to do.

Q: Why did you do exit meetings this year but not last year?

BRIAN DABOLL: I thought it was the right thing to do. We did it the first year, too.

Q: Why wasn't it the right thing last year?

BRIAN DABOLL: We thought something else would be a little bit better. We didn't like the way we did it last year, so we changed it this year. Just like it changes from year-to-year with schedules, practice routines, meetings with coaches or whatever it may be. So, we figured we'd do it this year. We did it after the first year. We did it in groups, select groups like free agents versus rookies versus second-year players. That was the decision we made.

Q: Knowing that you found out today that you're coming back for next year, but there's obviously no commitment beyond that, beyond the year. Does that make you more willing or more likely to pursue a veteran quarterback than a rookie quarterback who you will have to develop?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say we will pursue anything we think can make us better. The NFL is usually a one-year deal anyway. So, we'll do everything we can do to be much better than we were this year.

Q: After your discussions with John (Mara) and just going into next season, do you feel like you need to make the playoffs in 2025?

BRIAN DABOLL: Again, the conversations we have are private. I would just say, obviously, three wins isn't good enough.

Q: What kind of honor and privilege is it to coach this franchise, in your mind?

BRIAN DABOLL: It's a great honor. I need to do a better job.

Q: Absent John (Mara), personally do you feel like you need to make the playoffs next year?

BRIAN DABOLL: I just think we got to do a better job of improving where we're at. That's what we need to do. So, a long road ahead, a lot of things to improve on and it starts with me.

Q: You guys blocked (Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Mike) Kafka from an Offensive Coordinator job last offseason. Will you do the same this year or is there any change there?

BRIAN DABOLL: We just got done with player meetings. I'll sit down with all the coaches and discuss a bunch of things with them. But I've got a lot of respect for Mike (Kafka).

Q: Why isn't Joe (Schoen) out here with you?

BRIAN DABOLL: He's coming out here after me, to talk.

Q: Are you doing those sit-downs with coaches today?

BRIAN DABOLL: Over the next few days.

Q: You guys made some significant changes, whether it's special teams, other coaching staff or Defensive Coordinator, would it be challenging to redo it again?

BRIAN DABOLL: Like I said, I got a lot of confidence in the guys. We'll sit down. We'll talk about a lot of different things, and we'll make the decisions we think we need to make.

Q: What do you look at and say, 'We have to fix'? Like, why did this season go wrong? What sticks out to you in that regard?

BRIAN DABOLL: There's a lot of things, obviously. We didn't play well enough and didn't coach well enough.

Q: One of the things players brought up to me was they thought, at times, there was a lack of accountability in regards to the young players. I'm wondering what you think when you hear that?

BRIAN DABOLL: I would say everything has got to be better when you win three games.

Q: You met with John (Mara) on Friday, correct?

BRIAN DABOLL: I did, amongst other days.

Q: He mentioned that was a long meeting…

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we had a long meeting.

Q: That was different than other meetings, right? That was a meeting to talk about the future and your job and things like that, is that correct?

BRIAN DABOLL: We've had a lot of discussions about a lot of different things.

Q: He told you today that you're coming back…

BRIAN DABOLL: He did.

Q: So between Friday and today, was anything in your mind thinking that your job might be in jeopardy? Or is there anything from that Friday that kind of convinced you that you were going to come back?

BRIAN DABOLL: I try to focus on the things I can control. So, that's what I focus on.

Q: You're also a human being who values your job, I would think.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah.

Q: So, I'm asking between Friday and Monday, was there anything in your head just thinking about your job security?

BRIAN DABOLL: I just focus on what I need to do for each day.

Q: Is that easy to compartmentalize for you? Or do you find that as a challenge that through the years you've had to do that?

BRIAN DABOLL: I think the older you get in this profession and the more things you go through, I think it's easier to focus on the things you can control.

Q: What makes up the qualities of a winning quarterback?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say there's a lot of things. I'm not going to get into all the particulars. They got to be a good football player, got to be accurate, good decision maker, good in critical situations, good in two-minute (situations), good in the red zone, leadership, a lot of different things.

Q: It's a difficult chore to find one like that, isn't it?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah.

Q: Do you believe that you've had the players that you needed to win more games than maybe you guys have the last two years?

BRIAN DABOLL: We didn't do a good enough job. I didn't do a good enough job and we're going to do everything we can do to get it better.

Q: We asked you last week what you learned about yourself as a coach and now the end of the season is here and you've had that time to sit down and talk with John (Mara). What have you learned about yourself as a coach this year?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, the season's not even 24 hours over. We got a lot of work to do and that's what we plan on doing.

Q: Did you guys go all out to win that game yesterday?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah. We ran a fake punt.

Q: Some of the players were saying it felt like a preseason game with some of the lineup decisions…

BRIAN DABOLL: We were looking at other guys, too, to see how they played and give them some opportunities that have competed here. A lot of them did a nice job. Unfortunately, we made a couple key penalties there at the end that we shouldn't have made.

Q: Why did you kick the field goal late in the fourth rather than going for it after going for it earlier?

BRIAN DABOLL: I thought that was the right thing to do.

Q: Is there anything you can put your finger on? You bring up the key penalties at the end. The first year, your first season, those little details were winning you games. The last two years, those seem to be what's costing you these close games. Do you have anything you can put your finger on in that regard?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'd say there's a lot of things that are costing us and I got to do a better job with it.

Q: When will you start your draft quarterback tape watching evaluations?

BRIAN DABOLL: Soon.

Q: This week?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, soon.

Q: Do you think you're set up to succeed here? Are the components in place, are the pieces in place, that you've got every opportunity to win?

BRIAN DABOLL: We're going to have to do a good job this offseason in improving in a lot of areas.

Q: Along with possibly giving a play calling, what other changes are you considering making in your role or how you operate?

BRIAN DABOLL: We'll start that and we'll go through the process here over the months here leading up to when we get to May.

Q: What did you bring up though, in your meeting with John (Mara)?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'll keep all that private.

Q: The record is one that gets guys fired, obviously. Do you think that the way the team went through the season, not a lot of controversies, seemed to play hard, seemed to not get off the track, do you think that helped in a season that you lost three games to convince ownership that…

BRIAN DABOLL: Won three games.

Q: That won three games. Did I say I'd lose three games?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah. I wish it was reversed.

Q: We wouldn't be having this discussion right now then. The way the team got guided through everything, that it helped your case?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I knew you guys talked to John (Mara). Again, I make no excuses. It was not good enough. I think the guys battled and stuck together. But obviously a lot of improvements we need to make.

Q: John (Mara) said that he questioned you about whether to call plays or not next year. You said that you were the one that brought it up, which…

BRIAN DABOLL: Maybe he asked the question. It was a good conversation, it was a long conversation.

Q: How much of an internal battle is that for you to decide whether to give it up? I know you take a lot of pride in doing it.

BRIAN DABOLL: We got to do stuff different when you only win three games. So, a lot of things to look at. I'm not prepared to say what I'm going to do or what I'm not going to do 24 hours after the last game.

Q: In consideration with giving up play calling, is it the possibility of changing the offensive scheme? To get a new play caller, theoretically, he'd have his own ideas, his own scheme…

BRIAN DABOLL: We will do whatever we think we need to do.

Q: I asked this last week and you said there'd be time after the season, so I'll ask it again. Any regrets on how you guys handled (quarterback) Daniel Jones and letting him go when you let him go?

BRIAN DABOLL: We're moving on here to '25.

Senior Vice President and General Manager Joe Schoen

JOE SCHOEN: Thanks for coming out. Obviously, the three wins are not good enough. But that is what we will spend the next four months doing, between the draft and free agency, upgrading the roster the best we can. We are looking at the organization top to bottom, trying to figure out what's best moving forward throughout the entire football operation. So, that being said, I'll open it up for questions.

Q: Who does this fall on, in your mind, in terms of the performance this season?

JOE SCHOEN: First and foremost, myself. We're not good enough. We didn't play well enough. I've got to do a better job assembling a roster with more talent so we can go out and compete at a higher level. So, I look inward, first and foremost.

Q: I know you thought otherwise when we spoke to you last time about whether you were going to come back. You looked pretty certain you would be back. Did that ever waver? What did you think when you did hear the news earlier today?

JOE SCHOEN: No, that never…

Q: (Head Coach) Brian (Daboll) said he spoke to (President) John (Mara) specifically and he was told he was coming back today.

JOE SCHOEN: It never wavered from last time we were here, from my feelings there.

Q: How much of your future success is tied to bringing in a quarterback here to this offseason?

JOE SCHOEN: It's the most important position in football. You look at the roster right now, (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) is the only quarterback on the roster. So, that's definitely important to any team in the NFL's success. So, that's something we'll definitely be looking at.

Q: What are you going to be looking at? What skills? What kind of characteristics?

JOE SCHOEN: I don't want to get into specifics on that. But, we've done a lot of work on the college guys. John (Mara) mentioned earlier that we'll look at free agency. We can also look throughout the draft, potential trade opportunities. We'll look at any avenue we can to upgrade the position. We've talked before, in these situations, the film is one part of the equation. But, from a draft standpoint, you really got to get around these kids. I think it's an important part of our process that we try to get around these kids every year, so when they are free agents or a trade opportunity presents itself, you've spent an ample amount of time with these guys on who they are as people and their ability to learn and process information.

Q: Do you have any regrets about not getting a quarterback in the draft last year?

JOE SCHOEN: No, I'm happy with (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) and where he was. The draft class in general… I know those guys played well. They did. They played really well. I think five out of six of those guys played over 50% of the snaps. (Inside linebacker) Darius (Muasau), towards the end, was up around 40% in terms of playtime total. I'm happy with the core foundation that we were able to acquire through last year's draft. I think those guys will be key pieces moving forward.

Q: On a week-to-week basis late in the season, were you aware of where your draft status was?

JOE SCHOEN: Yes.

Q: So, when you got to one was there any thought in the last couple of games that, 'We're at No. 1 here. We need to try to win, but No. 1 looks pretty good if we need a quarterback?'

JOE SCHOEN: You're always going to go out and try to win. I know John (Mara) addressed that earlier. As long as the New York Giants and the Mara and Tisch families are on board, we're going to go out and try to win the games. That's what we believe in.

Q: There's a thought that when a regime is entering a must-win year where you just were told you're coming back, that a GM and a coach will act out of self-preservation, spend a lot of money on the best possible team, trade future draft picks to get them. How will you balance that versus that might not be the long-term interest of the Giants? A spending spree om free agency and trading future draft capital.

JOE SCHOEN: I understand the question. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for the Mara family and the Tisch family. I would never do that. I understand we're going to build this thing the right way. I'm not going to do a Hail Mary for self-preservation or anything like that. We have a plan in place that we believe in and we're going to stick with that. Again, I've got a tremendous amount of respect for ownership and what they believe in. We have really good communication with them. They understand where we are and where we're trying to go. There will be no Hail Mary's.

Q: Are you concerned you won't get enough time to fully realize that plan?

JOE SCHOEN: No.

Q: What makes you think you can turn it around?

JOE SCHOEN: We're here. We're picking third in the draft. As we built this thing, when (quarterback) Daniel (Jones) had the ACL a year ago, not knowing how he was going to come back, we also had to be conscious of what may be on the horizon. So, you're working on parallel tracks. So, we're sitting here with 40-plus million dollars in cap space and over 100 the following year. So, some teams are in this situation where maybe they need a quarterback and they don't have the financial pieces or the draft resources. So, we are in good shape from that standpoint in terms of improving the roster via free agency, trades, or through the draft. I've got a lot of confidence in the people in the building, the process and I've got a lot of faith in the plan that we have in place moving forward.

Q: Are you under the belief that you need to make the playoffs next year?

JOE SCHOEN: No. Again, we've got to continue to build it the right way. If we have a really good roster and you get close and… I think John (Mara) said it to you guys earlier, it's about progress. We're at three wins. We didn't make progress in the direction we wanted to this year and it's not good enough. It starts with me and I understand that. But, to have an ultimatum, 'You make the playoffs or you don't,' that changes things. But, that's not it. John (Mara) believes in the people in the building and (Chairman) Steve (Tisch) and they're giving us the ability to build it the right way.

Q: What were your conversations like with John (Mara) on Friday?

JOE SCHOEN: (Head Coach) Dabs (Brian Daboll) was in there, too. We're going to keep those conversations private. But, they were productive, good communication like what we always have. I talk to John on a daily basis. So, Friday wasn't some out-of-the-ordinary situation. We have good conversation all the time, whether it's at practice, in the building, on the phone or whatever it is. We have constant communication.

Q: You referenced you have faith in your plan that obviously, on the outside, it looks like it's going backwards with nine, six, three wins. What is that? What can you articulate that is going to give faith to the fans that are obviously paying money to come to these games, that it is going to be different?

JOE SCHOEN: I understand your question. Again, it goes back to a little bit of what I said. We're not digging ourselves out of a financial hole or a lack of draft capital. We made a decision with Daniel (Jones) after the playoff run. The way we structured the contract was we were going to do the best we can to try to surround him with weapons, upgrade the offensive line, which we did this year, and see how far we could go with Daniel (Jones). Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But, at the same time, our hands aren't tied behind our back. Financially, we're in good shape. We're in a good salary cap situation. We have draft capital to make changes. I've got a lot of confidence in the plan, the people in this building and our process that we'll do that.

Q: I know it's early. How would you evaluate this current quarterback class?

JOE SCHOEN: I don't want to get into specifics on that. We've done a lot of work. Again, until we get to February and early March in the combine and can get around these guys, that's when the opinions really start to take shape. Once you get into March and early April and you can get around the kids.

Q: Is it concerning at all that there are two teams ahead of you that potentially could need a quarterback?

JOE SCHOEN: We've got to control what we can control. Nothing we can do about that.

Q: What did you think when you saw (quarterback) Shedeur (Sanders) throwing the ball with Malik (Nabers) in the streets?

JOE SCHOEN: That one caught me off guard. Obviously I knew the Heisman Trophy ceremony was in town. I didn't even realize that Shedeur (Sanders) would be in that. I guess he was supporting (cornerback/wide receiver) Travis (Hunter). But, that was cool. Unexpected. But, the fact that those two have a relationship, that was… I had not seen that before, an NFL receiver and a quarterback prospect playing catch in New York City. So, that was interesting.

Q: Shedeur (Sanders) then, when the week you guys had the number one pick, said something like, 'You can't go higher than No. 1. I already know where I'm going.' It makes people wonder if you've given Shedeur's (Sanders) camp any indication that he's your guy.

JOE SCHOEN: No, we haven't had any conversations with his camp on any of that stuff. We don't really control any of that stuff. So, again, we've got to control what we can control.

Q: Both John (Mara) and the players spoke about the positives of continuity. But, when the results aren't there record-wise in the direction you want, what benefits do you get from a continuity in GM and Head Coach?

JOE SCHOEN: Again, we're trying to build this still. I know I spoke at the bye week. I believe it was 18 of 22 starters coming back. When you first get here and where we were from a salary cap standpoint and trying to prioritize how you were going to build it, where you were going to address certain things, it takes time to get to this point. We were talking to some of the defensive guys today in our exit interviews, (inside linebacker) Bobby O (Bobby Okereke), for example, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, he's on four different defenses in four years. As you're talking to these guys and you realize how hard it is to learn some of these new systems. You've got young guys that are getting their feet wet that are just finally starting to feel comfortable in the systems now. So, I do think it's important. This is hard and it takes time. I think the continuity factor is important. Hopefully we see that come to fruition in 2025.

Q: Why are you and Brian (Daboll) doing separate pressers today? It seemed like in the past, at this juncture, you guys took questions and did this together…

JOE SCHOEN: I've been in six hours of meetings today. You can talk to (Senior Director of Football Communications) Dion (Dargin) about that afterwards. I've been pretty busy, just came up for air.

Q: You had ten different offensive line combinations this year, which was tied for the most of the league. Last year you had the same thing. I know one of the things you talked about when you first came here was solidifying the offensive line. Where do you think you are in that respect and how important is it to galvanize that group?

JOE SCHOEN: That's a good question. I felt pretty good about it through the first six weeks and when (tackle) A.T. (Andrew Thomas) went down, he's… There are certain players on your roster that are difficult to replace and I would put him in that category. So, when we were rolling with those six guys, I felt good about it. We made significant gains in terms of the amount of sacks, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I think we cut it in half or close to cut it in half compared to a year ago. So, I did feel good about the offensive line up until that point. Then I would even say after the bye week, once we had some more injuries, I think we've given up 14 sacks and six of those came against Dallas. In the last two weeks we didn't give up any sacks. So, not as bad as the year before. I do think there's some improvements. Again, for the last two weeks to not give up any sacks, with the different amounts of guys that were in there. So, I do think it's better. All the guys are coming back except for (guard) GVR (Greg Van Roten) and (guard Aaron) Stinnie are the two UFAs (un-restricted free agents) amongst that group, (tackle Chris) Hubbard as well. So, there'll be good competition there. Obviously, the right guard spot is open and that's something that we can look to address. But, I thought (tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor) played well when he was at right tackle. He really helped us out by moving to left tackle and showing his versatility was good. (Guard) Jon Runyan (Jr.), again, you try to sign these guys and you look at the durability and you try to sign guys that are going to be healthy. He hasn't missed a game in four years and you sign him and he comes from a winning organization and provided really good leadership for us. He was injured. Then (center) John Michael (Schmitz Jr.) had the injury, as well. So, you'd hope one of these years the injury gods would take care of us and we could be healthy the entire season up front. You watch these games on Sundays, as you get late into December, and you're looking at these offensive lines, you're like, 'Gosh dang, that's their starting five.' It'd be nice to have in December. Again, that'll always be a priority for us moving forward. It was tough last year in 2023, the way we played. It was part of the offseason priority this year. I feel good about the four that we have coming back and the depth and the competition we'll have.

Q: When you look at your draft class this year, we know how productive they've been. You obviously talked about it, but John (Mara) also mentioned it. The process you used this year with this draft, is it the same process or how has that changed from year one to year two and then year two to year three for you, your department, for scouting and everything else?

JOE SCHOEN: Year one you come in and you really… (Assistant General Manager) Brandon Brown was the only addition for that first draft. So, you're working with a room full of people that you're still trying to figure out. Some guys are really good at background. Some are really good at scouting and evaluation and the round value. You're trying to figure that out year one. Year two we made some changes. We brought in (Director of Pro Scouting) Chris Rossetti and (Assistant Director of Player Personnel) Dennis Hickey. (Executive Advisor to the General Manager Ryan) Cowden came on board this past year. So, the process isn't much different. I'm still learning, always learning. I think that's important. I reflect on some of the decisions we made and maybe where there was a blind spot or I turned a blind eye to some things that I learned from. I think that's important in year three. There's a good process in place and the right people in place. I got a great scouting staff. It's unique that we took a player from each scout's area. So, each scout of our road scouts, who do a phenomenal job, are represented in that draft class. So, our scouting staff is where we want it, pro and college staff. Again, I got a lot of faith in the people in there. I think you saw the results from the draft class this past year.

Q: Do you let yourself go back and think if you had your process before this class… Are there things you looked at that maybe would've been different in those first two draft classes if you had this team together the way you have it set up right now?

JOE SCHOEN: That's what keeps you up at night. You're always evaluating everything. You want to be perfect and you're dealing with the ultimate equalizer in human beings and people and how they're going to react in different situations and the big city and the lights and the media and the pressure of playing in the city. So, as we continue to do it, we're going to continue to sharpen our process. Again, I believe in the process and the people in the building. You just got to learn. If you do make mistakes, I think you reflect on it, you own it and you learn from it. Those experiences will only help you as you move forward in those draft meetings. That's an important part of some of the experience that I have on my staff. Brandon Brown can say, 'Well, when I was in Philly, we did this.' Or Ryan Cowden can say, 'When I was in Tennessee, we did this.' Or Dennis Hickey, 'When I was a GM…' Some of that, experience comes in, mixed in with some of our youth, is really helpful as you're going through these decisions and trying to make the right decisions.

Q: John (Mara) talked to us about how the defense is something that he was really concerned with. So, for you, how do you go about fixing this defense?

JOE SCHOEN: Dabs (Brian Daboll) and I, we'll go through those conversations here over the next couple weeks. We're going to take a step back and look at it. Is it scheme? Is it personnel? Is it run fits? Or is some of it players too? We're going to look at all three phases and where we need to upgrade and how we can get better.

Q: It's no secret you guys made a pretty significant draft resource investment in (wide receiver) Jalin Hyatt in trading up to get him. It hasn't worked out. Playing time, he's not happy. He said, 'We'll see,' when we asked about his future. How do you see Jalin Hyatt's future and how can he become more involved?

JOE SCHOEN: Yeah, I'd heard that. So I called him and… He had to get something done so we weren't able to talk to him yet. So, I asked him about that and his take on it was there was a question about (wide receiver) Darius (Slayton). If Darius (Slayton) wasn't here, I think that was the, 'We'll see,' comment, if Darius Slayton wasn't here. But, I still got a lot of confidence in Jalin. Some of it comes down to his skill set, utilizing his skill set. He's a vertical guy that can take the top off and can run. He's an explosive playmaker. So, part of it starts with getting somebody in here that can hopefully utilize his skill set. With (wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson) in the slot, he had 93 catches. You guys saw (Malik) Nabers this year. Then also having a vertical guy that can take the top off. (Tight end) Theo (Johnson) had a really good rookie season. Really came on, really improved, really excited about him. Then you saw what (running back Tyrone) Tracy did. So, there's some young core pieces on offense that have different skill sets that can provide some explosive plays. Get the right quarterback in here and hopefully we can utilize him.

Q: So, you invested a lot in the quarterback position, obviously, and the results were this year. So, what gives you the confidence that you have what it takes to evaluate the position and get it right this time?

JOE SCHOEN: I wouldn't change what we did. When I reflect on how that went down with Daniel (Jones), again, it's the information you have. We had just won ten games. You won a road playoff game. I just watched Dabs (Brian Daboll) for four years at Buffalo with Josh Allen. The year before that with Jalen (Hurts) and Tua (Tagovailoa) at Alabama. So, I've got a lot of confidence in the coaching staff. Again, I've got a lot of confidence in our process. We've done these quarterback deep dives the last two or three years, and, I would say the players that we were high on have went on to have solid rookie years or second years, whatever it may be. So, again, a lot of faith in my staff, a lot of faith in the coaching staff whether it's the draft or free agency or who we sign, that they would be able to develop them. I wish it would have worked out with Daniel (Jones), but it didn't. But it doesn't deter me from taking one and having a lot of faith in the people that are in place to develop whoever it is.

Q: Evan Neal, you guys have been reluctant to move him to guard? Do you think that would be on the table?

JOE SCHOEN: We didn't speak with him about that today. Again, those will be off-season conversations if that's something that we decide. But that didn't come up in our conversations with Evan (Neal) today. All right.