EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are set to sign general manager Joe Schoen to a multiyear contract extension, pairing him with new coach John Harbaugh for years to come.
Schoen, 47, joined the Giants in 2022, along with coach Brian Daboll. Schoen's contract was set to expire after this upcoming season.
Though Daboll was fired in October, the Giants entrusted Schoen with driving the coaching search that ultimately produced Harbaugh. The two then worked together through free agency and the draft.
"We were able to get on the same page right off the bat in terms of what we were looking for, in terms of team building, trying to find the right type of guys that fit our scheme and our system," Schoen said earlier this week while sitting alongside Harbaugh at a Giants town hall in Manhattan. "We were aligned from Day 1. So, it's been great. It has been a really good offseason for us."
Schoen came to the Giants after five seasons as the assistant general manager for the Buffalo Bills under Brandon Beane. Schoen previously worked in personnel roles for the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers.
The Giants started strong in Schoen's first season. They went 9-7-1 and won a playoff game as he put together the roster in his maiden year. But New York hit a rough stretch over the next three seasons, going 13-38 from 2023 to 2025. Schoen admitted to missteps because of the early success during that 2022 season.
But Giants ownership has liked how Schoen has worked collaboratively with Harbaugh, and John Mara said last year that he thought the organization's decision-making process was the best he has seen during his time with the team. The franchise is optimistic about its future, specifically with Harbaugh as the coach and Jaxson Dart as the quarterback. The Giants are also overjoyed about their most recent draft class, beginning with top-10 picks linebacker Arvell Reese and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
"I feel great about how it's gone. Starting from the ground up, looking at the staff and the scouts and everything, it's a great group. It's a great group that Joe put together," Harbaugh said after the draft. "On the scouting side, I feel like they're just thorough. They're excellent at what they do. I saw them work. I saw their reports. I saw them through the process the last three days, the communication. One of the best things that this scouting department does is communicate with the coaches. The coaches and the scouts are seamless.
"We ended up on the same page. We didn't always agree, but we understood where we were coming from, and then we had -- probably the most important thing is to have a clear understanding of when you -- my dad always used to say in recruiting, it's not who you don't get, it's who you get that matters. Do you have a clear vision for what they're going to do? Do you like them as a player? Can you find a place for them and get them ready to play? I think we did that. Communication is a big part of that. Happy with that."
The Giants' roster appears to be in better shape now than it has been in years. New York has rebuilt the offensive line, has a No. 1 receiver in Malik Nabers and some standout pass rushers, and there is hope that Dart is the long-term answer at quarterback. Schoen has been instrumental in making all those moves.
It wasn't all smooth sailing up until this point. The Giants are 22-44-1 in the four years since he has taken over as general manager. His tenure has included hard negotiating and bad blood that drove away some players.
Schoen is considered most responsible for not re-signing Saquon Barkley and allowing him to walk as a free agent to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. Schoen was also a factor in Dexter Lawrence II requesting a trade and eventually ending up with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Schoen's hard bargaining and reputation earned him a D+ in this year's NFLPA report cards. It was the lowest mark in the league. The team also hired Dawn Aponte as the senior vice president of football operations and strategy to take some non-personnel responsibilities off his plate.
But in the end, the Giants are betting on stability and Schoen's ability to learn from mistakes. Harbaugh's support was the final stamp of approval.
"Joe and I have been working together every single day, I mean, hours on end, whether it's planning or organizing or just talking about players or watching tape again over and over again on these guys," Harbaugh said last month. "I feel like it's gone very well."