Joe Schoen may inadvertently aid consecutive NFC rivals in clinching the Super Bowl if the Seattle Seahawks emerge victorious against the New England Patriots this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
Here’s your comprehensive guide from the Giants’ and Jets’ perspective for Super Bowl LX, detailing the reasons and notable personalities to watch for on Sunday:
Sam Darnold, quarterback for the Seahawks: Once a first-round pick for the Jets, Darnold has revitalized his career, transitioning from a near-journeyman to a respected cornerstone quarterback. His standout performance in the NFC Championship Game against the L.A. Rams set the stage for him to potentially be Sunday’s MVP with another stellar showing.
Leonard Williams, defensive tackle for the Seahawks: Originally traded by the Jets to the Giants in 2019, Williams played a crucial role in the Giants’ 2022 playoff resurgence. However, Schoen’s 2023 decision to trade him to Seattle for a high second-round and fifth-round pick seemed justifiable then, given the Giants’ struggles. Yet, those picks resulted in safety Tyler Nubin and offensive lineman Marcus Mbow, who have yet to meet expectations. Meanwhile, Williams has been a dominant defensive force, contributing significantly to Seattle’s potential championship run.
Julian Love, safety for the Seahawks: While not as dominant as Williams, Love, a former Giants draft pick, is pivotal in Seattle’s defense under coach Mike Macdonald. His leadership and consistency have been invaluable. The Giants’ players, including Dexter Lawrence, were unhappy with Williams’ 2023 trade but were even more discontented with Schoen’s decision to let Love leave in free agency, a choice that still resonates negatively within the organization.
This misstep, though not as glaring as allowing Saquon Barkley to join the Philadelphia Eagles and lead them to last year’s Super Bowl, underscores Schoen’s apparent misjudgment of leadership and team dynamics. It inadvertently paved the way for Seattle’s journey to Super Bowl LX.
Ben McAdoo, Patriots senior defensive assistant: McAdoo led the Giants to the playoffs in 2016 for the first time since 2011 and didn’t even make it to the end of the 2017 season when he and GM Jerry Reese were scapegoated for the Eli Manning benching. Co-owner John Mara acknowledged in 2018 to the Daily News that he failed McAdoo by not being more supportive and hands-on with the young coach.
“We probably did a very poor job of helping [Ben] get through it [all], and when I say we, I mean myself,” Mara said then. “With Tom [Coughlin], if Tom only saw you once a week, that was fine with him. He liked to do things on his own and to be left alone. But he was an experienced, accomplished, successful head coach. He didn’t need daily support; Ben did… He could have used more support from me.”
McAdoo is one of several former Giants employees whose careers recently have been derailed by the Giants’ dysfunction and web of allies. But now he’s on the verge of winning a ring.
Drew Lock, Seahawks backup QB: Lock is one of the most relatable and human players to walk through the Giants’ locker room since I began covering the team in 2016. He memorably followed a bad start for the Giants in Atlanta last season with a 309-yard, five touchdown win over the Indianapolis Colts. And then coach Brian Daboll made the postgame about himself, saying: “That’s how the offense needs to perform. That’s how the quarterback needs to perform. If you get good quarterback play, then you have an opportunity in every game.”
Lock could be called upon to be the hero on Sunday. Who knows? That would be fitting, because if Lock does get in the game, he will be playing in honor of his late father, Andy, who tragically passed away at age 57 last April. And it would shock no one if Lock rose to that moment, especially since everyone outside of New England would be pulling for him.
Tommy DeVito, Patriots third-string QB: Tommy Cutlets and Jameis Winston both received barely any snaps in Giants training camp last August while Russell Wilson was handed a starting job that he held for a total of three weeks before Jaxson Dart took over and the team went 4-13. DeVito’s release ended a feel-good local story in New Jersey, but he has found a home in a more stable organization and might be able to call himself a champion Sunday.
THE REST: Patriots defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III, whom the Jets released in October, blocked a potential Broncos game-tying field goal in the AFC Championship Game. … Former Giants draft pick Shane Lemieux is on the Seahawks’ practice squad/injured list. … Ryan Cowden, Schoen’s former Giants executive advisor, is the Patriots’ vice president of player personnel. … The Patriots have three former Giants coaches on staff: interim defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, assistant special teams coach Tom Quinn and director of sports performance Frank Piraino. … Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross never played for the Jets or Giants, but there were people in the Giants’ building who liked him coming out of Mississippi State in 2022. The Carolina Panthers drafted tackle Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall that April. Schoen and the Giants took Evan Neal at No. 7. The Seahawks got Cross at No. 9.
