Giants fire offensive coordinator Garrett after ugly loss to Bucs
In an effort to spark an anemic offense with the season teetering on the brink of fiasco, the New York Giants fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett after a dreadful performance in a nationally televised game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Coach Joe Judge confirmed the dismissal of Garrett on Tuesday, noting the offense was not scoring enough points.
“This is not a blame game,” Judge said. “That’s not what this is at all. I am not looking for a head to roll or worried about external opinions or perceptions. This is not a blame game. I am very appreciative of Jason for a lot of things he has done for us.”
Judge said the coaching staff would combine to make an offensive game plan for the contest against the Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. He refused to say who would call the plays, noting every member of the staff is an option, including himself.
Former Cleveland Browns head coach and current senior offensive assistant Freddie Kitchens has experience and has called plays.
The Giants (3-7) were embarrassed on Monday night, dropping a 30-10 decision to the Bucs. After the game, Judge said the team has too many good players not to be scoring, giving an indication changes were coming.
Judge said the move to fire Garrett was not a snap decision. He noted he was equally responsible for the offensive failures because he is the head coach.
“There was no boiling point,” Judge said. “It was just a move we feel we have to make at this point to help the team go further.”
Bears coach Nagy denies report he will be fired
Who coaches the Chicago Bears after Thursday seems to be the bigger topic now than who their starting quarterback will be this week.
Bears coach Matt Nagy said Tuesday Andy Dalton will start against the Detroit Lions for injured Justin Fields, then spent half of his press conference dealing with a report saying he has been told he will no longer coach the Bears after Thursday’s game.
“That is not accurate,” Nagy said of the report, which appeared on Patch.com.
The Bears have lost five straight and for three straight years have had losing streaks of four games or more. So Nagy’s job status going forward has been a hot debate throughout Chicago. Chants of “Fire Nagy,” were heard at times in Soldier Field during Sunday’s 16-13 loss to Baltimore — and even at the United Center during a
Chicago Bulls game.
The report about the firing was by Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Konkol, a former news reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. It did not indicate a source.
Nagy said he normally talks on a regular basis with team general manager Ryan Pace, President Ted Phillips and board chairman George McCaskey, but not this week as there were no meetings scheduled.
“We have constant communication,” Nagy said. “I always think it’s good and healthy and so we stayed on course. With the bye week and then with the short turnaround and with game prep, we have not (talked).”
The Bears have never fired a coach during midseason.
Vikings put Tomlinson on COVID-19 reserve list
The Minnesota Vikings placed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson on the COVID-19 reserve list on Tuesday, further testing their depth on the defensive line.
Tomlinson has started all 10 games in his first season with the Vikings (5-5), after leaving the New York Giants to sign with them as a free agent. The other starting defensive tackle Michael Pierce will miss at least one more game with an elbow injury he’s been fighting for almost two months. Defensive end Danielle Hunter is out for the rest of the year with a torn pectoral muscle.
Wilson to return as starting quarterback for Jets
Zach Wilson will return as the New York Jets’ starting quarterback Sunday against the Texans in Houston, according to a person with direct knowledge of the decision.
The No. 2 overall pick in April missed the past four games with a sprained posterior collateral ligament in his right knee.