According to multiple reports on Monday morning, the New York Giants have decided to fire defensive coordinator Shane Bowen after a brutal stint in 2025.
After a horrific 2-10 start to the 2025 NFL season, the New York Giants have made another major coaching change following the team’s Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions.
According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo, the Giants fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen on Monday morning.
The move to part ways with Bowen comes a couple of weeks after the organization’s decision to fire head coach Brian Daboll, who posted a 20-40-1 record during his tenure in New York. Bowen joined the coaching staff in 2023 to replace former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who parted ways with the Giants after the 2023 NFL season.
It should come as no surprise that the struggling franchise would eventually move on from Bowen, who has failed to elevate what many consider to be a stout defense on paper.
This season, the Giants have lost five games after leading in the fourth quarter, with their defense unable to make the necessary stops in critical moments.
With Bowen out as the defensive coordinator, New York has named outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen as the interim defensive coordinator, according to Josina Anderson.
Bullen has played a key role in the excellent play from star outside linebacker Brian Burns in 2025, who has recorded the second-most sacks in the NFL this season with 13.
Looking ahead at the future, the defensive coordinator position will likely depend on who the Giants ultimately decide to hire as the next head coach.
If the front office lands a defensive mind, such as Broncos’ defensive coordinator Vance Joseph or San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, either coach would provide a significant boost to New York’s efforts on that side of the ball.
However, if the organization chooses to target an offensive-minded coach for the head coach position, it’s clear that he must bring a fresh defensive coach to take over a defense that has multiple key pieces within the trenches.
Burns, along with 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter, will be the most important pieces for the defense moving forward, and could eventually turn into a dynamic one-two punch in the pass rush with proper coaching.