The Washington Commanders didn't make the required progress last season. But even with a return to their darker days, they finished with a better record than the New York Giants.
New York won four contests. Head coach Brian Daboll was fired in-season, replaced by John Harbaugh. That represents a significant offseason coup, but the fans' ire remains squarely directed at general manager Joe Schoen for the team's poor roster management.
The Giants didn't agree. The vitriol across social media was glaring after it was announced that Schoen received an extension. Commanders fans could only chuckle as they scrolled down their timelines, especially since Harbaugh is reportedly the man calling the shots at MetLife Stadium now.
Giants expert tries to make sense of Joe Schoen extension as Commanders fans laugh
Matt Sidney of G-Men HQ acknowledged that Schoen's new deal didn't make much sense at first glance. But when the expert looked a little more closely, it spoke to the desire for continuity now that a prolific head coach is leading the charge.
"To say Giants fans will be furious about this extension would be the biggest understatement of the year. From the handling of [Saquon] Barkley’s exit to the disastrous $160 million [Daniel] Jones contract, [Joe] Schoen’s popularity in East Rutherford has nosedived to an all-time low.
"Schoen wasn’t extended to appease the fan base (quite the opposite), and it clearly wasn’t a reward for the last four years. He was extended because ownership just watched what happened when a team removed the lame-duck cloud and fully committed to a coach-quarterback-front office pairing."
Great news for the rest of the NFC East! https://t.co/wVh1KeEtvJ
— Steve Czaban (@czabe) May 22, 2026
Clutching at straws, perhaps. But it does have merit.
Sidney mentioned Ryan Poles' torrid record over his first three seasons with the Chicago Bears as an example. The tide immediately turned when Ben Johnson became head coach, and their ambitions are much loftier now. This is an example the Giants are following. And they are hoping it brings similar success.
The Commanders are focused on getting their own house in order, but fans aren't exactly quaking in their shoes about Schoen now being around the Giants long term. At the same time, if Harbaugh is now the primary decision maker, it's more of an advisory role in any case.
LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO https://t.co/rfJjqQ34bx
— Billy Tinkle (@BillyTinkle) May 22, 2026
Getting a good laugh at your division rival's expense is commonplace around the NFL. Even so, head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters won't be worrying too much about what's going on elsewhere. They have their own complications to work through in Washington, and pressure could build to seat-melting levels if the necessary strides aren't taken.
The Giants probably knew how this development would be received by fans. Schoen got a new deal anyway, and it'll be interesting where things go from here.
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