A curious trend has emerged with the New York Giants, where former players appear to flourish after leaving the team, sparking talk of a curse-or perhaps a coaching curse-afflicting the franchise. With the Giants holding a 0-2 record through Week 2 of the 2025 season, the success of ex-stars Saquon Barkley, Daniel Jones, and Xavier McKinney elsewhere has intensified this narrative, prompting speculation about the team’s fortunes.
Saquon Barkley, the Giants’ 2018 first-round pick, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. Over six seasons in New York, he had three 1000+ yards seasons and only two of 10+ rushing TD. When he left Giants and landed on the Eagles, he ran for 2005 yards and 13 TD, in just one season, and establishing himself as the top NFL running back. In 2025, through two games, Barkley has started with 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a 88-yard performance against the Chiefs in Week 2.
Daniel Jones, the 2019 sixth-overall pick released in November 2024, joined the Indianapolis Colts for this season. In New York, he threw for 14,582 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions over six years. Through two games in 2025, Jones has 588 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, leading the Colts to a 2-0 start.
Xavier McKinney, a 2020 second-round pick who moved to the Green Bay Packers in 2024, recorded 9 interceptions in four seasons with the Giants. In 2024, his first year as a Packer, McKinney recorded 8 interceptions without allowing a single TD as the nearest defender in coverage. That was the most by any safety in a season since 2016. This pattern extends to others like Odell Beckham Jr., who found success as a Super Bowl champion with the Rams in 2021.
Brian Daboll under fire: is bad coaching behind the Giants’ ‘curse’?
The Giants’ current 0-2 start, with a narrow 40-37 defeat against the Cowboys in Week 2, keep fans asking if there’s a curse or just bad coaching. The Giants’ struggle to retain talent that thrives elsewhere suggests a systemic flaw. A mystical curse might imply a hex dooming players to success only after leaving, a trend since Beckham’s 2018 exit.
However, coaching under Brian Daboll, whose 2022 Coach of the Year season (9-7-1) has not translated to 2025 consistency, may be the issue. This season the offense ranks No.1 in passing yards per game, but 18th in points per game, while the defense ranks last in yards per game allowed with 455, 29th in passing yds/game allowed and 28th in points per game allowed. Is poor player development and scheme fit the explanation? Is the Giants’ plight a supernatural jinx or a coaching deficiency? With their current roster, breaking this cycle may hinge on coaching adjustments, leaving the franchise’s future uncertain.
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