Giants Coach Brian Daboll Defends Tablet Toss, Addresses Relationship With Daniel Jones
New York Giants coach Brian Daboll's tablet toss on national television is a thing now.
We all saw it happen as the Giants were getting beat by the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. It happened after quarterback Daniel Jones incomprehensibly threw into coverage around the goal line, resulting in an interception.
Seattle rookie defensive back Devon Witherspoon returned the interception 98 yards for a touchdown. And soon ESPN's cameras were showing Daboll interacting with Jones, who is having a terrible season so far, in the bench area.
Giants Struggling and Daniel Jones Part Of That
We saw Daboll end the exchange by throwing the blue Microsoft tablet all teams use to look at plays and formations. The tablet landed somewhere off to the side as Jones cried uncontrollably.
Fine, Jones wasn't crying uncontrollably. Or at all.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 2: Devon Witherspoon #21 of the Seattle Seahawks intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown during the second half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on October 2, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
But the moment was nonetheless a topic of discussion on the internet, on morning radio shows in New York, and thus requires some serious investigative journalism.
So Daboll was asked about it multiple times during his day-after press conference on Tuesday.
Reporters asked if Daboll, in his obvious frustration, he threw the tablet at Jones.
"No, I wouldn’t throw a tablet there," Daboll said. "I just tossed it to the side because obviously it was a little bit of frustration. But, no, I wouldn’t throw a tablet at him."
Giants Daboll: Not Showing Up Jones
Daboll was asked if he has regrets about his interactions with Jones. Not kidding, this was a question.
"Regret what?" Daboll responded. "What instance are you talking about?"
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 2: Brian Daboll the head coach of the New York Giants is tackled during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at MetLife Stadium on October 2, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Well, we're mostly back to the tablet toss.
"No, I’m just coaching," Daboll said. "So, I'm coaching Daniel when he comes off the field. Again, the tablet thing, I'd have to go back and see it. But again, I remember exactly what it is. We were talking about a particular play, and I just tossed it off to the side."
Yes, coach, but are you showing up your player? Are you embarrassing him beyond the point he embarrassed himself by throwing two interceptions and fumbling the ball away once?
(That last part wasn't part of the question, but it is part of the narrative around New York today).
"Yeah, I’m not doing that," Daboll said.
Brian Daboll And Daniel Jones Are Fine
All this is part of a larger issue, apparently. There is concern in some nerdy media circles that maybe Jones and Daboll are not on the same page.
That isn't it. Was there disgust in the moment Monday night? Yes. That was obvious.
But Daboll was part of the Giants brain trust that agreed to give Jones a four-year contract worth $160 million last offseason. The two are tight even amid the current stress of a 1-3 start.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 02: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants is hit by Cameron Young #93 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at MetLife Stadium on October 02, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
But reporters who saw Jones walk past Daboll on the sideline as the coach was saying something are worried there's a disconnect between the two.
"No, Daniel is a coachable person," Daboll said. "Again, things aren’t going great. Again, I’m not exactly sure what the cameras did or did not show, but Daniel is a coachable guy. I like working with Daniel and we’ve got some things we’ve got to do better."
And the relationship remains solid?
"I’d say Daniel and I are in constant communication, so I think we have a good understanding of one another," Daboll said. "Again, there are certain plays that happen in game where, again, I’m not going to coach everybody the same, but I have a great appreciation for Daniel and how he approaches things.