Brian Daboll needs to improve every facet of the New York Giants if he’s going to keep his job, so it makes sense the head coach added one of his favorite former players, New England Patriots Hall of Famer Troy Brown, to the coaching staff.
Brown, who won three Super Bowls as a wide receiver, kick returner and defensive back for the Pats, “will be an offensive assistant as part of the NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship,” according to Giants.com Senior Managing Editor Dan Salomone.
The hiring was confirmed on Thursday, February 13, and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post noted “Daboll namedrops him (Brown) occasionally from #Patriots days together.”
Daboll’s affinity with Brown dates back to the former’s days as wide receivers coach in New England from 2002-06. Those were some of Brown’s most prolific seasons and also a time when he showed off his versatility by splitting time between playing offense and defense.
Experience in all three phases of football helped Brown begin his coaching career overseeing multiple position groups for the Pats. His range of knowledge should be useful in multiple ways to a rebuilding Giants team.
Troy Brown a Good Add for Giants
Brown’s track record, both on the field and along the sidelines, will be valuable for the Giants. He was an eighth-round pick in the 1993 NFL draft, the first year former Giants great Bill Parcells took charge in New England, but it wasn’t until Parcells’ top lieutenant with the Giants, Bill Belichick, became Patriots head coach in 2000 that Brown’s career took off.
He was the first in a long line of intelligent and productive slot receivers who became the go-to targets for Tom Brady. Brown was also a dangerous punt returner whose 55-yard touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2001 AFC Championship Game helped the Patriots book the first of what would be nine Super Bowls appearances during the Belichick and Brady era.
An already glittering career became legendary when Brown played cornerback and snatched three interceptions in 2004. Highlights from NFL Legacy showcase Brown’s multi-faceted brilliance from his playing days.
Wide Receiver. Return Specialist. Defensive Back.@RealTroyBrown80 did it all for the @Patriots.
— NFL Legacy (@NFLLegacy) December 9, 2020
📺: #NEvsLAR -- Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/FOX/PRIME VIDEO
📱: https://t.co/TBkMkeEGRe pic.twitter.com/tvujvsslyS
His flexibility extended to coaching Patriots running backs in 2020, when Damien Harris and Sony Michel combined to rush for 1,140 yards. Brown’s expertise in the backfield can help Giants second-year pro Tyrone Tracy Jr., who was a breakout back as a rookie.
Similar help will be available to Giants wideouts after Brown spent three seasons coaching receivers at Gillette Stadium. He helped sixth-round pick DeMario Douglas, a slot receiver in the Brown mold, break a team record during his debut campaign in 2023.
Brown’s influence could revive Giants slot pass-catcher Wan’Dale Robinson, who’s posted mediocre numbers. Daboll needs more from Robinson to prevent defenses from doubling alpha target Malik Nabers.
Whatever role Brown has with the Giants should also extend to special teams after the 53-year-old “was a kick return coach for all four seasons” on the Patriots staff, per MassLive.com’s Chris Mason.
Brown’s coaching helped Gunner Olszewski earn All-Pro honors as a punt returner in 2020. Olszewski hasn’t made the grade with the Giants, but the team may feel differently about free agent Ihmir Smith-Marsette, after he made plays like this 100-yard kickoff return against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17.
To the house! 🏠
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 29, 2024
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/oEsssIPhHV
Brown will add a voice of authority at as many as four key positions. His history of playing on both sides of the ball could also make the Giants a more appealing landing spot for 2025 NFL draft class star Travis Hunter. The cornerback and wide receiver makes sense as a target for the Giants with the third-overall pick.
Brown’s influence extending that far is probably a stretch, but his presence at least gives Daboll another friendly face on the staff ahead of a pivotal season.
Brian Daboll Need Allies
Daboll is on a warning from team president John Mara to finally get things right after just nine wins across the last two seasons. Reshuffling his staff is a logical response for a head coach under this much pressure.
Brown is a coach who knows how Daboll works, but he’s not the only familiar face added to the coaching braintrust. The Giants also hired Chad Hall as assistant quarterbacks coach, a move that might have implications for any pursuit of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Hall is also somebody who “spent six seasons on the Buffalo Bills staff (2017-22), where he overlapped with Daboll as offensive coordinator and Joe Schoen as assistant general manager at the time….Hall was in charge of the wide receiver room for four years after being promoted from offensive assistant in 2019,” according to Salomone.
Daboll is improving his comfort zone at the coaching level, but his next step has to be doing a better job identifying and developing playing talent. Brown and Hall should help with the process.
