The New York Giants hired a new defensive backs coach on January 22, according to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, and he’s very familiar with NYC football.
“The Giants are hiring veteran NFL coach Marquand Manuel as their defensive backs coach, per sources,” Fowler relayed. “Former [Atlanta] Falcons DC spent the last four seasons as the [New York] Jets safeties coach, now stays in New Jersey.”
The New York Post also confirmed this hire, per football insider Paul Schwartz, who joked: “That did not take long.”
The Giants elected to move on from cornerbacks coach and defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson and safeties coach Mike Treier on January 15. Seven days later, Manuel’s got the job and for once, this news was met with an overwhelmingly positive reception on social media.
Giants Community Reacts to Marquand Manuel Joining Coaching Staff: ‘Nice Upside Hire’
Fans and media members reacted to this news on the morning of January 22, including WFAN beat reporter Paul Dottino, who noted: “Manuel was part of a secondary staff whose unit was Top 5 in limiting passing yardage in each of the past three NFL seasons.”
Similarly, Empire Sports Media founder Alex Wilson voiced that “the Jets had an elite room of DBs just a year ago,” adding that the NYJ DBs “floundered for many other reasons in 2024.”
Wilson concluded that he sees this as a “nice upside hire — hopefully, [Manuel] can do some great work with Tyler Nubin and Deonte Banks.”
As for the fans, one called Manuel a “terrific hire,” and another wrote: “👍🏻👍🏻 I can get down with this.”
“Let’s go . Now bring in [Jets free agent CB] DJ Reed,” a third NYG supporter even pitched.
Finally, Giants writer Anthony Rivardo argued that “the Jets managed to get a lot out of a little with their safeties over the past couple of years under Robert Saleh and Marquand Manuel.” Continuing: “This is an intriguing hire for me. Former player-turned coach who is well respected and has plenty of experience. Could be a solid addition.”
Marquand Manuel Has 12 Years of Coaching Experience & Has Been to 3 Super Bowls (Winning 1) as Either a Player or Coach
Manuel is a former NFL safety and defensive back, so he’s practiced what he preaches as a coach.
After entering the league as a sixth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002, Manuel bounced around the NFL with Seattle, Green Bay, Carolina, Denver and Detroit. He started 58 regular season outings and 3 playoff matchups, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2005-06.
Manuel was a solid player, but it’s quite possible he has become a better coach.
Heading back to Seattle, Manuel began his coaching career with Pete Carroll, Gus Bradley and the Seahawks in 2012. Saleh was also on that staff as a defensive quality control coach.
In 2013, current Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn took over the defense in Seattle and the Seahawks won the Super Bowl with Manuel as a “defensive assistant.”
From there, Manuel eventually left with Quinn in 2015, after he took the head coaching position with the Atlanta Falcons. Manuel was Quinn’s secondary coach the first two seasons in Atlanta before being promoted to defensive coordinator after their Super Bowl loss in 2016-17.
Over his two seasons as Falcons DC, Manuel’s defense ranked top 10 in both yards and points allowed in one of them (2017). In 2018, the unit bottomed out to 28th in yards and 25th in points.
Manuel spent one season out of the league and another with the Philadelphia Eagles after that and has been with the Jets ever since. He turns 46 years old in July.
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