Further changes along the sideline are happening in Recent York. Shane Bowen‘s defensive coordinator tenure with the Giants has come to an end.
Bowen has been fired, as first reported by NJ.com’s Art Stapleton. The move comes after interim head coach Mike Kafka‘s second game on the helm. The Giants once more found themselves in position to shut out a win yesterday, but they wound up dropping a 34-27 contest in additional time to the Lions. With defensive breakdowns still a problem, Bowen is being replaced. The news is now official, per a team announcement.
On five occasions this season, the Giants have held a lead of 10 or more points but gone on to lose; that features three blown double-digit leads within the fourth quarter. That trend has led to increasing calls for Bowen to be dismissed. The 38-year-old’s job security was a talking point after the 2024 campaign with owner John Mara publicly criticizing him. As of early September, Bowen joined then-head coach Brian Daboll as a candidate to get replaced throughout the season.
Kafka took over from Daboll two weeks ago, and he didn’t make any immediate moves when it comes to coordinator changes. Nevertheless, it was reported on the time Bowen was on thin ice. Overall, the previous Titans DC’s unit ranks thirtieth in each points and yards allowed, something which has played a significant role in Recent York’s 2-10 record. Today’s decision thus comes as little surprise.
In a move which many predicted within the immediate aftermath of the Bowen firing, outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen will take over as interim DC. Kafka has informed the team of Bullen’s promotion, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. This will likely be Bullen’s first stint as a coordinator at the faculty or NFL levels.
After starting his coaching profession at Iowa, Bullen began working on the NFL as a Dolphins assistant. He worked with the team’s linebackers from 2016-18 before doing the identical with the Cardinals over a four-year span. Bullen served as Arizona’s outside linebackers coach throughout the final three years of that tenure before holding that very same title with Illinois for the 2023 campaign.
Bullen joined the Giants in 2024, the identical time Bowen was hired following the period which saw Don Martindale‘s feud with Daboll result in his departure. Things haven’t gone in keeping with plan since that move, with a lot of notable defensive additions (equivalent to the free agent signings of cornerback Paulson Adebo and safety Jevon Holland this past spring) not yielding an improved showing when it comes to defensive production in Bowen’s second season.
The Giants will play the Patriots in the ultimate game of Week 13. The team’s bye will follow, after which Kafka and Bullen could have a four-game run to shut out the campaign. How those two fare of their respective roles down the stretch will likely be a central storyline for the team and help determine how the coaching staff is handled ahead of the 2026 hiring cycle.