Russini’s what I’m hearing: Goff belief, Giant regrets and, maybe, the NFL’s first female GM

Thanksgiving is all about gratitude, football, and, of course, those unavoidable family conversations you’d rather dodge. (I’m gearing up for a spirited argument with my brothers-in-law — the same guys who, six weeks ago, were texting me to tell someone at the Eagles to fire Nick Sirianni but now can’t stop talking about booking trips to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.)

Let’s be honest, much like your Thanksgiving dinner table the NFL serves up its fair share of topics we’d rather not get stuck on. But there’s also plenty to be thankful for as fans. With a little effort, you can steer those heated conversations into more enjoyable territory. In the meantime, this column might give you a few icebreakers to help navigate the holiday chaos:

• Looking back on the Lions’ unwavering belief in Jared Goff

• “She’s a tough, no-nonsense leader with a better résumé and background in football than most of the men up for these jobs”

• What’s wrong with the Houston Texans?

• What might have been with the Giants

• A chilling effect for “Hard Knocks”?

• What Eagles fans, New England, the Ravens and I can be thankful for

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The Goff that was

As you watch them take on the Chicago Bears Thursday afternoon, it’s worth reflecting on how far the Detroit Lions have come in just two years. Back in 2022, the outlook was bleak. Dan Campbell was coming off a 3-13-1 debut season and then lost six of seven to start his second year. The pressure to make changes — particularly at quarterback — was mounting. But Campbell and first-time GM Brad Holmes refused to waver in their belief in Jared Goff, even as the criticism grew.

Their faith wasn’t blind. Campbell had witnessed Goff’s resilience firsthand during the 2018 NFC Championship Game when Campbell was the Saints’ tight ends coach. Despite a deafening Superdome crowd, a 13-0 deficit, and a broken helmet speaker, Goff calmly rallied the Rams to an overtime victory. It wasn’t just about talent, it was about adaptability and mental toughness. The Lions have since shown that Goff moment from the 2018 season to their staff as a teaching point.

The duo’s faith in Goff has paid off. Since that rocky first season-plus, the Lions have gone 32-9, with the quarterback emerging as a leader and an MVP candidate. (Want more on this? Check out Michael Silver’s revealing profile on Goff.)

Dawn Aponte’s GM candidacy gains steam

If you’ve been keeping up with the buzz around the many expected general manager and coaching changes coming this offseason, you’ve seen the name Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s chief football administrative officer, come up as a potential GM candidate. At first glance, some might assume her inclusion on these lists is about optics, a way for the NFL to demonstrate its commitment to diversity and women in leadership.

But make no mistake, her credentials are impressive, and the interest is real.

Teams are looking at Aponte as a potential GM or team president tasked with overseeing football operations. She’s long been viewed in league circles as someone capable of taking on such a position. One league source described the value of Aponte as someone who would carry out ownership’s vision while creating streamlined processes, forcing accountability, and aligning the organization at all levels. She doesn’t have a scouting or personnel background but her leadership qualities and strategic mindset are what have some teams excited about her potential.

If she was hired, Aponte would focus on structure and alignment — two areas where struggling teams often fall short — while partnering with an experienced personnel executive to handle the roster-building side of things. It’s a model that makes sense for teams needing a broader, big-picture approach to success. One coach who is interested in collaborating with Aponte texted: “She’s a tough, no-nonsense leader with a better résumé and background in football than most of the men up for these jobs. This should be the year she gets a shot.”

This wouldn’t be new to Aponte; she’s worked at the highest levels of the league, holding roles with the Jets, Dolphins, Browns and the NFL office, all jobs that required sharp decision-making, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of football operations. Last offseason she interviewed for the Chargers’ GM position, which ultimately went to Joe Hortiz.

Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, who has worked with Aponte, was recently hired by the Jets to help with the search for their next GM. Those close to Tannenbaum say he has a mantra: “The winning edge is to do things differently, not just better.”

No one in NFL history has put a woman in charge of football operations. Being the first team to do so — with a hyper-qualified candidate in Aponte — would certainly fit that philosophy.

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What’s going on with the Texans?

The Houston Texans aren’t falling apart; it’s more like they’re going through some growing pains. After a strong start they’ve hit a few bumps, sitting at 7-5 as they head into Sunday’s road game at Jacksonville. I had high hopes for this team, even making them my preseason Super Bowl pick, but they just don’t look the same. Some of their toughest losses have come in heartbreaking fashion, like two games decided by walk-off field goals. And their second-half struggles are a real issue — turnovers and inconsistent execution have cost them in critical moments. They just haven’t been as sharp as they need to be to close out games.

It’s not all bad. One area in which they’ve improved is pass protection; it has been noticeably better since a Halloween night disaster against the Jets. That’s a big deal for C.J. Stroud and the offense. But a perfect example of their 2024 failings was last week. Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn broke an NFL single-season record with his 12th field goal of 50-plus yards on Sunday, then missed a crucial 28-yarder late in the upset loss to the Titans. That pretty much sums up the Texans’ year — capable of doing incredible things, but falling short when it matters most.

In Jacksonville, look for the Texans to get running back Joe Mixon going, which will help with play-action and with the team’s emphasis on taking care of the football. What’s wild is the Texans have lost two games this season in which they were plus-3 in turnover margin. Think about that: Teams win 91 percent of the time when they’re plus-3 in turnovers, yet the Texans have managed to lose twice under those conditions — that’s almost unheard of. It just shows how tough it’s been for them to close out games, even when the odds are stacked in their favor.

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Kevin O’Connell’s next project

The Minnesota Vikings signing former Giants starter Daniel Jones to their practice squad is all about creating opportunities and flexibility. For Jones, it’s a chance to continue his development under a solid coaching staff while contributing to the QB room. For the team, it’s a low-cost move that gives them a chance to evaluate a former starter without making a big commitment.

With J.J. McCarthy Minnesota’s only quarterback under contract for 2025, this gives both sides a chance to get a feel for each other over the remainder of the season. It’s not a sign of anything definitive — this move doesn’t rule out Sam Darnold returning next year, and it’s certainly not an indication that McCarthy’s recovery is running behind. It’s simply a smart way for the Vikings to explore their options and keep their quarterback situation flexible for the future.

Keep in mind that Darnold’s price might continue to go up as teams evaluate the draft and available free-agent quarterbacks. Front office executives believe that his experience and performance in Minnesota this season will make Darnold’s market competitive in March.

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They might (have been) Giants

There’s something about the situations of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley that feels oddly familiar, and then it hit me: It’s almost a mirror image of what happened with the Tennessee Titans back in 2020. Both teams faced the same dilemma after playoff seasons: How to keep their quarterback and running back while working within tight salary-cap situations. The Titans chose to give Ryan Tannehill a big extension and use the franchise tag on Derrick Henry, eventually hammering out a long-term deal before training camp. That duo went on to help lead the Titans to 23 wins over the next two seasons, and the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2022.

The Giants followed a similar plan, signing Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million deal and tagging Saquon Barkley in an attempt to maintain continuity. They even sweetened Barkley’s deal with a $2 million signing bonus, but it was only a short-term fix. By the following offseason, Barkley hit free agency, and general manager Joe Schoen made the call, despite the owner John Mara’s concerns about letting “the face of the Giants” walk. We all know the story by now. Howie Roseman and the Eagles stepped in, scooping up Barkley and adding him to their already stacked offense. Now, Barkley is thriving in Philadelphia, emerging as an MVP candidate and elevating Jalen Hurts to new heights. Every time Barkley explodes for another long run, the Schoen decision gets brought back up.

Would Barkley have had the same impact on Jones in New York as Henry did for Tannehill in Tennessee? We’ll never know. After the tandem led the Giants to the divisional round of the playoffs in 2022 they played only two full games together; the last one was a 31-28 comeback win in Arizona in which Jones threw for 321 yards and Barkley scored twice.

What’s clear, though, is that Barkley’s departure — and the Giants’ inability to stabilize their offense — has left them in limbo. With both Jones and Barkley gone, Schoen has been spotted scouting quarterbacks like Shedeur Sanders at Colorado, signaling the Giants’ rebuild and search for long-term answers. It’s been said that Mara doesn’t want to fire Schoen or head coach Brian Daboll but there’s still a month of football left that could force the owner to make a move. The sticky part of this situation is Schoen and Daboll are seen as a tandem. The question remains: Would Mara be willing to fire one and keep the other, or do they both go if this continues to spin out of control?

Meanwhile, Barkley’s move to Philadelphia has been transformative, almost haunting, leaving Giants fans to wonder what could have been if their duo had stayed intact.

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The Saquon effect on “Hard Knocks”

It’s been really hard to find a front office executive or coach in football who would willingly sign up for “Hard Knocks” again — anyone with a social media account can’t avoid the clip of the Giants deciding to let Barkley go. Every time we think the story is going to die, it comes back to life. Barkley’s success is the fuel. After what happened last summer, organizations have to wonder: Is the drama and exposure worth the hit to our team’s image?

Think about it. The Giants were front and center this offseason, and what did it do? It put their handling of Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney under an intense spotlight. Everyone saw it. As an NFL executive explained to me: “Nobody wants to be embarrassed on camera, and if there’s any owner who despises public embarrassment it’s John Mara. I feel for him.”

The debates about whether to pay Barkley his worth, or to extend McKinney’s contract, weren’t just whispers in the front office — they were out there for fans and media to dissect. And now look where we are. Barkley lands with the Eagles and is not just good, but MVP-level good. Meanwhile, McKinney, the guy the Giants lowballed and undervalued, goes to Green Bay and is having the kind of season that puts him in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Both of them are thriving. And the Giants? They’re left looking like they completely fumbled two franchise cornerstones. Fans who were already critical when the decisions were made now have the receipts, video evidence of the team essentially saying: Yeah, we’re not sure these guys are worth it. Moving forward, why would you volunteer for that? Why let the world see your process, especially when the stakes are this high?

So will another team do “Hard Knocks”? Maybe. But after what happened with the Giants, I wouldn’t blame any GM who politely declines.

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Giving thanks

In the spirit of the season…

Eagles fans are thankful for Nick Sirianni shaving his head: The ultimate “we need to change the vibes” move came when Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, facing heavy criticism, debuted a freshly shaved head for the team’s Week 6 matchup against the Browns. At the time, the Eagles were 2-2 and the pressure was mounting. Owner Jeffrey Lurie and GM Howie Roseman, who firmly believe they’ve built a championship-caliber roster, knew that without some sort of shift, Sirianni’s future in Philly could look bleak.

The Eagles have turned things around in remarkable fashion, going on a six-game winning streak. While the haircut itself didn’t work magic, Sirianni’s willingness to embrace change — symbolic as it may have been — helped reset the tone for the team. Now in his fourth season, Sirianni has the Eagles poised for a fourth straight playoff appearance, and with the coordinators Roseman set him up with (Kellen Moore on offense and Vic Fangio on defense), Philly looks ready for another deep postseason run. Keep in mind, Lurie and Roseman still see this as a Super Bowl roster, and Sirianni’s leadership is crucial to making that vision a reality.

The six New England states are thankful for the Patriots rejecting massive draft night offers for the third pick: “Don’t get cute” is the unofficial NFL draft motto, and the Patriots took it to heart last spring. Remember, the organization held the third overall pick and received significant trade offers from teams eager to select North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye. The Minnesota Vikings proposed a package that included the 11th and 23rd picks in the 2024 draft, along with a ’25 first-round selection. The New York Giants also made a substantial offer, including their 2024 first-round pick and a ’25 first-rounder.

Despite these proposals, the Patriots chose to retain their pick and selected Drake Maye as their quarterback of the future. Based on what we’ve seen and what people around the league think of Maye already, Patriots fans should be elated.

The Steelers are thankful for Arthur Smith’s arrival: For the first time since Ben Roethlisberger’s heyday, it appears Steelers fans are not calling for the firing of their offensive coordinator. Former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was brought into Pittsburgh because his coaching philosophy aligns perfectly with the Steelers’ identity: tough, physical football with an emphasis on the run game. During his time with the Tennessee Titans, he crafted one of the league’s most effective rushing attacks, helping Derrick Henry emerge as a superstar while balancing the run game with effective play-action designs.

Smith’s adaptability is another key strength. He’s shown he can tailor his offense to fit the personnel he has, which is exactly what the Steelers need as they continue to develop their young offensive core around Russell Wilson. I expect Smith’s name to come back up during the head-coach hiring cycle in January.

The Ravens are thankful for the hesitance of 31 other NFL teams: During the 2023 offseason, when Lamar Jackson received the non-exclusive franchise tag, teams across the league had the chance to negotiate with him. If any team had signed Jackson to an offer sheet, the Ravens would have had the ability to match it or accept two first-round picks as compensation. Remarkably, no team stepped up. Let that sink in.

As a result, the Ravens retained Jackson and signed him to a five-year, $260 million extension in April 2023, including $185 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time. Looking back, it’s hard to believe no other team made a move for one of the league’s most electrifying players. Jackson isn’t just Baltimore’s quarterback, he’s their heartbeat. Week after week, his dynamic playmaking — whether he’s evading defenders to extend plays, threading a perfect pass, or breaking off a game-changing run — gives Baltimore a shot to win regardless of anything else. The rest of the league’s hesitation was a gift to the Ravens, one they’ll be thankful for every time Lamar Jackson takes the field.

And finally, I’m thankful for you: Before you go and enjoy the holiday, thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read this column each week. Your support and engagement mean the world, and it’s a privilege to keep you informed and entertained. Happy Thanksgiving!

(Top photo, of Dan Campbell’s first win as Lions coach: Rey Del Rio / Getty Images)