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New York Giants fans were stunned when the team announced that both general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll would be returning next year despite going 9-25 across the last two seasons. And after this report about how Schoen treats his players, that decision is even more shocking.
According to reports, Joe Schoen told the representatives of cornerback Nick McCloud that their client should not pay rent for the month of October because he was planning to cut the 26-year-old defensive back.
ESPN reports that Schoen asked McCloud to take a pay cut during the season, which was a “bold and unusual move,” according to execs around the NFL. Not only did Schoen make the request in-season but he reportedly did so before a game.
McCloud had just signed a one-year, $2.98 million deal with the franchise earlier that year.
“According to multiple Giants players, Schoen told McCloud’s representatives, ‘Don’t pay October’s rent, all right? As soon as I can replace him, I’m going to replace him. I’m not f—— around.’ The Giants general manager hung up the phone.”
“The situation affected the vibe in the Giants’ locker room. McCloud was a well-liked player, his locker was between offseason acquisition Brian Burns and Slayton. He was close with both respected veterans.”
After the reported dust-up with Schoen, McCloud played in four more games from Big Blue before being cut by the team on February 5. McCloud was quickly picked up by the San Francisco 49ers, one of the most respected front offices and coaching staffs in the league, and was added to the team’s active roster.
McCloud started four more games for the Giants before being released Nov. 5. He signed to the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad the following week and quickly worked his way onto their active roster.
Despite finishing with the joint-worst record in the league of 3-14 with the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns, the Giants have the #3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.