When the New York Giants lured Patrick Graham to East Rutherford from Miami this offseason with the title of “assistant head coach,” it caused more than a handful to raise an eyebrow.
15 games and 16 weeks into the season, that decision now looks like one of the best the Giants have made in years. Graham has been stellar in his role and his defense, despite their lack of depth, is among the best in football.
Graham has gone from being a solid but curious hire to potential “Assistant Coach of the Year” territory with future head coaching interest a likely reality.
Someone who knows Graham particularly well is Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who hired Graham as his linebackers coach and run game coordinator in 2018 as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
Like many others who have crossed paths with Graham throughout his career, McCarthy said it was his intelligence that really stood out.
“I mean, Patrick has a very bright future, in my opinion. What I enjoyed about Patrick from the interview process was his intelligence, his intensity and really just his passion and respect for the game of football,” McCarthy said during a Wednesday conference call. “He goes about it the right way, he’s going to challenge you schematically, but at the end of the day, the true mark of a good football coach is how your team plays the fundamentals, the technique, and I think he’s doing an excellent job.”
Whatever it is that awaits Graham this offseason and beyond, the only future he’s focused on is shutting down McCarthy’s Cowboys offense this Sunday and then hoping Philadelphia punches Big Blue’s ticket to the playoffs.
