The New York Giants have reportedly parted ways with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
The news comes from ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It isn’t immediately known who will be the interim defensive coordinator upon Bowen’s departure.
“Giants fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, per source,” Schefter reported.
While the Giants’ defense has shown flashes this season, it has been a poor season for the unit overall.
The biggest stain on Bowen’s tenure this season has been the fact that the Giants have blown a whopping five fourth-quarter leads of 10-plus points.
SNY’s Connor Hughes explains why the Giants didn’t fire Bowen when they cut former head coach Brian Daboll loose a few weeks back.
“The Giants didn’t want to fire Shane Bowen at the same time as Brian Daboll because Mike Kafka didn’t have a great grasp of the defensive staff,” Hughes reported.
“They wanted to give him time to determine for himself if a change was needed & who should be replacement.”
Hughes goes on to add that the blown fourth-quarter lead on Sunday was the final straw for Bowen.
“A fifth blown fourth quarter lead was enough. Shane Bowen is out, sources confirm to SNY,” Hughes added.
As far as who could replace Bowen is concerned, Hughes mentions outside linebacker coach Charlie Bullen as a strong possibility.
Lions Announce Roster Move After Practice Squad Shake-Up
The Detroit Lions have made adjustments to their practice squad, parting ways with a familiar face while adding two new players to bolster depth.
On Tuesday, the team announced the release of linebacker Anthony Pittman, a Detroit native who first joined the Lions in 2019 as an undrafted free agent from Wayne State.
Pittman’s journey with the franchise has been a winding one. After spending much of his rookie season on the practice squad, he eventually appeared in 51 games over the next three years, carving out a steady role on special teams. He later had brief stints with the Washington Commanders and Jacksonville Jaguars before returning to Detroit late in 2024. Earlier this year, he re-signed with the Lions but was once again among the final roster cuts, ultimately landing back on the practice squad before this week’s release.
In his place, the Lions signed offensive lineman Devin Cochran and linebacker Monty Rice to practice squad contracts. Cochran, a 6-foot-7 tackle, most recently played for the Cincinnati Bengals, where he made nine appearances in 2024, including one start. Rice, meanwhile, was a third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2021 and has logged 128 career tackles across 35 games.
The updated practice squad now features a mix of young talent and experienced depth, including names like WR Ronnie Bell, QB C.J. Beathard, and OL Dan Skipper, alongside the newly added Rice and Cochran.
For Detroit, the moves reflect the constant reshuffling required to maintain roster balance through injuries and evolving depth chart needs. With the season just underway, the Lions are clearly keeping flexibility at the forefront.