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Shortly after the 2020 NFL regular season ended, New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham had drawn the eye of their cross-town rivals, the New York Jets.
The Jets had requested an interview with Graham for their vacant head coaching position and several other teams had potential interest as well. But instead of taking those interviews, Graham signed an extension with the Giants and closed the door on other opportunities.
For now, it’s Giants or bust. And that’s exactly the way Graham wants it.
“This is my dream job, being the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants,” Graham told NJ Advance Media. “It’s a great opportunity, to be able to stay here, and the commitment they’re showing me. But the fact is, it’s the NFL. I still got a ways to go. We’ve got to perform better than this past year. That’s my goal. But I love being here.”
And both Graham’s players and fellow coaches love him being here. He is very personable, but above all else, he’s incredibly intelligent and has even been nicknamed “The Computer.”
“His brain works like no one else’s brain,” said Giants defensive line coach Sean Spencer. “He’ll remember a play, like ‘New England, Play 35, right hash, second quarter, Tennessee was driving the ball, it was play-action pass, I think they threw it to such and such.’ Lo and behold, you move to the computer and it’s exactly the way he diagnosed it.”
“He went to a really prestigious school and sometimes when I hear him talk, I think: ‘Yeah he sees things in a different way.’ He’s really smart,” defensive lineman Leonard Williams added.
Graham’s teammates back at Yale saw that intelligence and knew that once he broke through his shell, the sky was the limit. And although he’s not yet reached the ceiling, Graham is certainly on his way.
“If you had asked me 20 years ago, I would have put no limitations on what Patrick can and will achieve. To see Patrick achieve the level of success he has in the NFL is a tremendous source of pride,” Graham’s former teammate Peter Mazza told the Republican America.
In 2021, Graham will enter Year 2 by the side of Giants head coach Joe Judge and the future seems bright. Shake and bake, baby.
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