Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast

Hour 3: Giants QB Plan
ESPN New York | September 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the New York Giants’ turbulent quarterback situation in the wake of a dismal season opener. Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg debate the present and future of Russell Wilson as the starter, the role and readiness of rookie Jackson Dart, and possible shakeups including the potential for Jameis Winston to step in. The conversation expands to ownership decisions, coaching regime scrutiny, shifting norms in NFL offenses, and wider New York sports culture—complete with the hosts’ trademark passion, candor, and colorful analogies.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The “Frankie Focus” School Mascot Debate (01:09–04:39)

• Discussion on NYC schools introducing a phone-ban mascot (“Frankie Focus”).
  • The crew questions the effectiveness and age relevance of mascots for middle schoolers in today’s culture.
  • Alan Hahn: “Is a Sesame Street looking character really going to be relatable to the kids that have the problem with the phone?” (03:11)
  • Concerns that nostalgic choices are more for parents than kids, paralleling similar missteps in sports and education.

2. Giants’ Lackluster Offense and Fan Frustration (04:39–06:11)

• Transition from the mascot discussion to the New York Giants.
  • Alan: “Also laughable: the Giants offense, very familiar. And it’s a joke that wasn’t funny two years ago, and it certainly isn’t funny today. No touchdowns, zero production in the red zone.” (04:40)
• Fan demand grows for rookie Jackson Dart to replace Russell Wilson after preseason hype.

3. Darius Slayton on QB Controversy (05:13–06:11)

• Clip: Giants WR Darius Slayton urges patience, citing the perils of throwing rookies into tough situations too quickly.
  • Slayton: “Things take time. Not everything is just a 911 situation... In the history of football, it hasn't always served people well to just throw people in the fire.” (05:13)

4. Should the Giants Stick with Wilson or Move to Dart? (06:11–14:45)

• Host perspectives:
  • Recognition that locker room veterans, including Slayton, aren’t ready for a Dart transition—possibly out of competitive self-interest.
  • Debate over when it’s appropriate to hand the reins to a rookie, especially with a shaky offensive line and a tough upcoming schedule.
  • Peter Rosenberg: “Russell Wilson... he is not the guy he was. There’s no version where he’s turning back into old Russell Wilson.” (09:00)
  • Hosts discuss the bleak endorsement Wilson got from Denver and Pittsburgh. Alan notes, “Denver ate a ton of money just to say, don’t come back.” (09:26)
  • Jameis Winston emerges as a plausible alternative, but hosts lament the regime’s confusing backup strategy: why is Dart backup if they don’t want him to see the field?

Notable Exchange:

• Alan (13:06): “You’re not giving a rookie quarterback his baptism on a Monday night in the home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. But, I’m sorry, that’s not the place.”
• Don (14:45): “[The regime] probably feels like Jackson Dart’s our savior. So be prepared... at some point, way sooner than it probably should be, Dart’s going to trot out there.”

5. Ownership & Regime Critique: John Mara’s Emotional Decisions (15:49–19:52)

• Hahn explains why the Giants front office, led by John Mara, doubled down on Brian Daboll out of “patience” inspired by a documentary about his father—not sound football sense.
  • Alan: “That’s the problem with John, is he thinks too much with his heart instead of his head.” (16:28)
  • Extended analogy: Is keeping this coaching regime akin to staying in a bad marriage out of embarrassment at serial divorce?
    • Alan: “So basically, I’m on my fourth wife. My wife is cheating, but I don’t want to get a divorce the fourth time, so I’m gonna sit here and be with this piece of human filth...” (16:47)
  • The crew critiques Mara’s past hires and the continued lack of results since Tom Coughlin left.
  • Alan: “They are an absolute moronic franchise right now. Who’s to blame for that? Who’s been in charge of this? Because he thinks with his heart, because he’s a fan.” (18:43)
  • Consensus: Good man, perhaps not a good owner.

6. The NFL’s Evolving Offense: Field Goals vs. Touchdowns (29:20–34:27)

• Caller Danny (29:20) and the hosts discuss the evolution of field goal kicking and the implications for NFL scoring:
  • Alan: “If I know all I have to do is cross the 50 yard line, I could kick a field goal. It’s too punitive for the defense.” (32:43)
  • Don argues the risk is still there because of opponent field position on missed long attempts.
  • Context is provided around the “K ball” (kicking ball) and how the NFL tries to incentivize touchdowns.

7. Old-School Giants Culture & Franchise Identity (20:41–28:18, 34:37–38:52)

• The panel commiserates over the Giants’ lost identity post-Coughlin, the erosion of standards, and the lack of continuity in scouting, coaching, and management.
  • Peter: “They have not been the same since they... sent Tom Coughlin out of the building and the standard changed and it’s never been the same since.” (20:43)
• Nostalgia and the pitfalls of reputation are explored, with the hosts reflecting on their own shifting perceptions of what the Giants “stand for.”

8. Fan Behavior: Stadium Harassment and Entitlement (34:37–38:52)

• Discussion on the Lamar Jackson incident where a fan slapped a player’s helmet.
  • Alan: “It’s kind of like the analogy of, well, if you don’t want to get mugged, don’t go down the dark alley.... But the guy in the dark alley still should get arrested.” (35:12)
  • Commentary on growing entitlement and unruly fan behavior at sports events, making some experiences less family-friendly.

9. Callers' Venting & Giants Community Pulse (43:17–51:18)

• Tessa from West Caldwell (43:17) offers a passionate call critiquing both her own and Rosenberg’s teams, bashing Giants’ offensive line and coaching.
  • Tessa: “You got Russell Wilson running around like a bunch of wild dogs is chasing him. You got them running backs running into big backs and butt cheeks all day because they can't make a hole.” (44:59)
• Hosts agree: Giants playcalling is "trash," team look unprepared and poorly coached.
  • Alan: “When it looks bad all the time and nothing seems to function, to me, it comes to preparedness, which is on the coach...” (46:05)
• Consensus: Year two of the Daboll regime looks too much like year one. They lament that none of the QBs—Jones, DeVito, Wilson—are improving.
• Matt from Manhattan and others note how little has changed in two years, despite offseason optimism.

10. Remembering Davey Johnson (50:32–51:45)

• Alan pays tribute to Davey Johnson, legendary Mets manager from '86, and notes the sadness of losing another key figure from that era.
  • Alan: “A life well led. Heck of a player... and then he came here and changed the culture of the team.” (50:32)

Notable Quotes

• Alan Hahn (Giants regime):
  “That’s the problem with John is he thinks too much with his heart instead of his head because all that consistency didn’t happen with McAdoo. Didn’t happen all the way through Judge. Then finally he finds religion with Dable and gives him a fourth year.” (16:28)

• Peter Rosenberg (On Russell Wilson):
  “Russell Wilson... even if they protect him a bit more, just the way the ball looks coming out of his hand now, he is not the guy he was. There’s no, there’s no version where he’s turning back into old Russell Wilson.” (09:00)

• Alan (regarding the QB controversy):
  “All I’m asking is if the long term plan... was that Dart wouldn’t play for a while, but yet this regime decided to make him the backup quarterback. Why?” (11:20)

• Darius Slayton (on starting a rookie):
  “The reality is, things take time... Not everything is just a 911 situation...” (05:13)

• Tessa (Caller):
  “You got Russell Wilson running around like a bunch of wild dogs is chasing him. You got them running backs running into big backs and butt cheeks all day because they can’t make a hole.” (44:59)

Segment Timestamps

• Mascot Critique / Youth Trends: 01:09–04:39
• Giants Offensive Woes: 04:39–06:11
• Darius Slayton on QBs (Clip): 05:13–06:11
• Giants QB Plan & Veteran Insight: 06:11–14:45
• Ownership/Regime Critique: 15:49–19:52
• Field Goals in the NFL: 29:20–34:27
• Giants Culture & Identity: 20:41–28:18
• Stadium/Fan Behavior: 34:37–38:52
• Caller Tessa & Coaching Frustration: 43:17–47:54
• Davey Johnson Tribute: 50:32–51:45

Takeaways

• The Giants are stuck between eras—cling to fading veterans, hesitant to unleash untested prospects, and hamstrung by ownership’s emotional, rather than analytical, decision-making.
• The hosts see little reason to expect meaningful change amid ongoing dysfunction. Concerns abound about damaging Jackson Dart’s development by thrusting him into chaos.
• The broader sports culture—from over-the-top mascots to rowdy fans—reflects a sense of misplaced priorities and nostalgia.
• Despite moments of loyalty and nostalgia, the group overwhelmingly calls for higher standards, clearer vision, and true organizational accountability.

For listeners pressed for time:
This hour is a real-time snapshot of New York football disillusionment—blunt, funny, and sharply critical, with no punches pulled. The focus is unrelenting on the Giants’ faltering QB strategy, a regime viewed as directionless, and a city’s longing for leadership with the courage to build, not just react.