The New York Giants’ latest coaching hire has stirred up significant buzz, particularly fueling speculation around a potential trade for Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Of course, I’m referring to Big Blue’s hire of Chad Hall, who most recently coached wide receivers for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. Now, Hall is the Giants’ new assistant quarterbacks coach.
While such moves usually don’t attract much attention, there’s a very interesting nugget about the Hall hiring that caught the eyes of many.
“Giants are hiring former Jaguars and Bills WR coach Chad Hall as their assistant quarterbacks coach, per source. Hall now reunites with his former Bills colleagues, HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen, in New York. Hall is also the brother-in-law of current Rams QB Matthew Stafford,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted in a post on X.
Though the Giants’ hiring of Hall doesn’t automatically signal a Stafford acquisition, the connection raised some eyebrows, especially given the Giants’ ongoing quarterback struggles.
Stafford, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory in 2021, has reportedly been unhappy with his current contract, leading to speculation that he could be available for trade.
The Stafford-to-Giants chatter first picked up steam when star wide receiver Malik Nabers sparked speculation before the Super Bowl.
During an interview with NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry, Nabers gushed about Stafford’s skills, and he later posted a cryptic message on X, hinting that he’d love to see both Stafford and Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp land with the G-Men.
“It’s a pretty good riddle. I don’t know if everybody will solve this one,” Nabers sarcastically said of his cryptic post. “I’m not giving it away a lot but I feel like people know what I’m aiming for.”
The Pro Bowl phenom gushed about how much he admires Stafford’s experience and skill-set.
“His arm talent is crazy. His sidearm is crazy. The way he throws the ball, his angles, it’s crazy,” Nabers said. “He knows the defense. He’s a veteran quarterback. He led that team to the playoffs without those receivers he was playing with at the beginning of the season when they were hurt. Then when he got them back, he was able to do a lot of great things. I like the way he throws the football.”
Nabers also praised Kupp and made it clear that he could learn a lot from him if they were teammates.
“I watched a lot of Cooper Kupp film, especially when I was in the slot at LSU,” he said. “Just trying to do a lot of option routes. His option route is probably one of the best I’ve seen. Having him in the room and I can learn from that – it’s always great to learn from a veteran.
“I got a chance to learn from Allen Robinson when he was there in the spring. I learned a lot from him so if I can learn from Cooper Kupp, I can exceed my game, understand a lot. I’m young, so I’m trying to get as much game as possible for years to come.”
Stafford’s outspoken wife, Kelly, admitted that it might be time for a change of scenery for her husband.
“I love the city of [Los Angeles],” Kelly stated on her The Morning After podcast. “I love the city of L.A. – I love living here… With that being said, I love an adventure. I am all for it.
“I value being respected and wanted over convenience. It would be very convenient to stay [in Los Angeles], very easy, but if someone doesn’t feel valued then I’m like, let’s hit the road. Let’s go on an adventure.”
Kelly also discussed the emotional challenge of leaving Detroit, suggesting that being close to family could influence her husband’s decision to relocate.
With Hall’s presence on the Giants staff, it’s possible that the family would feel more comfortable with a move to New York.
While rumors swirl, Stafford’s potential trade has sparked interest across the league, particularly with teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Minnesota Vikings.
According to TheMMQB’s Albert Breer, the Steelers could be a serious contender for Stafford’s services. Breer noted that Pittsburgh’s consistency and winning culture should be attractive to the future Hall of Famer.
While speculation builds that the Giants could be gearing up to make a major play for both Stafford and Kupp, there are some who simply can’t see it happening.
Although he wouldn’t be a long-term commitment, Stafford surely won’t come cheap and would eat up a sizable chunk of the salary cap.
Having said that, having the veteran Stafford in place would allow the Giants to not only compete now with him under center, but also have him mentor a young quarterback.
Whether with the No. 3 overall pick or somewhere later in the draft, the Giants are widely expected to snag a quarterback – perhaps two.
Having Stafford for a few years could be the best of all worlds for Brian Daboll and Big Blue… Compete now and restore a sliver of Giants Pride – and then have Stafford pass the baton off to a young quarterback who’s had a chance to learn and grow behind him. (Similar to the Favre-Rodgers approach.)
What are your thoughts on the Stafford to the Giants rumors? … Will it actually happen???
