On multiple occasions ahead of Christmas, angry New York Giants fans paid to fly banners over MetLife Stadium before games in an attempt to embarrass team co-owner John Mara into moving on from head coach Brian Daboll and/or general manager Joe Schoen amid the club’s disastrous 2-13 season.
It appears the conditions in East Rutherford, NJ, will give Mara a break when his Giants host the 7-8 Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.
“High Exposure Aerial Advertising has canceled orders for three banner-carrying planes to fly over MetLife Stadium before the Giants’ home finale at 1 p.m. Sunday against the Colts,” Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post revealed on Friday. “…High Exposure began contacting its clients Friday to cancel orders because the forecast calls for high winds, low clouds and rain. Of course, it is possible that another company would attempt to fly, though the (Federal Aviation Administration) levies significant fines if its regulations are ignored.”
Before the Giants lost to the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 8, a banner flew over MetLife Stadium asking Mara to “please fix this dumpster fire.” The following Sunday, a message warned Mara that “we won’t stop until you fire everyone.”
The Giants are coming off setting a franchise record with their 10th straight loss and have gone 8-25 over their past 33 games since the Daboll-Schoen regime guided the club to a playoff berth and a road postseason victory. It was previously reported that banners carrying messages directed at Mara could be flown over Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the Giants’ Week 18 matchup in Philadelphia against the rival Eagles, but it remains to be seen if the weather will cooperate with such plans.
Earlier this week, NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic shared that Schoen was allegedly “going to be safe” because “he has a good relationship with ownership.” Russini didn’t say the same for Daboll, who presumably could be shown the door as soon as Sunday night if the Giants suffer a humiliating loss to the Colts.
Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons noted that the Colts may have to turn to backup quarterback Joe Flacco for Sunday’s game at the Giants because starter Anthony Richardson is dealing with back and foot injuries. Nevertheless, DraftKings Sportsbook still listed Indianapolis as a 7.5-point favorite against Big Blue as of Friday afternoon.
In short, Mara should probably expect to see at least one banner overhead in Philadelphia unless he blows things up early next week.