Franchise Moments: 
Giants Defining Moment of the Past Decade
The once-mighty Giants franchise has had a feeble decade. Since winning its fourth Super Bowl and notching its 24th playoff win in Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots to cap off the 2011 season, this franchise has added just one playoff win, and only the Giants' MetLife Stadium roommate Jets have scored fewer points over the past 10 years, as NFL bettors well know.
Ahead of the 2026 season, the RotoWire Staff has pinpointed the moment that best represents the questionable decision-making that has held back one of the NFL's most storied and successful franchises in recent years.
Giants' Defining Moment of the Last Ten Years
The winner: Giants let Saquon Barkley walk to the Eagles in free agency (March 2024).
The Giants drafted Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018, as then-GM Dave Gettleman tried to load up the offense for one more run in Eli Manning's twilight years. Barkley led the NFL with 2,028 scrimmage yards as a rookie, but the pick was still roundly criticized due to the perceived lack of value in the running back position.
Over the following three years, injuries limited Barkley to 28 appearances as the Giants won only 14 games. A healthy and effective Barkley, combined with competent quarterback play from Daniel Jones, helped the Giants reach the postseason in 2022 and notch their first playoff win in over a decade, as they bounced the Vikings 31-24 in the wild-card round before getting shellacked 38-7 by New York's NFC East rival Eagles in the AFC Divisional Round.
Barkley didn't walk away from the Giants until 2024, but the groundwork was laid in the 2023 offseason, when GM Joe Schoen opted to give Jones a four-year, $160 million contract while failing to reach a long-term agreement with Barkley, who proceeded to play on the franchise tag in 2023. The Giants took a step back in 2023 even as Barkley churned out over 1,200 scrimmage yards for the fourth time in six NFL seasons, and Barkley opted to leave for greener pastures.
In March of 2024, Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles, joining the Giants' nemesis and the team that knocked him out of his only previous playoff appearance. That move paid immediate dividends for Philadelphia, as Barkley led the NFL in scrimmage yards in 2024 and helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX, while the Giants have continued to languish near the bottom of the standings and Super Bowl odds since Barkley's departure.
Theo GremmingerSee Theo's personal rankings, tiers, and draft targets.View RankingsRotoWire Analyst
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Mario PuigSee Mario's personal rankings, tiers, and draft targets.View RankingsWhat Tipped the Scales For Barkley to the Eagles?
Barkley's move from NYC to Philly highlighted the difference between a forward-thinking Eagles front office and a lagging Giants group. Eagles GM Howie Roseman identified an opportunity and brought in one of the NFL's premier running backs during a low point for the RB market, while Schoen stuck with the herd mentality regarding positional value and lost a star player for nothing rather than capitalizing on a chance to buy low on a special talent in Saquon.
Manning's benching for Jones in 2019, Barkley's ACL tear in 2020 and Jones' 80-yard run against the Eagles in 2020 were also in consideration for the Giants' most memorable moment, but RotoWire Staff ultimately went with letting Barkley walk, as this moment was the most emblematic of the Giants' franchise-wide struggles and questionable decision-making over the past decade.
Aftermath of Barkley to the Eagles
The Eagles won a Super Bowl in their first year with Barkley and remain one of the NFL's elite teams, while the Giants' trust in Jones proved foolhardy, as Jones went just 3-13 across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns before the two sides parted ways. Not only did the Giants set themselves back for years by choosing Jones over Barkley, they also set a division rival up for continued success.
More About The Campaign
The RotoWire expert panel voted to select the single most franchise-defining moment from the last 10 years for all 32 NFL teams. Voting has now closed. The results power a 33-article editorial series published across RotoWire ahead of the NFL season -- one dedicated article per franchise, plus one overarching piece covering the broader trends and standout moments across the league.
