The New York Giants announced on Tuesday that they have officially hired Aaron Wellman as an Executive Director of Player Performance and Joel Thomas as their next Running Backs Coach.
Joel Thomas hired as next Running Backs Coach
Thomas interviewed for the Giants’ running backs coach vacancy last week and has now been officially hired for the position. The position was left vacant after former running backs coach Jeff Nixon departed to become the next offensive coordinator & running backs coach for Syracuse.
Since 2015, Thomas has been the running backs coach for the New Orleans Saints, helping to develop what has been a strong backfield of talented rushers and receivers. The Saints led the NFL with 148 rushing touchdowns during Thomas’ tenure.
Saints RB Alvin Kamara has earned five Pro Bowl selections and broke the franchise record for rushing touchdowns (54) and overall touchdowns (78) while playing under Thomas’ tutelage.
It remains to be seen whether or not superstar running back Saquon Barkley will be extended. But if he is, playing under Thomas could help him improve his receiving skills. Thomas’ running backs are known for making an impact in the passing game out of the backfield.
Giants bring back Aaron Wellman as an Executive Director of Player Performance
This will be Wellman’s second stint with Big Blue. He was previously with the organization as a strength and conditioning coach from 2016 to 2019. He left in 2020 and spent the past four years as the Senior Assistant Athletic Director for Football Performance at Indiana University.
Wellman will now return to the Giants in a new and elevated role. He’s been with several different collegiate programs throughout his career and will now make his return to the professional level to be the Giants’ Executive Director of Player Performance. This was not a vacant position prior to Wellman’s hiring. Rather, the Giants created this position with the hiring of Wellman.
- Giants could steal Chiefs’ beloved team leader in free agency to fix major defensive weakness
- Could Giants sign Kirk Cousins as bridge quarterback in 2025?
- Giants could fix their secondary with ‘top-dollar’ free-agent cornerback in 2025