Giants hiring Ladell Betts as new RB coach

The New York Giants are reportedly hiring former NFL running back Ladell Betts to replace Joel Thomas as their running backs coach. He will be their fifth running backs coach over the last five seasons.

Thomas left last week after one season to return to the New Orleans Saints, where he coached the running backs from 2020-2023.

The Giants are hiring Ladell Betts as their RB coach, per sources. Betts had been the Iowa RB coach since 2021. He played in the NFL from 2002-10 for Washington and New Orleans.

Daboll leaning into the Kirk Ferentz tree with the Iowa coach’s sons James Ferentz (assistant OL…

— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) February 24, 2025

Betts had a nine-year NFL career as a running back, first with Washington (2002-2009) and then with the Saints in 2010.

He began coaching high school football in 2013 and moved to the college ranks at Iowa in 2021. It was there where he crossed paths with current Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who was still a wide receiver at the time.

Betts also played his college ball at Iowa where he rushed for 3,686 career yards second most in school history behind Sedrick Shaw (4,156).

Betts was selected in the second round of the 2002 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins (56th overall) and was predominately a backup except for the 2006 season where he rushed for 1,154 yards with 53 receptions for 445 more yards spelling the injured Clinton Portis.