Why did the Giants fire head coach Brian Daboll? What’s next?

This order was originally given back in january For Brian Daboll. He had to win to stay New York Giants Chief coach.

Owner John Mara wanted even better results – as was expected. This created a difficult situation for Daboll with dueling agendas – winning while also developing a rookie quarterback.

He did not get it done. The Giants sit at 2-8 for the third consecutive season.

In the year when New York needed to show progress, they are stuck in the sand. They’re not just losing, they’re finding new and unprecedented ways to lose every week – the final blow coming on Sunday with a 24-20 loss in Chicago.

It was the second time this season the Giants led by at least 10 points with less than four minutes remaining. They are the second team in the Super Bowl era to do so. Also, rookie quarterback jackson dart Was injured in the competition.

So Daboll is out with a record of 11-33 over the last three seasons. Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has taken over as interim head coach. The Dabol era has officially ended, prematurely – in the 10th week of the 2025 campaign.

ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan and veteran NFL insider Jeremy Fowler answered all the important questions in the wake of Daboll’s firing.

Why remove Dabol now?

Coaching can make a difference in close games and the Giants have blown four double-digit leads already this season. It is also alleged against Daboll that Dart was injured under his care. Daboll was adamant that he did not want to take away the aggressiveness of his young quarterback. But the careless nature with which Dart was taking the hits ultimately led to this situation. The need to avoid this was not emphasized.

Basically, it was the breaking point after losing another game, poor results and some embarrassing incidents such as entering the blue medical tent to check on Dart while his injury was being examined, which Discipline was guaranteed from the league. , Jordan Raanan

will work as kafka Interim head coach, Giants’ Sixth head coach since 2016. what should we expect from the east Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator?

A much more balanced and consistent personality than the highly-charged Daboll. Kafka may not have had a very impressive presence, but those who interviewed him for the head coaching position considered him a man of good process. It may be welcomed by veterans with Dabol, which is often considered all over the place. What additional elements should be added to the crime? Kafka fled to Kansas City patrick mahomes, Raanan

Who will be the offensive playcaller?

A source told ESPN that Kafka is expected to remain a playcaller. This at least gives the Dart some stability. It’s Kafka’s voice that he hears most during games and it won’t change. It’s also worth noting that the Giants’ offense was significantly more productive with Kafka as the playcaller than it was with Daboll during the last four seasons. He is averaging a respectable 23.6 points per game this season as the Darts’ starter after finishing bottom of the league the last two seasons. , Raanan

What impact will this have on rookie quarterbacks? jackson dart,

First things first, Dart has to get healthy. He is currently in the concussion protocol and may miss some time. Sunday was the fourth time he has needed to be checked for an injury this season, which dates back to the preseason. But Kafka will now have to play a bigger role in Dart’s development. Daboll met with the young quarterback regularly and for hours. That responsibility now falls on Kafka’s shoulders.

Kafka, 38, has extensive experience in developing rookie QBs. His job in 2017 was essentially to aid Mahomes’ development. He played an important role in that. Now exactly the same thing will happen with Dart.

As far as the long term is concerned, the question now arises whether Darts will have to learn a new scheme and acclimate to a new coordinator next year. Guess it all depends on how the rest of the season goes. , Raanan

How will this affect the locker room?

It will definitely be tough for Dart. He had a strong relationship with Daboll, who always collaborated with his top players.

The rest of the locker room will take it in stride.

After Sunday’s loss, several players told ESPN that someone had to be held accountable, and they understood it was likely the head coach. Dabol couldn’t keep pointing fingers elsewhere after giving up Daniel Jones Last year and was continuously reshaping its staff. Overall the locker room won’t be too disappointing.

However, how they respond to Kafka will be interesting. , Raanan

How will this affect the future of GM Joe Schon?

The Giants already said in their statement announcing the dismissal that Schoen will remain as general manager and lead their coaching search. This shows that he is part of their plans going forward.

The perception is that they have collected a good core of young talent and it has not been developed or deployed properly. The feeling around the league also seems to be that Schoen will survive a third consecutive tough season. He has the ears of trust and ownership. , Raanan

Could there be more changes?

It is possible. The Giants have retained the remainder of the coaching staff as of Monday afternoon. But let’s see how it plays out as the coming weeks progress. The coach under the most pressure is defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. Their unit has struggled this season, especially recently in the fourth quarter as they have given up 75 points in their last four games. , Raanan

Who are the top coaching candidates at the moment?

Kafka will be a factor in this. He is highly respected and has interviewed for several head-coaching opportunities elsewhere. He has also acquitted himself well in the development of the Dart. Otherwise, the Giants must conduct their most extensive search yet to find the right leader.

General manager Joe Schoen is running the search. He has good sources for what he knows about Joe Brady in Buffalo, where he served as an assistant GM. He was part of Miami’s personnel staff when standout defensive coordinators Vance Joseph (Denver) and Lou Anarumo (Indianapolis) were on the staff there, and where Anthony Weaver currently coordinates the defense.

He can lean on popular coaching trees like the Rams (OC Mike LaFleur, DC Chris Shula, passing game coordinator Nate Schielhaase, Vikings OC Wes Phillips) and Chiefs (OC Matt Nagy, DC Steve Spagnuolo – a dose of nostalgia from the Tom Coughlin days).

To solidify the defense, it would be good to explore emerging coordinators like Jeff Hafley (Packers), Jesse Minter (Chargers), Kelvin Shepard (Lions) and Aidan Durde (Seahawks). On offense, Todd Monken (Ravens) has been a fixture on the scene, and Jim Bob Cooter (Colts) and Clint Kubiak (The Seahawks) are making their mark this year.

You get the point…the possibilities are endless.

The coordinator pool isn’t as well-stocked as in past years — which should help 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who knows the New York market well — so collegiate standouts like Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) and Bret Bielema (Illinois, also a Giants assistant in 2020) are worth researching. , jeremy fowler