Brian Daboll out as Giants' head coach
Giants head coach Brian Daboll reacts after an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 26 in Philadelphia. Credit: AP/Matt Rourke
After four seasons, the Giants fired coach Brian Daboll on Monday following the Giants’ 24-20 loss to the Bears in Chicago on Sunday. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as interim coach.
Daboll’s record of 20-40-1 in four years was the fourth-worst winning percentage (.336) in franchise history. He won nine games in 2022 and was named NFL Coach of the Year after leading the Giants to a win in the wild-card round, their first postseason victory in 11 seasons.
The Giants never built on that promise. They are 11-33 since the start of 2023 and 3-19 in their last 22 games. They’re also 2-8 for the third consecutive season and in the midst of a four-game losing streak.
“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise,” Giants president and CEO John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement. “We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.”
Mara and Tisch said Joe Schoen, who was hired with Daboll in 2022, will stay as general manager and lead the search for a new head coach.
Daboll entered this season on the hot seat after Mara said in January that he’s “just about run out of patience” with things not improving. With the Giants facing the NFL’s toughest schedule (based on last season’s won-loss record), things didn’t get better.
Sunday’s loss made them 0-4 on the road this season, games in which they’ve led by at least 10 points. They went ahead 20-10 with 10:19 remaining Sunday but gave up touchdowns on the Bears’ final two drives. The Giants also lost, 33-32, to the Broncos in Week 7, a game in which they brought a 19-0 lead into the fourth quarter and led 26-8 with a little over five minutes remaining.
The Giants have lost 11 straight road games, coming on the heels of losing 10 consecutive games in 2024. Both are franchise records.
“They’re tough losses, they really are,” Daboll said Sunday. “We put so much into it. The coaches put so much into it, the players. It’s painful when you have these endings. You stick together, and that’s what you have to do. It’s easier said than done.”
Daboll was 5-17-1 against NFC East opponents, including a 10-game losing streak that was snapped this season with a win over the Eagles. The Giants went winless against division opponents in 2024, a first in franchise history.
The slew of issues under Daboll ranged from erratic quarterback play to poor run defense and plenty in between.
The Giants played three quarterbacks in 2023, with Daniel Jones suffering an ACL injury. They played four in 2024, when Jones was benched and eventually released.
Drafting Jaxson Dart in April brought hope that Daboll finally could mentor a quarterback of his choosing. Dart was named the team’s starter in Week 4, but his solid play couldn’t save the Giants.
He also took a huge number of hits from sacks or designed runs. Before Sunday, he was evaluated for concussions in three games, including his final preseason start. He was cleared each time, but on Sunday, he suffered a concussion in the third quarter and didn’t return.
It was just the latest injury for a Giants skill position player, with second-year receiver Malik Nabers (knee) and rookie running back Cam Skattebo (ankle) already lost for the season.
The Giants’ defense also regressed under Daboll. They’re 29th in total defense and have given up an NFL-high 115 points in the fourth quarter. They’ve allowed 129 points in the last 13 quarters, including 75 in four fourth quarters.
The Giants are 29th with only six takeaways, none in three of the last four games. They’re also 31st in rushing defense and on pace for some of the worst numbers in team history.
Opponents are averaging 152.1 rushing yards, which would be the most allowed by the Giants since 1980 (156.69). They’re allowing 5.56 yards per carry, on pace to be the highest in franchise history.
Kafka has been Daboll’s offensive coordinator throughout his tenure. After calling plays in 2022-23, he resumed play-calling duties after Daboll had the responsibility last year. Kafka is considered a strong coaching candidate after interviewing with teams in recent years for head-coaching vacancies.
He’s worked closely with Dart and Patrick Mahomes, with whom Kafka spent five years in Kansas City. Now he’ll be given a seven-game audition as Schoen is tasked with finding the next head coach after Daboll’s disappointing tenure.
“We feel like Joe has assembled a good young nucleus of talent, and we look forward to its development,” Mara said in the release. “Unfortunately, the results over the past three years have not been what any of us want. We take full responsibility for those results and look forward to the kind of success our fans expect.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
