5 potential candidates for the next Giants head coach
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin Credit: Getty Images
The Giants’ decision to fire coach Brian Daboll wasn’t surprising after he went 20-40-1 through three-plus seasons. Now comes the job of finding his replacement.
The job will be highly attractive. The next coach gets to keep developing Jaxson Dart at quarterback. Receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo could be healthy by training camp after season-ending injuries. The defensive front is formidable, led by defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebacker Brian Burns.
Add in running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., left tackle Andrew Thomas and linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, and the pieces are there for a strong team to emerge.
Here are five candidates the Giants should consider:
1. MIKE KAFKA
Giants OC, interim coach
Start in-house with the man you know. Kafka, 38, has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator since 2022. He knows this offense, he’s worked closely with Dart and now he’ll be leading the team the rest of the season.
Kafka has interviewed for jobs the last couple of years, so he understands what’s expected of a head coach. With Kafka as the play-caller this season, the offense has looked better under Dart but still has struggled in the red zone.
Still, Kafka has been a hot candidate for other teams. Before the next coach arrives, he’ll get his chance in front of Giants brass to see if he should be the permanent guy.
2. LANE KIFFIN
Ole Miss head coach
An obvious choice for obvious reasons. Kiffin, 50, was the last person to coach Dart before he got to the NFL.
The Giants started incorporating more plays similar to what Dart ran at Ole Miss, so why not get the man himself to teach and develop him?
Kiffin is a wild card because he’s going to have his pick of jobs this offseason. He’s been rumored to be a candidate at LSU and Florida. There also are memories of his failed tenure with the Raiders, although that was in 2007-08.
Kiffin has a strong track record. He’s 53-19 with Ole Miss after going 27-13 with Florida Atlantic. He is an offensive mastermind familiar with not just Dart but facing Nabers in college. Is this his chance for an NFL return?
3. MARCUS FREEMAN
Notre Damę head coach
Freeman, 39, is a long shot with a really great job. But if the Giants want to make a splash, they should consider one of the best coaches in college football.
Freeman is 40-12 in his fifth season at Notre Dame. He has kept Notre Dame among the nation’s best teams and is a brilliant defensive mind. He helped mentor Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, and while he was defensive coordinator at Cincinnati, he played a role in Sauce Gardner’s development.
Of course, there’s a less than stellar track record of NFL teams hiring college coaches. Freeman also hasn’t worked on an NFL staff and has been selective with jobs, reportedly having turned down a Titans assistant coach job five years ago to stay at Cincinnati. But it wouldn’t hurt the Giants to kick his tires and gauge his interest.
4. KLINT KUBIAK
Seattle Seahawks OC
Kubiak, 38, is in his first season with the Seahawks and is leading a dynamic offense. The Seahawks are first in passing yards per play, seventh in passing and ninth in total offense. Kubiak also was an offensive coordinator with the Saints and Vikings.
As passing game coordinator with the 49ers in 2023, Kubiak coached in the Super Bowl when San Francisco lost to Kansas City. He has a long background working with quarterbacks and could be a perfect mentor to Dart.
Kubiak also was mentored by a top offensive mind, his father, Gary, who coached the Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50 and won three additional Super Bowls as an assistant.
5. BRIAN FLORES
Minnesota Vikings DC
Now here’s an interesting candidate. Flores, 44, is Brooklyn-born, grew up a Giants fan and won four championships as a Patriots assistant. He was 19-14 in his final two seasons as Dolphins coach and has overseen strong defenses with the Vikings.
Of course, Flores has an ongoing lawsuit against the NFL, for racial discrimination with its poor track record of hiring Black coaches, and the Giants.
Part of the lawsuit states Flores accused the Giants and Broncos of sham interviews with him in 2022 to fulfill the Rooney Rule requirement when they already had candidates in mind.
So how would that get sorted out? Would the Giants overlook things to consider a strong candidate to fix their defense? Would Flores be willing to settle his suit if fences were mended?
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.
