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

The decree was essentially issued in January for Brian Daboll. He had to win to remain the head coach of the New York Giants.

Owner John Mara wanted – hoped – even better results. This created a tricky situation for Daboll with dueling agendas: winning while simultaneously developing a rookie quarterback.

He didn’t succeed. The Giants are 2-8 for the third straight season.

In a year when New York needed to make progress, it is stuck in quicksand. The Giants don’t just lose, they seem to find new ways to lose every week – the final straw being a 24-20 loss on Sunday at Chicago.

It was the second time this season the Giants lost a lead of at least 10 points with less than four minutes remaining. They are only the second team in the Super Bowl era to do this. Additionally, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart was injured during the contest.

So Daboll has gone 11-33 over the last three seasons. Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka takes over as interim head coach. The Daboll era officially ended prematurely – during the tenth week of the 2025 campaign.

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

Why fire Daboll now?

Coaching can make the difference in close games, and the Giants have already blown four double-digit leads on the road this season. Daboll is also blamed for Dart being injured on his watch. Daboll insisted he didn’t want to take away his young quarterback’s aggressiveness. But the reckless nature with which Dart was taking blows ultimately led to this point. The need to avoid this was not emphasized.

Basically, it was the breaking point after another failed game, poor results and a handful of embarrassing incidents such as entering the blue medical tent to check on Dart while he was being examined for a concussion, which warranted league discipline. — Jordan Raanan

Kafka will serve as interim head coach, Giants sixth head coach since 2016. What should we expect from the former assistant head coach and offensive coordinator?

A much more balanced and cohesive personality than the busy Daboll. Kafka doesn’t have an overwhelming presence, but those who interviewed him for head coaching positions viewed him as confident and with a solid process. This could be welcomed by the Giants with Daboll often considered everywhere. The offense should also add a few more pieces to what Kafka ran in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes. — London

Who will be the offensive leader?

Kafka is expected to remain the point guard, a source told ESPN. This at least gives Dart some stability. It’s Kafka’s voice he hears the most during matches, and that won’t change. It’s also worth noting that New York’s offense has been significantly more productive over the past four seasons with Kafka as the facilitator than with Daboll. The Giants are averaging a respectable 23.6 points per game this season with Dart as the starter after being near the bottom of the league the previous two seasons. — London

How will this affect rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart?

First, Dart needs to be healthy. He is in the concussion protocol and could miss time. Sunday was the fourth time he had to be examined for a concussion this season, dating back to the preseason. But Kafka will now have to play a bigger role in the development of Dart. Daboll met with the young quarterback regularly and for hours. This responsibility now rests on Kafka’s shoulders.

Kafka, 38, has extensive experience developing rookie QBs. His job in 2017 was essentially to support Mahomes’ development. He played a key role in this. It will be pretty much the same thing from now on with Dart.

Long term, this now calls into question whether Dart will have to learn a new scheme and acclimate to a new coordinator next year. I guess it all depends on how the rest of the season goes. — London

What effect will this have on the locker room?

It will surely be tough for Dart. He had a strong relationship with Daboll, who always listened to his best players.

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

Several players told ESPN after Sunday’s loss that someone needs to be held accountable, and they understand it’s likely the head coach. Daboll couldn’t continue to point fingers elsewhere after sidelining Daniel Jones last year and constantly reshaping his team. The locker room as a whole won’t be too disappointed.

However, how players react to Kafka will be interesting. — London

What effect will this have on the future of general manager Joe Schoen?

The Giants already said in their release announcing the firing that Schoen would remain general manager and lead their coaching search. This indicates that he is part of their plans for the future.

He is believed to have assembled a good core of young talent but it has not been developed or deployed properly. The feeling around the league also seems to be that Schoen will survive a third straight tough season. He has the trust and ears of ownership. — London

Could other changes be coming?

It’s possible. The Giants kept the rest of the coaching staff intact Monday afternoon. But let’s see how this plays out over the coming weeks. The coach facing the most pressure is defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. His unit has struggled this season, especially recently in the fourth quarter, when it allowed 75 points over the last four games. — London

Who are the best coaching candidates at the moment?

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

Schoen is leading the research. He has good sources in Buffalo, where he served as assistant general manager, to learn more about Joe Brady. He was on Miami’s staff when standout defensive coordinators Vance Joseph (Denver) and Lou Anarumo (Indianapolis) were there, and that’s where Anthony Weaver currently coordinates the defense.

He could build on popular coaching trees such as those of the Rams (OC Mike LaFleur, DC Chris Shula, passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Vikings OC Wes Phillips) and Chiefs (OC Matt Nagy, DC Steve Spagnuolo – a dose of nostalgia from the Tom Coughlin days).

To strengthen the defense, it would be good to explore emerging coordinators such as Jeff Hafley (Packers), Jesse Minter (Chargers), Kelvin Sheppard (Lions) and Aden Durde (Seahawks). On offense, Todd Monken (Ravens) has been a staple on the scene and Jim Bob Cooter (Colts) and Klint Kubiak (Seahawks) are making their mark this year.

You understand: the possibilities are endless.

The coordinator pool isn’t as well stocked as in previous years — which should help 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who knows the New York market well — so collegiate figures such as Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Steve Sarkisian (Texas) and Bret Bielema (Illinois, also a Giants assistant in 2020) are worth looking into. — Jeremiah Fowler