Brian Daboll fired: Giants teaching candidates; one huge title not

It is the top of the road for Brian Daboll in New York. Within the wake of one other fourth-quarter collapse, this time blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter result in the Bears in Week 10, the New York Giants have fired the pinnacle coach. 

This ends a turbulent tenure for Daboll and the Giants, proudly owning a 20-40-1 regular-season document, which incorporates their 2-8 marketing campaign in 2025. With Daboll proven the door, the following query is who’ll exchange him. Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will function the interim head coach, however a bigger search is upcoming this offseason. 

If you’re hoping that it could possibly be present Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, nevertheless, you may not need to get your hopes up. Given the emergence of rookie sensation Jaxson Dart as a franchise cornerstone at quarterback, of us have drawn the logical line to giving Kiffin a name to see if he’d need to reunite along with his former quarterback and return to the NFL. 

Whereas it is sensible on paper, judging by what Brandon Dart, Jaxson’s father, needed to say about that potential reunion, it does not sound like a sensible possibility. 

“As we have been texting on our Kiffin-Dart household textual content thread, as a result of I feel Boomer Esiason had stated one thing within the media right now that perhaps they need to throw out a possible teaching (supply) to Kiffin, and he simply despatched it over with a smirk and simply stated, ‘It is too chilly in New York for me.’ It is simply sort of humorous,” Brandon Dart lately instructed the “Bleav in Ole Miss” podcast, through the New York Put up. 

“However now we have our weekly interactions with him and his household, and Jaxson holds excessive regard. I feel Kiffin is one in all his most trusted allies, and I feel he makes use of him for recommendation in lots of other ways, so there’s fixed communication between them, even right now, and there is lots of that between our households. I do not assume we might have requested for a extra particular coach relationship between our household and our son, so we’re very, very grateful for coach Kiff.”

Kiffin coached Dart for 3 years at Ole Miss, which included a stellar senior season in 2024 with the quarterback throwing for 4,279 yards and 29 touchdowns whereas finishing 69.3% of his throws. That tutelage helped him grow to be a first-round choose on the 2025 NFL Draft, and, given the shut ties they share, it will make sense for New York to see if he’d have an interest within the job. 

Whereas climate is perhaps an element for Kiffin, so is the present panorama in school soccer. There are a selection of high-profile jobs open, together with at LSU, Penn State, and Florida, the place he could possibly be a number one candidate. He might additionally merely keep put at Ole Miss, the place he at present has the Rebels in rivalry for the School Soccer Playoff. 

If that proves to be the case and Kiffin is not an possibility for New York, let’s spotlight three different potential choices. 

Jesse Minter

Present function: Defensive coordinator, Los Angeles Chargers

Possession and followers alike might want an offensive-minded head coach to additional cater to Dart’s improvement, however do not sleep on a man like Jesse Minter, both. New York has invested closely alongside the defensive position by buying the likes of Brian Burns, signing Dexter Lawrence to a big-money extension, and drafting Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux inside the highest 5 of the NFL Draft in recent times. That unit has the potential to be among the many finest within the NFL, and will attain that with somebody like Minter on the helm, which might, in flip, assist Dart and the offense. 

Minter, who was the defensive coordinator on the College of Michigan and adopted Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers in the identical function, has presided over some dominant defenses. In 2024, the Chargers ranked No. 1 in factors allowed and are No. 6 within the league in yards allowed in 2025 (getting into Week 10). 

Kliff Kingsbury

Present function: Offensive coordinator, Washington Commanders

Final offseason, we noticed former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson settle for a head teaching job within the division with Chicago, so perhaps Kingsbury could possibly be the newest to comply with that observe. Kingsbury has accomplished wonders for the Commanders offense with a younger Jayden Daniels, and will deliver an identical enhance to Dart’s improvement in New York. On prime of being one of many prime offensive minds within the NFL, he additionally comes with prior head teaching expertise, main the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022. Kingsbury went simply 28-37-1 over that tenure, however it did embody an 11-6 document in 2021. 

Klint Kubiak

Present function: Offensive coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

Kubiak is anticipated to be a preferred title this upcoming hiring cycle, particularly after he has turned the Seattle Seahawks offense into probably the greatest within the league. Coming into Week 10, Sam Darnold is taking part in at an MVP stage and averaging 9.6 yards per try. In the meantime, Jaxon Smith-Njigba at present leads the NFL with 948 yards receiving and is on tempo to be the league’s first 2,000-yard receiver. May he work related magic with Dart and a wholesome Malik Nabers with the Giants?

Robert Saleh

Present function: Defensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

Do not sleep on Saleh, who must be a well-recognized face to the area after serving as he head coach of the New York Jets from 2021 up till early October of final season. He might get one other kick on the can as an NFL head coach, and lately showered Jaxson Dart with reward, calling the rookie “uber-talented” main as much as their Week 9 matchup. Saleh even spoke with Dart following the competition, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, additional signaling his affinity for the younger quarterback. Saleh’s demise with the Jets was the group’s incapacity to get it proper at quarterback. The Giants have already got their man, so Saleh might make sense, particularly main an rising protection. 

Steve Spagnuolo

Present function: Defensive coordinator, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

Spags is a really acquainted determine for the New York Giants. Already, he is had two stints with the group, with the newest seeing him function the interim head coach in 2017. Since then, he is been with the Chiefs and emboldened his fame as arguably the perfect defensive coordinator within the NFL. As we have famous, the event of Dart is paramount, however New York additionally has incredible items on protection that Spagnuolo might actually get probably the most out of. With the suitable offensive coordinator, this reunion might make some sense if Spagnuolo feels he is accomplished all he can do with Kansas Metropolis. 

Invoice Belichick

Present function: Head coach, College of North Carolina

It is the GOAT-sized elephant within the room. It is no secret that Belichick holds the New York Giants in excessive regard. He labored as an assistant coach and defensive guru with the group from 1979 right through the 1990 season, serving to the Giants to 2 Tremendous Bowl championships. He stays shut with the Mara household, so we will not rule out this reunion completely. In fact, Belichick would wish to set off his $1 million opt-out clause with UNC to pave the best way for a return to New York, and would wish to have that job secured earlier than making such a transfer. If he needs again into the NFL, this is a perfect storybook means to take action, however do the Giants need to rent a Belichick, who turns 74 in April? That is the query.