Absolutely no one is happy with the New York Giants right now. Aside from finally finding their next franchise quarterback, nothing is going to plan, and this season is already off the rails.
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has been a revelation. But the silver lining stops there. Now sitting at 2-8 after yet another double-digit collapse — this time in a 24-20 Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears — the seat under head coach Brian Daboll isn’t just hot, it’s scorching.
Related: 3 winners (and 3 losers) from painfully predictable Giants Week 10 meltdown
He’s been a card-carrying member of the Toasty Buns club for a while, but a fourth road loss after leading by 10 or more points in the same season has cranked the temperature to unfathomable levels. Throw in the fact he's gone 11-33 the past two-plus seasons, and it's as clear as day he's unfortunately no longer fit to get this team out of the mud.
It wouldn't be surprising if ownership looked for a change sooner rather than later. Here are four strong candidates who could replace the struggling fourth-year coach.
4 head coaches who make sense for Giants if Brian Daboll is fired
Mike Kafka (Offensive coordinator - New York Giants)
If Dabs were to get fired in-season, it'd be pretty shocking if the team didn't turn to Mike Kafka as the interim coach. The 38-year-old second-year OC could have a couple of games, serving as an audition to prove to Giants brass he's the guy they should move forward with.
Kafka originally hailed from Kansas City, where he worked alongside superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. It’s unclear how involved he’s been in Dart’s development, but if he has been, that’s a pretty good sign of his potential as a quarterback guru.
The lack of success the Giants have had while Kafka's been employed in East Rutherford is concerning, but there's a chance Dabs is responsible for most of it. He's received HC interviews the past two coaching cycles, suggesting he's not some long shot. His hiring will likely come down to his success as the interim coach, if the G-Men go that route.
Klint Kubiak (Offensive coordinator - Seattle Seahawks)
Kubiak’s name is buzzing for a reason. In his first year running Seattle’s offense, he’s helped turn quarterback Sam Darnold into an MVP candidate and has wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba flirting with a historic season. The Giants don’t have that kind of firepower yet, but pairing Kubiak with Dart and a healthy Malik Nabers would be a heck of a start.
He’s from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, and it shows. Yes, he’d be a first-time head coach, and there are fair questions about staff-building and game management — things that have plagued Daboll. What separates him from the others is his dad, Gary Kubiak, was a relatively successful head coach for 10 years. Clearly he's picked up something.
If the priority is maximizing the offense and finally developing a real identity, the 38-year-old should be at the top of the list.
Jesse Minter (Defensive coordinator - Los Angeles Chargers)
Minter will be a hot commodity this next coaching cycle. He’s built elite defenses everywhere he’s been — and the G-Men could use someone who can hold a double-digit lead. He helped Michigan win a national title, then jumped to the NFL and turned the Chargers into the No. 1 scoring defense in his first year in 2024. Funny enough, we've been banging the Minter drum for a while now.
If Big Blue is serious about getting something out of their loaded defensive front, Minter makes a lot of sense. This team’s poured premium picks and money into guys like Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Get someone who knows how to use them. Dart will need an offensive mind to help him grow — but that can be the OC.
The next head coach needs to fix the culture, and Minter’s the type who could actually do it.
Kliff Kingsbury (Offensive coordinator - Washington Commanders)
Kingsbury is the only former head coach on this list, and his résumé in Arizona wasn’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth a look — especially for a team trying to build around its 22-year-old quarterback.
He’s helped Jayden Daniels look like a star in Washington, and his track record developing QBs is legit. Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams — now Daniels. That sounds pretty sweet.
The 46-year-old is the kind of offensive mind who could actually build something that works around Dart. He’ll need to prove he can hire a staff and handle the full scope of the job, but the bones are there. He knows how to build a dangerous offense — and that’s not something New York has had in a while.