Brian Daboll needs a Saints win and Dan Campbell-level energy to save his job

The New York Giants are a team in freefall. At 2-10, they’ve gone from a surprise playoff team two years ago to a dysfunctional, lifeless unit this season.

Head coach Brian Daboll, once hailed as the architect of the Giants’ resurgence, now finds himself on the hot seat as reports of locker room rifts, player frustration, and lackluster effort pile up.

The stark contrast between the Giants and the Detroit Lions could not be more glaring. While Dan Campbell’s Lions sit at an NFL-best 12-1, riding a wave of energy and unity, the Giants are fractured. Malik Nabers has openly criticized the team’s direction. Even defensive leader Dexter Lawrence has called out the lack of heart.

What’s missing from the Giants is the kind of fire and camaraderie Campbell brings to Detroit.

Campbell’s impassioned postgame speeches, like the one after the Lions’ Thursday night win over the Packers, are a masterclass in rallying a team. Once viewed as over-the-top and even corny, Campbell’s intensity has forged a culture where players believe in him and each other. It’s something Daboll needs to recapture if he wants to save his job and show the Giants he still has the locker room on his side.

Dan Campbell's postgame speech after Lions win over Packers is everything the Giants are missing

After Detroit’s 34-31 win over Green Bay, Dan Campbell delivered yet another fiery postgame speech that exemplified why his players go to battle for him every week. “We live in pressure. That’s where we freakin’ thrive,” Campbell shouted, his voice brimming with pride. The Lions’ culture has become one of accountability, resilience, and joy—a reflection of their head coach’s personality.

For the Giants, the energy in the locker room couldn’t be more different.

Reports suggest the team is divided, and the effort on the field has been questioned. Bobby Okereke’s half-hearted attempt to tackle Bucky Irving against Tampa Bay was a low point, and Malik Nabers’ biting postgame comments about Brian Daboll’s play-calling only added fuel to the fire. The Giants look like a team that has checked out—a stark contrast to the Lions, who play like they’d run through a wall for Campbell.

The difference? Campbell has been consistent in his message and passion, even during the Lions’ 3-13-1 first season under his leadership.

His infamous “biting kneecaps” press conference was mocked, but he never wavered. Now, three years later, Detroit is reaping the rewards of a coach whose players are fully bought in. Daboll showed similar fire during his Coach of the Year season in 2022 but has been noticeably subdued as the losses have piled up.

Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints offers a chance for Daboll to flip the script. A win alone won’t fix everything, but how Daboll carries himself after the game could make a lasting impression.

Players, fans, and the front office need to see that he still has the passion and leadership to turn this around.

Daboll doesn’t need to mimic Campbell, but he must remind everyone why he earned the job in the first place. The Giants hired Daboll not just for his offensive mind but for his ability to connect with players and inspire them. That version of Daboll—the one who gets fired up on the sideline and shows genuine love for his team—needs to return.

If the Giants can win and Daboll delivers a message that resonates with his players, it might cool his hot seat and start to repair the locker room divide. For a franchise teetering on the edge, a little passion and belief could go a long way.

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