The New York Giants have officially decided to move on from now-former head coach Brian Daboll after a disappointing three-plus-year run. His dismissal comes on the heels of yet another fourth-quarter meltdown that included rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart's fourth concussion evaluation.
Daboll's relentless willingness to dial up designed runs that put Dart in harm's way amid a lost campaign presumably factored into the former's firing. The play-calling was emblematic of someone fighting for his job, which proved true, albeit futile.
However, health aside, Daboll has been instrumental to Dart's rapid ascension as an organizational centerpiece since replacing Russell Wilson as the Giants' starting signal-caller. You could argue that alone should've saved the 2022 Coach of the Year from getting canned, and yet, here we are.
Jaxson Dart's emergence wasn't enough to prevent Giants from firing Brian Daboll
Besides winning, Dart's development ought to be the Giants' top priority, right? He plays the most important position in football, which they've struggled to fill since franchise legend Eli Manning retired in 2020. His long-term growth is more important than any short-term success the club hoped to enjoy this season.
On one hand, it's understandable why the Giants chose to part ways with Daboll. They went 20-40-1 under him; he had ample time to right the ship. But on the other hand, his tenure was only just beginning after finally getting a handpicked gunslinger to work with.
Dart has been ahead of schedule since Wilson's shortcomings bumped him up the depth chart, and the numbers bear that out. By many metrics, the 2025 No. 25 overall pick has been among the best dual-threats in football, which is a credit to Daboll.
Among 39 quarterbacks with at least 50 dropbacks since Week 4 (his first start), Dart's sixth in scramble yards (162) and hero throw rate (5.9 percent). He also paces all passers in rushing yards (317), first downs (26) and touchdowns (seven) during that stretch. Moreover, his absurd per-play efficiency on third downs is a testament to Daboll pushing the right buttons.
While Daboll's impact on Dart and the Giants' scoring unit didn't translate to wins, it made them tough to stop. They rank 11th in the offensive component of ESPN's Football Power Index. For context, that's ahead of high-octane Super Bowl LX contenders like the New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks.
Note: Stats courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite ($).