There was always going to be chaos after the New York Giants closed out their season with back-to-back wins that felt more symbolic than anything meaningful.
They fired head coach Brian Daboll after Week 10, going 2-5 the rest of the way to an uninspiring 4-13 record, and now the organization is back at square one, looking for a new leader to fix this mess.
One thing was always clear: The 2026 Giants job was going to be attractive. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has real promise. The young core has some really interesting names. There’s a road to more financial flexibility and a top-five pick to work with. It’s the kind of setup that could entice some of the league’s best minds to East Rutherford.
And yet, the first name being linked to Big Blue is one of the most familiar in the league: Mike McCarthy.
Giants coaching search heats up with Mike McCarthy as top candidate
McCarthy has been heavily linked to the Giants' HC job as the 2026 search begins. ESPN's Jordan Raanan confirmed as much in his latest article discussing the wide net the G-Men will be utilizing to find their next coach.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon shared his early prediction, writing, "I get the sense they will go with the more accomplished and familiar Mike McCarthy as their 'offensive CEO' to oversee this continued rebuild."
This is the type of hire that will immediately divide the fanbase. On one hand, McCarthy has a Super Bowl win, 12 playoff appearances, and a track record of working with stud quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott. He could be the perfect stabilizing force for a young team trying to find an identity.
On the other, there are obvious concerns. His clock management. The outdated offensive concepts. The idea that he’s more of a "safe" option than a forward-thinking, innovative option. Throw in the fact that he's 14-1 all-time against Big Blue, and the McCarthy noise is sure to get a few eye-rolls.
Still, there’s a reason why his name is getting mentioned. New York might not want to go the "hotshot coordinator" route again after the Daboll era ended with a thud, which comes after the Joe Judge and Ben McAdoo experiments failed spectacularly as well. They need some structure and leadership. And with Joe Schoen returning as general manager, pedigree might be valued more than innovation.
Whether it’s the right call or not, McCarthy will walk into any interview with more credibility and experience than most of the other candidates. The bigger question is whether that’s enough to lead this franchise out of its latest mess of a season and into actual relevance.