The New York Giants will need to find their next leading man after the long-delayed decision to part ways with Brian Daboll, but some of the names who may be at the forefront of the team's coaching search may not be in-line with what the fanbase was expecting of this organization.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic listed Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as perhaps the frontrunner in the Giants' head coaching search. Duggan mentioned a situation in which Anarumo is hired and interim head coach Mike Kafka is retained as the team's offensive coordinator once again.
Duggan also mentioned Super Bowl-winning former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy as a front-runner, as well as a collegiate dark horse in Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. These names may indeed work out, but all of them have some serious boom-or-bust potential.
Lou Anarumo, Mike McCarthy named favorites for Giants head coach job
The 59-year-old Anarumo is a New York native who attended Wagner College, and he has past experience with the Giants. In 2018, Anarumo served as defensive backs coach. His zone-heavy Colts defense has been one of the best in the business this season.
However, Anarumo did perform poorly enough that the Cincinnati Bengals parted ways with him after six seasons prior to 2025. While defensive coaches around the league are thriving, some Giants fans may want a quarterback whisperer to get the most out of rising quarterback Jaxson Dart.
McCarthy, who made the playoffs multiple times with the Dallas Cowboys after the end of his Green Bay tenure, could be a solid hire in terms of restoring baseline competency. McCarthy has a high floor, but his game management and postseason failures have made him a name that isn't exactly at the tip of everyone's tongue.
Freeman, who will only turn 40 in January, has gone 40-12 with the Fighting Irish and is one year removed from taking the team to a loss in the National Championship. Freeman is not the only college coach who has gotten some Giants buzz lately, as some want Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin to reunite with Dart.
The Giants will likely conduct a wide-reaching search that can tie in coaches from all over the sport, but if the organization hires someone the fanbase believes will be bad for Dart's development, they aren't going to give that new hire a very long grace period.