The 2025 season has mercifully come to an end for the New York Giants. They won big in their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys, but it cost them a chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Now, it's onto the offseason, where they have to look for a new head coach.
On Monday, it was confirmed that general manager Joe Schoen is staying for the 2026 season and will help run the head coaching search. Even with the Giants' lack of success and Schoen's presence, it doesn't appear as though it would prevent them from hiring the coach of their choice, according to reports.
This year's coaching cycle isn't as rich as it was last year, with the likes of Ben Johnson, Mike Vrabel, and Liam Coen. The Giants have been linked to former NFL head coaches, such as Mike McCarthy, Matt Nagy, and Steve Spagnuolo. But there is one former head coach that is expected to be of interest to the Giants, and it's a candidate that hasn't crossed the minds of fans.
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ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is set to interview for the Giants' head coaching job this week. Joseph had previously been the Broncos head coach in 2017 and 2018.
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is expected to interview this week for the Raiders, Cardinals, Giants and Titans head coaching vacancies, per sources. pic.twitter.com/W7Ij89Lu3c
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026
Giants to interview former Broncos head coach Vance Joseph for current vacancy
This isn't the Giants reaching out to deep left field for Joseph. He is expected to get looks this coaching cycle, as he is also set to interview with the Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders. That's understandable, considering the Broncos clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, due in part to Joseph's work with the defense.
This season, the Broncos' defense allowed an average of 278.2 yards of offense (second-lowest in NFL) and 18.3 points per game (third-lowest). The Broncos also boast the best pass rushing unit in the league, as they have a league-high 68 sacks to their credit, 11 more than the second-ranked team, the Atlanta Falcons. Not to mention, they've allowed just 18 passing touchdowns on the year, fourth-fewest in the league.
Given the Giants' defense being their main detriment this season, thanks in part to defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and a lackluster secondary, bringing in a defensive minded coach makes sense. They have a stacked defensive line, but the rest of the defense needs work.
Joseph's run as head coach with the Broncos didn't pan out well. Taking over for a retiring Gary Kubiak, Joseph led the Broncos to a 5-11 record in 2017 and a 6-10 record in 2018. Joseph only received two seasons as head coach, as the team fired him.
What does work in Joseph's favor with the Giants is that he does have a working relationship with Schoen. The two worked together in 2016 on the Miami Dolphins. Joseph was the defensive coordinator that year, while Schoen was their director of player personnel.
An interesting note about a potential Joseph hire by the Giants, Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado, who covers the Broncos, mentions that quarterbacks coach Davis Webb could join him as offensive coordinator. As Giants fans know, Webb was a former quarterback for the team in 2017 and 2021. Webb has received praise for his work in developing Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. One has to wonder what he'd be able to do with Jaxson Dart as quarterback.
This is still very early in the process. There are going to be plenty of twists and turns in the Giants' coaching search. Fans are just hoping that Schoen and team owners John Mara and Steve Tisch make the right coaching hire. Since Tom Coughlin stepped aside after the 2015 season, the Giants have gone 0-for-4 on the head coaching front.