The New York Giants’ season has officially come to an end. While there were plenty of highs, there were also many lows, and there’s no doubt it was a disappointing year. The G-Men finished 4-13, dead last in the NFC East, which means there’s still plenty of work to be done.
We know the Giants won’t be picking first or second in this year’s NFL Draft. Still, the biggest priority for Joe Schoen and Big Blue’s front office this offseason is filling the vacant head coaching job, and they have to get this hire right. It could shape the direction of the franchise for years to come.
The Giants are expected to cast a wide coaching net and meet with several candidates. The list includes former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who was released by Cleveland on Monday and could make sense for Big Blue. But there’s one name that stands out above the rest.
Kliff Kingsbury would be an excellent fit for the Giants’ open HC job
One candidate who makes a lot of sense for the G-Men to hire as their next head coach is former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. He’s a former quarterback himself, playing at Texas Tech and for several NFL teams, and even winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots as a rookie in 2003.
Kingsbury was fired by the Commanders on Tuesday afternoon following Washington’s disappointing 5-12 campaign, but his track record as a developer of QBs is still impressive. He’s worked with Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, Kyler Murray with the Arizona Cardinals, Caleb Williams at USC, and now Jayden Daniels in Washington.
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The 46-year-old is also one of the only coaches on Big Blue's candidate list, along with Mike McCarthy, Kevin Stefanski, and former Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, who has previous NFL head coaching experience.
He led the Cardinals from 2019 through 2022. That matters, especially given NY’s track record with first-time head coaches and coordinators since Tom Coughlin’s departure.
Kingsbury is an offensive mind whose resume speaks for itself. He brings experience, quarterback development chops, and a modern approach that could pair perfectly with Giants signal-caller Jaxson Dart. His fit in New York makes a ton of sense.
This is the kind of hire the Giants need if they’re serious about building around Dart. The front office has made it clear he’s their guy for the future, and he’ll only go as far as the next coach can take him. Schoen and his staff must keep that in mind -- and Kingsbury might be exactly what the G-Men are looking for.