For the first time in a long time, Giants fans had reason to celebrate on Tuesday afternoon. After all, their dream coaching hire -- by a mile, according to our X poll, at least -- was confirmed by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo to be getting an interview with the G-Men on Wednesday.
That, of course, was former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski -- the top choice 70 out of 123 Big Blue fans in our poll wanted as their next leader after suffering through 10 years of watching the wrong guy don the headset:
#Giants fans -- who would you like as the next HC?
— GMEN HQ (@GMENHQ) January 5, 2026
However, just because Giants fans want the 43-year-old does not mean the former six-year leader of The Dawg Pound wants them. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that, not even an hour after the interview, news broke that the Detroit Lions were looking for another engine to run the offense in the Motor City after parting ways with one‑year offensive coordinator John Morton.
And that job could be vastly more appealing to Stefanski than the reclamation project in East Rutherford.
Giants’ Kevin Stefanski hopes hit a potential Lions-sized snag
Black Monday lived up to its reputation, with several coaches and general managers getting fired. At the end of the day, it still felt like New York was the most attractive opening, especially for an offensive mind like Stef.
But then the Lions parted ways with Morton and completely flipped that narrative on its head. From an offensive perspective, the Lions have a sweet setup compared to the Giants.
We're talking a core of Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, Malik Nabers, (maybe) Wan'Dale Robinson or rookie wideout, and Theo Johnson vs. Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta. Plus, Dan Campbell would still be running things as head coach, with one of the best front offices in the league, led by GM Brad Holmes.
Working with that group could do wonders for Stefanski’s reputation. He’s not exactly coming off the hottest stretch of his career -- his 8-26 record barely edges Big Blue’s 7-27 mark over the same span. But reviving Detroit’s offense and bringing it back to the Ben Johnson days could open doors he’s unlikely to find if he treads water or sinks in New York.
Related: Giants must avoid Kevin Stefanski after Browns fire volatile head coach
As if Detroit providing a dream opportunity wasn't enough, the Baltimore Ravens might've thrown the biggest wrench into the Stefanski-to-Giants hopes when they announced they were parting ways with Super Bowl-winning, 18-year head coach John Harbaugh.
At least there’s a silver lining: Harbs should jump to the top of New York’s list. Just don’t be surprised if Stefanski beats them to the punch in Detroit.