The New York Giants have parted ways with head coach Brian Daboll, bringing a sudden end to his turbulent tenure after a miserable 2-8 start to the current NFL season.
A Season of Promise Turns Sour
Despite the high-profile addition of rookie quarterback star Jaxson Dart this season, the Giants have slumped to a nightmare record, culminating in Sunday's 24-20 defeat to the Chicago Bears. This latest loss proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Daboll, according to multiple reports.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will step in as the interim head coach, as reported by Adam Schefter. This move makes Kafka the sixth man to lead the Giants since 2016, following Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Daboll.
The ownership's decision arrives after the team has notoriously wasted four double-digit leads in defeats this season alone, highlighting a recurring failure to close out games.
From Coach of the Year to Dismissal
Daboll's time in New York began with remarkable success. In his debut 2022 season, he guided the Giants to the playoffs, posting a 1-1 record in the postseason. This impressive feat earned him the prestigious NFL Coach of the Year award and built significant credit with the franchise.
However, the following years saw a sharp decline. Daboll was unable to replicate the success of his first year, and the Giants have not been playoff contenders since. Over his three and a half years in charge, Daboll compiled a regular-season record of 20-40-1.
Owner John Mara had issued a stark warning at the end of the previous season, indicating that while Daboll and General Manager Joe Schoen were being given a lifeline, he needed to see improved results. "It better not take long because I've run out of patience," Mara stated after the 2024 season. His patience with Daboll has now evidently expired, though Schoen appears to be safe for the time being.
Injury Crisis Seals Daboll's Fate
The 2024 season had started with a flicker of optimism. The energy from rookies Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo offered hope, and the team even managed a stunning upset against the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles at home in Week 6.
But the campaign quickly descended into misery, plagued by a devastating series of injuries. The Giants lost their star wide receiver, Malik Nabers, to a torn ACL early in the season. The blow was compounded when rookie Skattebo dislocated his knee against the Eagles in Week 8.
The injury crisis reached a peak during the fateful Bears game when starting quarterback Jaxson Dart was ruled out with a concussion. After scoring two touchdowns earlier in the match, Dart took a heavy blow to the head and was immediately substituted for Russell Wilson, who could not prevent another Giants collapse.
This mid-season coaching change is a rare event for the Giants franchise. It is only the third in-season coaching change since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger and the first since 2017, when Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese were fired after a 2-10 start.
