Having fired Brian Daboll on Monday, the 2-8 Giants are within the early stages of finding their next head coach. Mike Kafka will finish the season on an interim basis after a promotion from offensive coordinator. Nonetheless, barring shockingly strong results from Kafka, it seems probable that Daboll’s successor will come from outside the organization.
General manager Joe Schoen, who hired Daboll in 2022, is leading the seek for his alternative. Schoen and Giants ownership haven’t had “serious meetings” in regards to the traits they need of their recent head coach, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. For his part, Schoen isn’t guaranteed to stay with the organization for the long haul. He’s only under contract through 2026. The Giants will review Schoen’s work at the tip of this season, but the assumption across the NFL is that he’ll remain in place, Russini reports.
As for who Schoen will hire, there’s little doubt that loads of potential candidates will come up in connection to Recent York’s opening in the approaching weeks. The Giants “have already got a shortlist of candidates,” Russini writes. It doesn’t include North Carolina’s Bill Belichick, in keeping with Russini. Belichick issued an announcement Friday saying he’s not occupied with the Giants’ job or every other NFL opportunity that will come along. The Giants didn’t contact Belichick before he shot down a possible return to the professionals, and it seems doubtful they were ever going to pursue him.
While Belichick isn’t in the combo, one early name to regulate is Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. The soon-to-be 40-year-old could grow to be the newest successful college coach to try his hand within the NFL.
If Freeman is occupied with the job, there’s “some buzz” that the Giants may discuss with him, per Dan Graziano of ESPN. Meanwhile, Dan Duggan of The Athletic regards Freeman as an early front-runner for the position, placing him behind Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and the out-of-work Mike McCarthy.
Freeman has gone 40-12 with the Fighting Irish for the reason that former linebacker took over for the departed Brian Kelly in December 2021. He guided Notre Dame to the national championship game last season, however the team suffered a 34-23 defeat to Ohio State. Just days before Freeman & Co. lost to the Buckeyes in January, the Bears reportedly sought an interview with him. That didn’t come to fruition, though, and the Bears ended up hiring Ben Johnson.
Anarumo, a well-respected coordinator, has been a well-liked figure within the rumor mill for the reason that Giants moved on from Daboll. The Staten Island native is a former Giants assistant who was a candidate for the HC job before Daboll landed it. Anarumo’s son currently works for the Giants as a professional scout.
McCarthy, 62, brings vast experience as a head coach. His teams have gone a formidable 174-112-2 within the regular season. He led the Packers from 2006-18, winning one Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers during that 13-year period, and the Cowboys from 2020-24.
In limbo with the Cowboys last winter before Jerry Jones replaced him with Brian Schottenheimer, McCarthy interviewed with Chicago and Recent Orleans. After he began losing ground with the Saints, who selected Kellen Moore, McCarthy withdrew as a candidate. He hasn’t found one other job since then, though perhaps the Giants will look in his direction.
The Johnson pick has worked out thus far for the Bears, who’re 6-3 and already guaranteed a greater record than last 12 months’s 5-12 mark. In the event that they make the precise hire, the Giants could have a likelihood to enjoy an identical turnaround in 2026.