This week, the New York Giants made headlines by firing head coach Brian Daboll following another late fourth-quarter collapse in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears, dropping to 2-8 on the season.
Daboll earned Coach of the Year honors in 2022 during his first season with the franchise, but since then, the team has struggled, despite showing flashes of promise this year behind rookie QB Jaxson Dart and RB Cam Skattebo.
Injuries have compounded the Giants’ problems, with Skattebo and WR Malik Nabers both sidelined for the season and Dart dealing with a concussion in the loss to Chicago.
Mike Kafka has been named interim head coach, and ahead of the Giants’ home game against the Green Bay Packers—with Jameis Winston set to start—longtime coach and current NFL Countdown analyst Rex Ryan weighed in on the decision and Kafka’s role.
“I hate that Brian Daboll got fired,” Ryan said. “We’re putting an interim guy in there. I hate that interim head coach deal,” Ryan said. “But last night, Alex and I were talking about it. He’s interviewed several times for head coaching jobs, so this is a free shot. If it hits and they start winning and become world beaters, he keeps the job. If not—which I expect—they’re not going to do anything.
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Rex Ryan went on to explain why he believes Daboll was fired, pointing to the team’s repeated late-game collapses this season and the staff he assembled, particularly defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.
“Look, part of the reason Brian Daboll is sitting right here, you guys talked about it: he went four games up by 10 points in the fourth quarter,” Ryan added. “That’s a great thing. But a team thing is this—closing things out. It’s not only your horrendous defense, which by the way is the second-highest paid defense in the league, it’s the fact of who you brought in to run that defense. Quite honestly, that’s it. You bring in a college guy with a lot of college experience—that’s a mistake.”
The Giants are now in a position where their next head coach, whoever that may be, needs to be the right hire. Finding someone who can develop Jaxson Dart and maximize the talent already on both sides of the ball will be crucial, making this an appealing opportunity for the right candidate.
As for Brian Daboll, rumors have swirled about a potential move to the college ranks, but he also established himself as a successful NFL coordinator before taking the Giants job. That could be another path he pursues while waiting for the next head coaching opportunity in the pros.
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