The New York Giants won’t lose a game this NFL weekend, and that’s thankfully because they’re on a bye.
The 2025 season will go down as one of the worst in franchise history, as anything that could go wrong did. The Russell Wilson experiment lasted three games, and then Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo suffered season-ending injuries.
Then, head coach Brian Daboll was fired on November 10th, and two weeks later, defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was also relieved of his duties. Mike Kafka has served as the interim head coach for the last three games, but with the team’s embarrassing 33-15 loss to the New England Patriots on Monday night, his chances of being named coach have gone by the wayside.
There have been several coaches linked as possible candidates for the head coaching job. There have been debates on how attractive the job is. Let’s look at why the head coaching job is an attractive position, and why it’s not.
Why it’s desirable
Jaxson Dart
If you’re going to have any success in the NFL and the Giants appear to have that in Jaxson Dart. Although he’s only started eight games, Dart appears to be the real deal who can make plays with his arms and legs.
Despite being without the team’s best receiver in Nabers, Dart has thrown for 11 touchdowns to just three interceptions and has rushed for 337 yards with seven rushing touchdowns. He will need to do a better job of not taking unnecessary hits, but it’s clear that he’s one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the NFL.
To be a contender in the NFL, you need a franchise quarterback who can be in the top 10 discussion. The rookie is not in the top 10 discussion this year, but based on how he’s performed with the lack of explosive playmakers, it’s only a matter of time before he’s in this discussion.
A talented core that’s under 30 years old
In addition to Dart, New York has a bunch of talented offensive player makers such a Nabers, Skattebo, and Theo Johnson. Wan’Dale Robinson could be included with this group if the team re-signs the soon-to-be free agent wide receiver.
They also have one of the best left tackles in the league in Andrew Thomas, who will turn 27 in January, and the team is high on fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow to help anchor the offensive line.
On defense, Brian Burns is having the best season of his career, and he’ll only be 28 at the beginning of next season. Then you have to hope that Abdul Carter will rebound from his mistakes and mature in 2026 and have a more productive season.
In order for a team to have sustained success, it must have a core of talented players that will be with the franchise for years to come. Big Blue has a collection of young, talented players that can be building blocks to help bring the team back to prominence.
What makes it undesirable
The last decade of poor management
Since New York won their fourth Super Bowl in February of 2012, it has had just three winning seasons and compiled a regular-season win-loss record of 81-143-1. During this span, the franchise has suffered through 10 double-digit losing seasons, including setting a franchise record for losses in a season with 14 in 2024.
No matter who the head coach has been, the results remain the same, and as well all know, the greatest predictor of the future is what has happened in the past. Even as confident as potential head coaches might be that they can turn things around, they can’t overlook the product on the field over the last decade and a half.
In addition to the poor play on the field, New York’s brass has made questionable personnel decisions on which players to keep and which players they let walk out the door. When you see some of the success that players have had once they’ve left Big Blue, it makes you think that something internally is broken within the organization, that hinders day-to-day activities.
The Giants were once one of the most storied and respected franchises in the NFL. But for the better part of the last two decades, they’ve been an embarrassment, and there’ll be other head coaching jobs available that won’t have the pressure or stress of making the Giants an elite organization again.
A lame duck general manager
Shortly after the firing of Brian Daboll, Giants co-owner, President, and CEO John Mara stated that general manager Joe Schoen would lead the search for the next head coach. Mara could change his mind, but if he stands firm on this stance, then the new coach could be walking into a franchise with a lame duck general manager.
Most believe that Schoen should have been let go the same time as Daboll, or at least be shown the door at the end of this season. After all, it was Schoen who constructed a roster that has gone 20-43-1 in his tenure, and a team that has lost 25 out of their last 30 games.
As unfathomable as it is that the 46-year-old GM remains employed, it would be impossible to imagine he’ll survive if the team has another losing year in 2026. That would be Big Blue will hire a new general manager, and that person, in all probability, would want to hire a head coach of their choosing. This means the coach they hire between now and the start of the 2026 season could be one and done in New York.
