Brian Daboll was fired as New York Giants head coach on Monday, a day after his team blew a 10-point lead in a 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field
17:21 ET, 10 Nov 2025
Brian Daboll
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Brian Daboll spoke about the New York Giants' inability to 'finish the game' before losing his head-coaching job(Image: Getty Images)
Before being dismissed as head coach, Brian Daboll urged the New York Giants to "collectively finish the game."
The Giants suffered a defeat at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Jaxson Dart had a promising start, completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 242 yards and scoring a 24-yard touchdown run; he even made NFL history by becoming the first quarterback to score a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games.
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However, after sustaining a concussion, Dart was replaced by Russell Wilson, and the Bears rallied to secure a 24-20 victory. This loss pushed the Giants' record down to 2-8, and another squandered lead was the last straw. Later on, Daboll also made a concerning Dart admission.
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In 2024, the Giants have yet to win a game where they held a lead of 10 points or more. Consequently, Daboll was relieved of his duties as head coach on Monday.
After the game, Daboll provided an update on Dart's condition following his recent head injury. In his final response, the 50-year-old expressed frustration over the Giants' inability to clinch victories in tight games.
"I think there's been some really tough games this year where we've taken the lead late or whatever it may be or have a lead," Daboll shared with reporters during his last post-game press conference. "I think part of that's just fundamental execution, all of us making one more play than them.
"You go back to the Dallas game, we had two big plays, two minutes. And then 25 seconds to go, guys made great plays, but, unfortunately, weren't able to finish it. The Saints game was a tough one for us. We had that lead."
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 09: Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants looks on during the first quarter in the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 09, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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Daboll was fired a day after New York's 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 10(Image: Patrick McDermott, Getty Images)
"Just across the board, I felt like we've just got to play cleaner football down the road. I thought we played a really good game throughout the game. I thought it was good to be back in there with the fellas, battling and all that.
"We had all the confidence in the world. We've just got to collectively — offense, defense, special teams — finish the game."
Daboll made an impressive start as the Giants' 20th head coach in franchise history. His Giants kicked off the 2022 season with a 7–2 record, their best start in ten years, earning the team its first postseason spot since 2016.
The Giants triumphed over the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs, marking their first playoff victory since Super Bowl XLVI. Daboll's exceptional leadership even earned him the title of AP NFL Coach of the Year.
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However, his luck has dramatically shifted.
The Giants are stuck in a rut with a 2-8 record for the third consecutive season, and Daboll departs New York with a 20-40-1 record.
Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will step up as the interim head coach for the upcoming clash against the 5-2-1 Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 16.