Brian Daboll became the second NFL head coach fired during the 2025 season when the New York Giants announced his ousting after a loss to the Chicago Bears.
“We spoke this morning about the direction of our franchise on the field, and we have decided that, at this time, it is in our best interest to make a change at the head coaching position,” Giants president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement on Monday, Nov. 10.
“The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing, and we have not met our expectations for this franchise. We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product. We appreciate Coach Daboll for his contributions to our organization. We wish the Daboll family all the best in the future.”
As the team looks for his replacement, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as interim head coach. In his first move as acting head coach, Kafka announced he would continue calling plays while revealing quarterback Jameis Winston will start against the Green Bay Packers as rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart remains in concussion protocol.
Kafka’s rise came despite an alleged threat from Daboll that came during the Giants’ surprise victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. The head coach, who stripped Kafka of play-calling duties in 2023 and again in 2024, nearly made the same move again.
“One player recently told ESPN of Daboll exploding and threatening to take away playcalling from assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka after tight end Theo Johnson dropped a crucial third-down pass downfield against the Eagles,” ESPN’s Jordan Raanan wrote.
Just a few weeks later, Daboll was out of the job and Kafka was named as his interim replacement.
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