The Giants fired Brian Daboll after nearly four seasons this week, moving on from the coach after New York blew yet another double-digit fourth-quarter lead over the weekend.
Over 60 games as the Giants head coach, Daboll went 20-40 and led the team to one postseason appearance in 2022, his first season at the helm. During the past two seasons, the Giants have gone just 5-22 and sustained particularly disappointing losses when they blew leads to the Bears and Broncos.
Daboll was already on the hot seat entering this season, and though he wisely pulled for the team to draft quarterback Jaxson Dart, it wasn’t enough to overcome his other shortcomings as head coach. Ultimately, Daboll didn’t win enough, but there were also several other factors that let to his firing.
Not only has Daboll struggled to win consistently, but according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, the front office also felt the team’s 2-8 record did not reflect the amount of talent on the team, and that the coaching staff was not getting the most out of its players. This sentiment is reflected in the team’s decision to retain general manager Joe Schoen. After all, it’s hard not to notice when Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones find much greater success as soon as they leave for other teams.
Raanan also reports that Daboll’s emotional outbursts were a problem over his tenure in The Big Apple, including snapping at a medical professional while Dart was in the blue medical tent. A player reportedly told ESPN that Daboll became “explosive” toward offensive coordinator and now interim head coach Mike Kafka after tight end Theo Johnson dropped a third down pass against the Eagles, and even threatened to take away his play-calling duties. The Giants have denied this report.
Along with the losing, outbursts and inability to maximize their talent, Raanan noted that sources said Daboll’s decision-making lacked consistency and that the team was too focused on noise coming from outside the building.
As the Giants search for their next head coach, they will look to hire a candidate that brings back stability to New York and continues to develop Dart. The Giants have not consistently won in nearly 15 years, have made just two postseason appearances since their last Super Bowl win in 2011 and cycled through four coaches since parting ways with Tom Coughlin a decade ago. They have their quarterback, now it’s time to bring in the right coach to lead him and the team.
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