Brian Daboll Embracing Some Changes And He Doesn't Really Have A Choice
ORLANDO – An NFL coach is nothing unless he adjusts, makes corrections and changes. It's what these guys do every week during the season. And it's what often must happen from one season to the next.
Meet New York Giants coach Brian Daboll – the coach making perhaps more changes than any other incumbent coach in the league from last year to this.
And the coach embracing those changes so the troubles of 2023 don't repeat.
Daboll spent much of his time with reporters at the NFL meeting on Tuesday repeating the fact he's on to the 2024 season, which will come with a new staff, new players, and perhaps a new approach from Daboll himself.
Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
About that last part: Daboll has something of a simmering temper. He calls it passion. Whatever it's called, the simmer sometimes boils over into a stew of raw emotion.
And we see it on the sideline when he's yelling at officials, or assistants, or flipping Microsoft tablets near quarterback Daniel Jones. We also read about it in the pages of the New York Daily News, that did great work in outlining Daboll's often tumultuous relationship with some assistants.
Giants owner John Mara noticed. And didn't love it.
"There are times when I wish he would tone it down a little bit," Mara told Giants beat reporters on Monday.
So Daboll understands some of the changes and adjustments he's making for this coming season have to include the guy in the mirror.
"Yeah, look, I talk to John every day," Daboll said. "I talk to my staff every day. Every year there's a self-evaluation process that goes on, whether I was a position coach, coordinator, and in this case, a head coach.
"I'm a very passionate person. But, yeah, there's times where I wish I would have handled things a little bit differently, certainly. So you continue to grow, you continue to evolve. That's what I try to do every year."
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and New York Giants defensive coordinator Don Martindale. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Outbursts Have To Stop
Changing course is part of a process and Daboll is thinking of altering how and definitely where he picks his spots. That's because several times the outbursts have either been in public on the sidelines or gotten into the public.
"I always try to keep things as private as I can," Daboll said. "Keep it in house. Again, look, the end of the season stuff is the end of the season stuff. I understand the question but, again, looking forward to the 2024 season."
And then he grabbed the reporter and threw him across the room.
No he didn't.
Daboll is a really smart guy who knows football and knows people. And knowing himself, he kept his composure as he was talking about keeping his composure. Then the topic changed.
And the new topic was about more change.
The most intriguing of these is Daboll is considering taking over the play-calling duties on offense.
"It’s something I’m looking into," Daboll said. "I think there’s 20 head coaches at this point in time that call plays in the league (counting both on offense and defense). … There might be a little bit more. I’ve been doing a bunch of research, but no decision has been made. I’m still going through that process, thinking about what we need to do.
"Whatever I feel is best for the football team, that's the way we'll go."
Head coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Daboll Consider Play-Calling
Daboll called plays in Buffalo. Called plays for the Miami Dolphins. Called plays for the Cleveland Browns.
He had success, and he knows how to do it. So he understandably has nostalgia about the assignment.
"Certainly," Daboll said. "I did it for a long time. There’s a lot of things that go into it. Part of the evaluation that I talked about, there are some other things that I’m looking into. I take my time and do what I think is best for the team."
The Giants have what is basically a refurbished coaching staff this year. Daboll hired nine new coaches, including defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and special teams coach Michael Ghobrial.
Normally, such turnover is a sign something went terribly wrong, or the team won a Super Bowl and everyone got promotions elsewhere. The Giants didn't win the Super Bowl.
They were 6-11 and there was some turmoil.
Head Coach Brian Daboll of the New York Giants. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
Giants Happy They're Onto New Year
"I'm excited about the guys we've added, the people that we've added," Daboll said. "They've done a great job the last two months."
The good news for Daboll and the Giants is the memories of 2023 will sink into the shadows as 2024 demands full attention. And the new season will show everyone if the changes Daboll has made ultimately work.
"It's all about starting over," he said. "We have an entire new team. New coaching staff, new team, new sports staff. We'll get ready and build a new foundation for the 2024 season."