Giants Fire Brian Daboll, Name Mike Kafka Interim, But Not Necessarily Headed To Full Reboot

In the end, there was too much losing for the New York Giants. And too much mixed messaging. And too much risk for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. So coach Brian Daboll was fired on Monday, 10 games into his fourth season as the team's coach.

Daboll was told Monday morning, a source told OutKick, one day after a loss to the Bears that was the latest in the Giants’ string of blown leads this season.

Giants: Past Few Seasons Disappointing

"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," president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a joint statement.

"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."

And now the equally big news: General manager Joe Schoen is safe.

The Giants said in a release he will lead the search for the next head coach, in the same way he led the search for Daboll in 2022.

Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as the interim head coach the remainder of the season.

What Brian Daboll got out of Daniel Jones and the New York Giants this season is nothing short of incredible. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Daboll Good Start But Rough After

Daboll came into this season on the hot seat. That was as a result of managing only a 9-25 record the previous two seasons.

This season's 2-8 record includes four losses in games the team led by 10 points.

Daboll finishes his Giants tenure with a 20-40-1 record that represents a .336 winning percentage. Not good enough. 

And the end was definitely way more depressing than the beginning. Daboll's team was 9-7-1 his first year in 2022 and the Giants made the playffs. Daboll managed a victory over Minnesota in that postseason and it all suggested great things were ahead. 

But the Giants have not only not been contenders since, they're bottom-dwellers. 

This is a historic move for the Giants. That's because this team ownership does not like firing coaches in-season. It had not done so since 2017.

New York Giants co-owner John Mara (left) and New York Giants General Manager, Joe Schoen, speak with New York Giants Head Coach, Brian Daboll, at MetLife Stadium before their team hosts the New England Patriots, Sunday, November 26, 2023.

Joe Schoen To Hire Next Coach

So what next?

Schoen has saved his job. And so, there will be no huge reboot.

The teeam boasts young talent that includes Malik Nabers, Dart, Cam Skattebo, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and others. That means it won't be a total tear down when the next coach and possibly next general manager are hired.

"We feel like Joe has assembled a good young nucleus of talent, and we look forward to its development," said Mara. "Unfortunately, the results over the past three years have not been what any of us want. We take full responsibility for those results and look forward to the kind of success our fans expect."

"These are difficult decisions, and John and I do not take them lightly," said Tisch, "but we feel like this is the right thing to do at this time and will allow us to move forward."