Big Blue View
With each ugly loss, it seems less and less likely that Brian Daboll can engineer a late-season turnaround that would ensure his remaining as head coach of the New York Giants past this season.
Of course, Daboll can play the “I’m the guy who identified and can develop Jaxson Dart” card in a pitch too keep his job. He can also play the injury card. He can’t, though, explain away an embarrassingly under-performing defense led by his hand-picked defensive coordinator. He can’t explain losing so many winnable games. He can’t explain away three straight 2-7 starts. He can’t explain away 11-32 since the surprising and unsustainable 2022 season.
All of that puts in a place where we have been too often since the Giants showed Tom Coughlin, one of the two best coaches they have had in the Super Bowl era, the door after the 2015 season. A place where we have to consider who might be next if the Giants do move on from Daboll at the end of yet another disappointing season.
Below, a list of 10 potential candidates.
Lane Kiffin — The only current college head coach on my list, and an OBVIOUS candidate. You want a head coach who you know can help Jaxson Dart continue his upward arc as an NFL quarterback? How about the guy who helped him become a college quarterback worthy of being a first-round pick? That’s Kiffin, a guy known for his ability as an offensive coach.
Kiffin has NFL experience, having coached the Oakland Raiders in 2007 and part of 2008. Granted, that didn’t go well. Kiffin’s Raiders were 4-12 in 2007 and he got fired when Oakland was 1-3 four games into the 2008 season.
Still, Kiffin was 32 years old when he took the Raiders’ job. He isn’t that same young, brash coach.
Kiffin is 50 now. He is 114-53 (.683) at Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. At each stop, Kiffin has had more success. At Ole Miss, his teams are 52-19 (.732) with five straight bowl game appearances.
Kiffin has worked for Pete Carroll and Nick Saban. He has been open about his struggles to overcome alcoholism.
With so many openings in college football, Kiffin is going to be able to pick the job he wants this offseason. If he wants to try the NFL again, the Giants make a lot of sense.
Mike Kafka — The Giants’ offensive coordinator has been sought after for head-coaching jobs during each of the past three offseasons. He has interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints.
I don’t know if Kafka can be an NFL head coach. I wonder if he has the ability to lead an entire locker room and be the public face of an organization. I do believe the Giants should interview him as a serious candidate, especially if they want some continuity for Dart.
**Brian...
