The New York team had another painful season in the NFL…
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has been fired following another late-game collapse, this time against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
The Giants lost a double-digit advantage for the second time this season, falling 24-20 at Chicago after holding a 10-point lead with less than four minutes to play.
They are now only the second team since the NFL merger to suffer such losses twice in one season, joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2004.
Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka will serve as interim coach. Kafka, 37, is considered one of the league’s promising young minds and has already interviewed for several head coaching positions.
New York’s 2-8 start continues a dismal trend for the franchise, marking the third straight year that they have won just two of their first ten games. Since the start of the 2023 campaign, the Giants have gone just 11-33 overall.
Asked after Sunday’s loss if he was concerned about his job security, Daboll said, “I’m just focused on those guys in the locker room.”
The loss also saw rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart enter the concussion protocol for the fourth time this year, including the preseason. Dart, a first-round pick and one of Daboll’s hand-picked selections, has totaled 17 touchdowns in seven starts but continues to battle injuries.
Daboll’s tenure began with high expectations after his impressive debut season in 2022, when he guided New York to a 9-7-1 record and a surprise play-off win at Minnesota, earning NFL Coach of the Year honors.
However, the momentum quickly evaporated. The Giants have since struggled to close out games, blowing double-digit leads in four separate road contests this season alone.
Over four seasons, Daboll posted a 20-40-1 record, a .336 winning percentage that ranked below his predecessors Ben McAdoo and Ray Perkins.
Daboll’s fiery attitude reportedly led to several incidents, including a public rift with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale after the 2023 campaign and a $100,000 fine earlier this year for approaching the medical tent while Dart was being evaluated.
At one point, general manager Joe Schoen should have been monitoring coaches’ headsets to examine Daboll’s in-game communication.
The coach also became famous for a heated exchange on the sidelines in which he threw a tablet toward then-quarterback Daniel Jones.
Despite internal friction, Daboll and Schoen were retained after last season’s 3-14 finish. However, pressure mounted when Giants owner John Mara publicly warned that improvement was mandatory if both men wanted to see a fifth year at the helm.
