Lead
The New York Giants announced today that head coach Brian Daboll has been relieved of his duties and that offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka will serve as the club’s interim head coach. Team presidents John Mara and Steve Tisch said the move was driven by the franchise’s on-field direction and recent results. General manager Joe Schoen will remain in place and lead the search for a permanent replacement. The organization thanked Daboll for his work with the team.
Key Takeaways
- Brian Daboll has been relieved of his duties as New York Giants head coach after four seasons and a 20-40-1 record.
- Mike Kafka, the Giants’ offensive coordinator since 2022 and assistant head coach since 2024, is the interim head coach.
- Daboll was NFL Coach of the Year in 2022 after a nine-win season that produced the Giants’ first playoff berth in six years and a first postseason victory in 11 seasons.
- Joe Schoen will remain general manager and will lead the search for the club’s next permanent head coach.
- Ownership cited disappointing results over recent seasons and pledged to improve on-field performance for fans and stakeholders.
Background
Brian Daboll was hired as the Giants’ head coach prior to the 2022 NFL season; that year he guided the team to nine regular-season victories, a playoff berth — the first since 2016 — and the franchise’s first postseason win since 2011. The 2022 campaign earned Daboll the NFL Coach of the Year award and raised expectations for a sustained turnaround. Over four seasons in charge the Giants went 20-40-1, a record ownership concluded did not meet organizational goals.
The franchise’s front office, led by GM Joe Schoen, has worked to assemble young talent on both sides of the ball, a process ownership cited when explaining why Schoen will remain in place to oversee the next coaching search. Fan frustration and heightened expectations after the 2022 rebound increased pressure on the club’s leadership as subsequent results failed to produce consistent improvement. In the modern NFL, teams frequently respond to underperformance with midseason or end-of-season coaching changes as they seek a quicker return to competitiveness.
Main Event
The team issued a statement from owners John Mara and Steve Tisch announcing Daboll’s dismissal, saying they had discussed the club’s on-field direction and determined a change at the head-coaching position was necessary. The statement acknowledged the franchise’s disappointment over the past few seasons, expressed empathy for fans’ frustrations, and thanked Daboll and his family for their contributions.
Mike Kafka will step in as interim head coach. Kafka joined the Giants as offensive coordinator in 2022 and was given the additional title of assistant head coach in 2024. He previously spent five seasons on the Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff in roles that included offensive quality control (2017), quarterbacks coach (2018–2019), and passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach (2020–2021), and was part of the staff that won Super Bowl LIV.
Ownership made clear that Joe Schoen remains the general manager and will lead the search for a permanent head coach. The organization said it believes the roster contains a young nucleus worth developing, but conceded that results over the past three seasons were short of expectations and that leadership accepts responsibility for that record.
Analysis & Implications
The move signals that ownership wants a reset in coaching direction without immediately altering the roster construction led by Joe Schoen. Keeping Schoen in place while changing the head coach suggests the owners see the core roster as salvageable and prefer a different voice to accelerate player development and game management.
Interim appointments typically serve two purposes: steady day-to-day operations and an audition for the permanent role. Kafka’s experience with the Chiefs’ offense and his progression on the Giants’ staff give him familiarity with the current playbook and with the organization’s young players, which could smooth a midseason transition. Still, interim coaches often face compressed timeframes to demonstrate meaningful improvement, and ownership will weigh short-term results against long-term fit when naming a permanent successor.
The quarterback position and offensive trajectory will be central criteria in any evaluation. Kafka’s background as a quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator, plus his prior NFL playing experience, could reassure some stakeholders that the offense will remain on a consistent schematic path during the transition. Conversely, if offensive output does not improve, ownership may intensify the external search for a different offensive-minded head coach.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Seasons as Giants head coach | 4 |
| Record under Daboll | 20-40-1 |
| 2022 regular-season wins | 9 |
| Playoff appearances under Daboll | 1 |
| Postseason victories under Daboll | 1 (2022) |
This table summarizes the primary outcome metrics from Daboll’s tenure. The 2022 season stands out as a positive outlier; subsequent seasons did not sustain that level of success, which ownership cited when deciding to change the head-coaching position.
Reactions & Quotes
“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.”
John Mara & Steve Tisch (owners, joint statement)
Owners stressed ownership responsibility for results and thanked Daboll for his service while promising fans a better product on the field.
“We feel like Joe has assembled a good young nucleus of talent, and we look forward to its development.”
John Mara (team president, quoted in team statement)
Mara reiterated confidence in the roster and confirmed that Joe Schoen will lead the coaching search, framing the change as a recalibration rather than a full rebuild of the front office.
“These are difficult decisions, and John and I do not take them lightly.”
Steve Tisch (co-owner, quoted in team statement)
Tisch emphasized the gravity of the step and the owners’ belief that it is necessary to move the franchise forward.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Mike Kafka will be a candidate for the permanent head-coaching job has not been formally announced.
- Any specific timeline for naming a permanent head coach or whether the search will conclude during the season remains unreported.
- Details about internal evaluations of assistant coaches and potential staff turnover have not been confirmed by the team.
Bottom Line
The Giants’ decision to relieve Brian Daboll reflects ownership’s assessment that on-field results fell short of expectations despite the high-water mark of 2022. By appointing Mike Kafka as interim coach and keeping Joe Schoen as GM, the franchise has signaled a desire to change leadership at the sideline while preserving roster-building continuity.
Fans and analysts will watch Kafka’s immediate results and how the offense performs in the coming games, but the ultimate measure will be the front office’s decision on a permanent replacement. Ownership’s next steps — the scope of the coaching search and whether Kafka is considered a finalist — will define the team’s direction for the next phase.