After firing head coach Brian Daboll on Monday, the New York Giants are in the market for a new leader to shape their future. The team has several talented pieces on its roster, making New York a potentially desirable landing spot for the next top candidate.
For a franchise at a crossroads, the answer might come from a familiar, defensive-minded Super Bowl winner: Steve Spagnuolo.
Steve Spagnuolo Floated as Name to Watch in Giants’ HC Search
During a Thursday appearance on “Up and Adams” with Kay Adams, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians suggested that Steve Spagnuolo should be at the top of the Giants’ wish list. As a Super Bowl-winning coach himself, Arians understands what a seasoned leader like Spagnuolo brings to the table. In fact, it was Spagnuolo’s Kansas City Chiefs defense that Arians’ Buccaneers had to overcome in Super Bowl 55.
Spags back to the Giants?!?
Bruce Arians on why the pairing works:@BruceArians | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/BG3Ut0G5cJ
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 13, 2025
“I think somebody like Steve Spagnuolo, who’s been there and done it, been a head coach, knows what he’s got, knows how to handle a locker room,” Arians said. “I think Spags would be a great fit for that defense, especially with all of the pieces they have on defense. That’d be a smart move.”
The Giants have invested heavily in their defensive front. In the last four years, they have used top-five picks on pass rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2022 and Abdul Carter in the 2025 draft. Additionally, they traded a second-round and fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in 2024 for established pass rusher Brian Burns.
With Dexter Lawrence II anchoring the interior at defensive tackle, the Giants boast one of the most disruptive defensive lines in football on paper. A coach like Spagnuolo would be like a kid in a candy shop with that collection of talent.
Despite the perfect fit, it might take a significant offer to persuade Spagnuolo to leave his comfortable role in Kansas City. He has served as the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator since 2019, during which time he has led the team to three Super Bowl victories. Arians added a final thought on the potential move, emphasizing the importance of offensive stability for the team’s young quarterback. “That’d be a smart move, but for him, bringing somebody he trusts offensively. You really don’t want Jaxson to have to start all over again.”
What Will the Giants Look Like Under Mike Kafka?
Following Daboll’s dismissal, the Giants named assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka as their interim head coach. His first test will be on Sunday against the visiting Green Bay Packers, a team that has struggled offensively in its last two losses.
However, Kafka will be without his starting quarterback. Jameis Winston is set to make his first start of the season as rookie Jaxson Dart has entered the league’s concussion protocol. Dart left last week’s game against the Chicago Bears with the injury.
In his seven starts this season, Dart has led the Giants to a 2-5 record, completing 62.7% of his passes for 1,417 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. His dual-threat ability has also been on display, as he has rushed 57 times for 317 yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, this rushing frequency has contributed to him being evaluated for four concussions already in his rookie year. Dart currently ranks 14th on PFSN’s QB Impact Meter.
Looking ahead, whoever takes over as the next head coach will inherit a promising young core. Dart, as a blossoming franchise quarterback, joins wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo to form what could be one of the league’s most exciting offensive trios. This potential is tempered by injuries, as Nabers is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained earlier this season, and Skattebo is working back from a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula he suffered last month.