The New York Giants were the first team to fire their head coach during the 2025 NFL season. They moved on from Brian Daboll and replaced him with interim head coach Mike Kafka, but the franchise will have a major decision to make when filling their vacancy during the upcoming offseason. A reporter revealed who some of their top candidates are ahead of their Week 18 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Giants HC Candidates Revealed for 2026 NFL Offseason
The Giants will once again be a part of the head coaching cycle when the 2026 NFL offseason kicks off. They are one of only two teams, along with the Tennessee Titans, to currently have a vacancy entering Week 18. However, it’s likely that others will join them when the regular season officially comes to an end, possibly on Black Monday.
NFL reporter Judy Battista addressed the situation during an episode of “The Insiders” entering their matchup against the Cowboys in their final game of the 2025 season. She listed some key names as potential candidates who are expected to receive interviews with the Giants in the offseason.
“The search will really ramp up starting this week. I expect them to talk to former head coaches like Mike McCarthy, Kliff Kingsbury, Matt Nagy and Vance Joseph. They will talk to coordinators like Lou Anarumo and Mike Kafka, their own interim will get an interview, and keep an eye on head coaches who could shake free in the coming days because some of them could certainly be of interest,” reported Battista.
The Giants are expected to interview candidates including Mike Kafka, Mike McCarthy, Kliff Kingsburgy, and Matt Nagy for their HC opening, per @judybattista. pic.twitter.com/z2uyy052CD
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) January 4, 2026
At least for now, general manager Joe Schoen is expected to lead the search for their next head coach, although he is rumored to be a potential candidate for dismissal himself when Black Monday arrives. Kafka, who currently serves as the interim head coach, is fully expected to be one of their interviews, along with an exhaustive search of others as they look to secure their future.
Whoever they decide to hire, and whatever they choose to do with their general manager, the Giants’ focus will almost certainly be centered around promising rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Their new regime will be tasked with continuing his development, as he has shown obvious flashes of upside to go along with some of the usual inconsistencies that come with rookie quarterbacks.
Dart enters Week 18 ranked 24th among all quarterbacks in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for this season. They will also have a top-ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, further creating a potentially attractive situation for a prospective head coach.
