With Joe Schoen set to remain the New York Giants’ general manager in 2026, the organization will begin head coaching interviews this week. Schoen will oversee the process, placing significant weight on each candidate’s vision for quarterback Jaxson Dart, though owners John Mara and Steve Tisch retain final say. As the search moves into a critical phase, seven candidates have emerged as serious contenders for the Giants’ opening.
Mike Kafka
By default, Mike Kafka, 38, is the first name to watch. A former NFL quarterback, Kafka has been on the Giants’ staff since 2022Â and was elevated from assistant head coach and offensive coordinator to interim head coach following Brian Daboll’s firing last November.
Despite that familiarity, Kafka does not appear to be in the strongest position for the full-time role after his team closed the 2025 season with a 2-5 record. Kafka, who interviewed with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints during their head coaching searches in January 2025, will still look to leverage that experience during the Giants’ interview process.
Antonio Pierce
Former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, 47, is another name in play for New York’s opening with significant ties to the organization. He played nine NFL seasons as a linebacker, five with New York, and won a Super Bowl (XLII) as a member of the 2007 Giants.
Pierce was ultimately released by New York in February 2010 and retired in July that same year. He went on to coach at Long Beach Poly High School (CA) from 2014 to 2017 and at Arizona State from 2018 to 2021, serving as associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator at ASU before joining the Raiders as linebackers coach in 2022.
In October 2023, Pierce was named interim head coach in Las Vegas following the firing of Josh McDaniels. Ironically enough, he made his NFL head coaching debut against the Giants, defeating his former team 30–6. Pierce was officially named the Raiders head coach in January 2024 but was fired less than a year later after finishing 4–13 in his first full season. Overall, Pierce went 9–17 (.346) during his time at the helm in Las Vegas.
Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy, former Green Bay Packers (2006–2018) and Dallas Cowboys (2020–2024) head coach, will likely be the most experienced candidate on the Giants’ radar this offseason, barring any surprises left in the coaching carousel. McCarthy, 62, is 174–112–2 (.608) as an NFL head coach, with a proven track record of winning across multiple quarterbacks and a resume highlighted by his Greasy Neale Award (2011) and Super Bowl XLV victory.
Chris Shula
Chris Shula, the 39-year-old Rams defensive coordinator, has become one of the most circulated names in NFL head coaching searches, with the Giants vacancy being no exception. Considered one of the brightest young minds in the league, he built a name for himself under Sean McVay in Los Angeles, starting his tenure with the Rams as an assistant linebackers coach in 2017.
SHOULD THE #GIANTS HIRE CHRIS SHULA AS THEIR NEXT HEAD COACH…?
Shula is 39 years old and has turned LA into one of the best defenses in the league.
Chris could be the leader that New York needs to help revamp the organization.
Shula’s grandfather is #NFL iconic HC Don Shula. pic.twitter.com/iMFOWaMolz
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 5, 2026
Shula also served as outside linebackers coach, linebackers coach, defensive backs coach, pass game coordinator, and pass rush coordinator en route to earning the defensive coordinator role in 2024. With a Super Bowl win (LVI) under his belt as an assistant as well, Shula is expected to have no shortage of options this offseason.
Vance Joseph
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, 53, will likely get a solid look from the Giants as well, given his ties to Schoen. Unsurprisingly, after back-to-back losing seasons in Denver for the first time since the 1970s, Joseph (11–21, .344) was fired as Broncos head coach in late 2018.
The former NFL defensive back served as defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals from 2019 to 2022 before rejoining Denver in 2023 under the same role. Joseph had previously worked as the Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2016, the position that led to his head coaching stint with the Broncos, while Schoen was Miami’s director of player personnel.
Lou Anarumo
Lou Anarumo, 59, is a candidate who interviewed with the Giants during their previous head coaching search and received positive reviews. Currently the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis, Anarumo also spent time with New York in 2018 as the defensive backs coach, a full-circle moment for the Staten Island native and Wagner College alumnus.
In between stints with the Giants and Colts, he served as Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2024. Adding to his New York connections, Anarumo’s son, Louis, works as a pro scout for the Giants.
Kevin Stefanski
Following his firing in Cleveland after six seasons, Kevin Stefanski has quickly been regarded as one of the top names for New York, if not the new frontrunner to land the job. The 43-year-old, two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year (2020, 2023) went 45–56 (.446) as Browns head coach from 2020 to 2025 and was subsequently fired on Monday after a five-win season.
Prior to his time in Cleveland, Stefanski worked for the Minnesota Vikings from 2006 to 2019, holding roles as assistant to the head coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, tight ends coach, running backs coach, quarterbacks coach, and offensive coordinator before finally getting his shot as a head coach.
Jaxson Dart, who stated he wants a leader that can match his intensity and vision, also commented Monday that his visit with Stefanski ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft “went well” and that he’s “a really good coach.” Fellow Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, who played under Stefanski in Cleveland, added that he would be a “great fit” and “an asset for any team as a head coach.”
