The New York Giants have had enough. After blowing yet another fourth-quarter lead, the Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll halfway through his fourth season in East Rutherford.
He’ll be replaced in the interim by offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, while general manager Joe Schoen will head the search for his replacement. That decision, deemed a half-measure by the New York faithful, has generated some criticism. One NFC East rival is among the skeptics.
Jason Kelce Reacts to New York Giants Firing Brian Daboll
Former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce used to compete against Daboll on Sundays. He took to his podcast, “New Heights,” to share his excitement for Kafka and sympathy for Daboll.
Understanding it was time for a change in New York, Kelce and his brother, Travis, spoke glowingly about Kafka. He had been teammates with each of them, first as a quarterback in Philadelphia, then as a coach with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Now the interim head coach can’t wait to see what Kafka can do up there,” Kelce said. “This is how it works. Daboll was there for four years. They’ve changed over the roster completely, and the team just hasn’t gotten better. …”
“The graphics are all out there. They’ve blown a number of big double-digit leads that good teams just don’t do, and really, disciplined teams don’t do. It’s not all Brian Daboll’s fault. It never is, but when you’re the head coach, you’re the one ultimately responsible.”
Despite flashes from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Giants’ offense has been mediocre, ranking 26th in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric. Their defense also ranks 26th, with late-game collapses against the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears sealing Daboll’s fate.
As the search for New York’s next head coach begins, Kelce questioned whether Schoen should be the one making that decision. At 2-8, the Giants’ issues are deeper than the coach calling the shots. This is Schoen’s roster, and it clearly isn’t good enough to compete.
Kelce was quick to call out Schoen, who has had a flurry of infamous mistakes in recent years.
“Somehow, the general manager is abstaining from responsibility over this whole thing,” Kelce said. “To date, you know, Wink Martindale, the defensive coordinator. They moved on from him a couple of seasons ago. They moved on from Saquon Barkley famously last season. They move on from Daniel Jones, and all three of these guys have had success at their next stops.”
“So, the common denominator is like, ‘Hey, we’ve had players apparently that are good in this building that haven’t played at a high level.’ So, ultimately, there’s going to be change coming whenever that happens for sure.”
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New York hasn’t had enough talent, and that talent has fallen short of expectations. The result is a rookie quarterback on his second head coach and an uncertain future for the Giants’ front office.
It isn’t immediately clear how much job security Schoen has left, and if he isn’t the long-term answer, there’s reason to believe someone else should be considered for Daboll’s replacement. For the sake of Dart and the emergence of a competitive window, Schoen must prove Kelce and his other critics wrong. He’ll have a two-month head start.