The experiment is officially over. It’s done. After weeks of speculation and some of the most frustrating football seen at MetLife Stadium in a decade, the news finally broke that the New York Giants fire coach Brian Daboll. Honestly, it felt inevitable. You could see it on Daboll’s face during those late-season losses—the signature red-faced pacing, the heated exchanges with his staff, and that look of utter bewilderment as the offense sputtered.
John Mara and Steve Tisch didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to pull the plug. This was a slow-motion car crash that started way back in the 2024 season and finally hit the wall on November 10, 2025. Following a 2-8 start and a particularly soul-crushing loss to the Chicago Bears, the front office decided they’d seen enough.
Why the New York Giants fire coach Brian Daboll now
Stability is a word the Giants love to throw around. They want to be the Steelers. They want to be the franchise that keeps a guy for fifteen years. But you can’t maintain stability when the wheels are falling off the wagon at 80 miles per hour. Daboll was the 2022 NFL Coach of the Year. He brought a playoff win to New York. That feels like a lifetime ago now, doesn't it?
The reality is that since that magical 2022 run, the Giants went 11-27 under his watch. That’s not a slump; that’s a freefall.
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The breaking point wasn't just the losing record. It was the "coaching malpractice," as some insiders have called it, regarding the development of the team's young core. You’ve got a massive talent like Jaxson Dart under center—a rookie quarterback with all the physical tools to be a superstar—and the offense looked like it was being run out of a 1990s playbook. Dart was taking way too many hits. He was in concussion protocol. The vibes were, to put it mildly, atrocious.
The Mike Kafka bridge
When the hammer dropped in November, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was handed the keys as the interim. It didn't change much on the scoreboard. Kafka went 2-5 down the stretch, but the move was never really about winning games in 2025. It was about cleaning the slate. It was about separating the "Joe Schoen era" from the "Brian Daboll era," even though those two were supposed to be joined at the hip.
Interestingly, while the team was losing, Daboll hasn't been sitting around moping. Reports from Patricia Traina at Sports Illustrated suggest he’s actually been giving the Giants glowing reviews to other coaches. He’s been telling people that Jaxson Dart is "the guy" and that ownership is actually great to work for. It’s a weirdly classy move for a guy who just got the boot.
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The Search for a "Savior"
So, where does a team go after they fire a "guru" who failed to fix the offense? They go for a titan.
The news that has everyone in East Rutherford buzzing is the reported hiring of John Harbaugh. This isn't just a coaching change; it's a fundamental shift in how the Giants want to operate. They are reportedly finalizing a five-year deal worth $100 million. That is a staggering amount of money. It basically says, "We are tired of being the laughingstock of the NFC East."
Harbaugh brings something the Giants haven't had since Tom Coughlin: a proven, Super Bowl-winning pedigree. He spent 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. He’s 14th all-time in NFL wins. When the New York Giants fire coach Daboll, they weren't looking for the next "hot young coordinator." They were looking for an adult in the room.
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Why Harbaugh chose New York
You might wonder why a guy like Harbaugh would jump straight back into the fire after being let go by Baltimore. It’s the roster. Despite the 4-13 finish in 2025, the Giants have some terrifyingly good pieces:
- Jaxson Dart: The young QB is the biggest draw. He plays off-platform, a lot like Lamar Jackson, whom Harbaugh knows pretty well.
- Malik Nabers: Even with a knee injury late in the season, he’s a legitimate WR1.
- Abdul Carter: The No. 3 overall pick who started looking like a wrecking ball toward the end of the season.
- Brian Burns & Dexter Lawrence: A defensive front that can actually pressure the quarterback when they aren't exhausted from being on the field for 40 minutes a game.
The Fallout and Future Outlook
What happens next? Joe Schoen is staying. That’s a huge detail. Mara and Tisch are betting that the problem was the coaching, not the talent acquisition. Schoen has been "humbled and honored" to keep his job, and he’s the one who led the "full-court press" to land Harbaugh.
The Giants are currently sitting with the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With a new coach who actually knows how to build a staff—Dianna Russini reports that Todd Monken is likely coming along as OC—the 2026 offseason is going to be incredibly aggressive.
What to watch for this offseason
- Staff Hires: Harbaugh is getting a "significant budget" for his assistants. Look for big names to fill the DC and OC roles.
- The Draft: With the 5th pick, do they go for more protection for Dart or grab another playmaker like a top-tier offensive lineman?
- The Playbook: Expect a total overhaul. The "Daboll system" is being scrapped for something that presumably won't get the franchise QB killed.
Basically, the Giants decided that "continuity" was a trap. They saw the Ravens' model of success and decided to just go out and buy the architect of that model. It’s a high-stakes gamble. If Harbaugh can’t fix this, nothing can.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
If you're following the fallout of the coaching change, keep a close eye on the official staff announcements over the next 48 hours. The arrival of Todd Monken would signal a massive shift toward a modern, vertical passing game for Jaxson Dart. Also, watch the waiver wire and early free agency rumors; Harbaugh has a history of bringing "his guys"—veterans who understand his culture—to new locker rooms. The culture shock at Quest Diagnostics Training Center starts today.