Giants fire Brian Daboll after 2–8 start; Mike Kafka named interim head coach as Joe Schoen leads search

The New York Giants made a franchise-reset move on Monday, November 10, 2025, firing head coach Brian Daboll midway through his fourth season after another late collapse dropped the team to 2–8. The organization said assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as interim head coach, while general manager Joe Schoen remains in place and will run the full-time coaching search.

What happened and why now

Daboll exits with a regular-season mark that never recovered from two straight years of offensive regression and blown second-half leads. Sunday’s loss in Chicago—after holding a double-digit advantage—served as the final straw, capping a four-game losing streak and intensifying questions about locker-room buy-in and game-management consistency. The Giants’ offense ranks near the bottom of the league in explosive plays and red-zone efficiency, and a rash of turnovers in high-leverage moments erased otherwise credible defensive stretches.

Internally, timing matters. Moving now allows ownership and the front office to evaluate the roster under a different voice, get a head start on interviews, and position the franchise ahead of the hiring cycle that accelerates in December and January.

Mike Kafka takes the reins—what changes first

As interim, Kafka inherits play-calling autonomy and the weekly rhythm. Expect immediate, practical tweaks rather than a wholesale scheme reboot:

• Simplified third downs: More bunch/stack releases and quick-game answers to cut down negative plays.

• Protection triage: Extra chips and half-slides to stabilize edges, with a faster internal clock for the quarterback.

• Scripted starts: A tighter 15-play open focused on early rhythm throws and defined reads.

• Run game baseline: Duo/inside zone as the identity, with constraint plays (jet/orbit, TE leaks) to punish overplays.

Staff titles remain unchanged for now; the interim staff will meet early this week to adjust responsibilities on game day. The defensive room continues under its coordinator with an emphasis on four-man rush integrity and limiting explosives.

Joe Schoen’s mandate and the head-coach profile

Ownership affirmed Joe Schoen as general manager, charging him with a wide-ranging search. The baseline traits under consideration:

1. Quarterback development: A proven plan for stabilizing protection rules, sequencing, and situational football—who’s calling the offense, how the QB room is built, and what the teaching progression looks like by month, not just by week.

2. Staff-building gravity: The ability to recruit a top-tier offensive line coach and defensive play caller; recent Giants teams have struggled with continuity here.

3. Game management & analytics: Clock, fourth-down, and end-of-half decisions have swung too many outcomes; an evidence-forward approach is a must.

4. Culture fit: Clear standards, consistent messaging, and a Monday-to-Saturday process that travels.

League rules require inclusive interviews and multiple in-person sessions; expect first-wave conversations with sitting coordinators and a mix of veteran and up-and-coming candidates once windows open.

Daboll’s Giants tenure in brief

• Peak: Year 1 breakthrough with a playoff win and a Coach of the Year nod.

• Slide: Injuries, line instability, and turnover issues undercut the offense the past two seasons.

• Endgame: A pattern of late-game meltdowns and stalled development at key positions left little path forward.

The next staff will inherit cornerstone talent in the trenches and an ascending defensive front, plus a draft capital picture that could accelerate a reset at premium positions.

What it means for the rest of 2025

• Locker room audit: The interim stretch is an open tryout for 2026 roles. Snap counts, effort, and assignment reliability will be weighed heavily.

• Scheme pragmatism: Expect leaner game plans, heavier use of personnel that protects the QB, and situational football drilled relentlessly (two-minute, backed-up, red zone).

• Young core evaluation: Developmental reps for recent draft picks become a priority, especially along the offensive line, in the secondary, and at receiver.

Fan logistics: statements, presser, and where to follow

A formal team statement and a midweek press conference are slated to outline the interim plan and search parameters. Updates will post first on the club’s official channels and mobile app; game-week depth charts and play-time percentages typically publish by Friday.

Big-picture stakes for the Giants

This is a pivotal inflection point. With Schoen retained, New York chooses continuity in roster construction while resetting the sideline voice. The hire must marry a clear offensive identity with year-over-year durability—something the franchise hasn’t sustained since its last championship era. The short term is about professional football triage; the long term is about picking a coach who can develop a quarterback, field a top-15 offense annually, and close one-score games.

Brian Daboll is out, Mike Kafka is in on an interim basis, and Joe Schoen is steering the search. The next eight weeks double as evaluation and audition—of players, play callers, and processes—before the franchise makes its most consequential decision of the decade.