It has been a long fall from grace for deposed New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll. Daboll was the NFL Coach of the Year during his first season, but after starting the season 2-8 he was terminated Monday. The Giants went 3-14 last season. Many fans are saying the termination came too late.
Brian Daboll has finally reached the end of the road with the New York Giants.
The organization has decided Monday to terminate Daboll and replace him on an interim basis with offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, per a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Daboll was given a reprieve at the end of last season when the Giants finished 3-14. However, it appeared as though co-owner John Mara had him on a short leash.
At his end of season press conference, Mara gave Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen a reprieve and said he would give them time to build a winner, but did say he did not have much time to wait.
Mara was almost apologetic after his post-season press conference where he announced the duo would return. He was quoted as saying "it was not the most popular decision." Mara also said that he was going "to have to be in a better mood this time next year, than I am right now."
The heat turned up over the summer when Mara addressed the media again in training camp.
"It better not take too long because I've just about run out of patience," Mara said over the summer. "That'll be a good sound bite for you tonight, huh?"
The Giants went 2-8 this season under Daboll's watch. Daboll's record as Giants' coach was 21-41-1.
New York Giants (@Giants) on X
Brian Daboll has been relieved of his duties; Mike Kafka will serve as interim head coach.
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The Giants had high hopes for this season as they had two first-round picks in edge rusher Abdul Carter and quarterback Jaxson Dart. They also drafted running back Cam Skattebo who was injured and will miss the balance of the season. Dart took over early in the season and Giants showed promise.
The Giants also suffered an injury to their No. 1 target, wide receiver Malik Nabors. He was injured early on and will miss the entire season.
Daboll was thought of as a quarterback whisperer as he served as the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and was instrumental in developing quarterback Josh Allen, who was the NFL's Most Valuable Player last season.
There was hope that Daboll could work the same magic with Daniel Jones, who was released last season for being ineffective among a 10-game losing streak. Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent and has since quarterbacked the Colts into one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Daboll and Schoen were blamed for giving Jones a four-year, $160 million contract and not preserving enough cap room to keep Saquon Barkley who won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.