Giants Fire Brian Daboll After 2-8 Start, Elevate Mike Kafka to Interim HC

The New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll after their 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, a defeat that dropped the team to 2-8 through the first 10 games of the 2025 season. The team informed CNN on Monday that Daboll had been relieved of his duties, ending his tenure with a 20-40-1 regular-season record. Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka was named interim head coach.

Team president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch stated that it was in “our best interest to make a change” and that they “take full responsibility” for the team’s performance over the past three years. They acknowledged the “disappointing” stretch and confirmed that general manager Joe Schoen would remain. Daboll’s dismissal followed an expectation set back in January that he needed to win while developing a rookie quarterback. Instead, the Giants landed at 2-8 for the third straight season.

The loss in Chicago represented a continuation of recurring issues. It was the second time this year the Giants blew a lead of at least 10 points with under four minutes remaining, making them only the second team in the Super Bowl era to do so. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart was also injured in the game. The Giants had already blown four double-digit road leads this season, and Dart’s repeated exposure to heavy contact raised concerns after Daboll avoided scaling back the quarterback’s aggressiveness. Daboll also entered the blue medical tent while Dart was being examined for a concussion, which prompted discipline from the league.

Kafka now steps into a role as the Giants’ sixth head-coaching change since 2016. He is regarded as more even-keeled and consistent than Daboll and will continue calling offensive plays. The offense has been significantly more productive during the past four seasons with Kafka handling playcalling than with Daboll. This year, with Dart starting, the Giants are averaging 23.6 points per game.

The shift in leadership coincides with changes in how sportsbooks evaluate the team. Ahead of Week 11, major operators listed the Giants as clear underdogs. Lines across books placed Green Bay as a 7- to 7.5-point road favorite, with totals around 43 to 43.5 points. Moneylines showed the Giants in the +280 to +300 range and Green Bay near -355 to -380. Some outlets briefly showed a 6.5-point spread earlier in the week before moving back to a full touchdown. Season-long odds reflect the same trend.

The team’s injury situation has driven much of this movement. Dart entered the concussion protocol for the fourth time this season, including preseason. Before exiting, he completed 19 of 29 passes for 242 yards with a 91.5 passer rating. Russell Wilson replaced him and completed 3 of 7 passes for 45 yards with a 64.6 rating while taking two sacks. Wilson entered the week with a 2025 stat line of 58.9% passing, 786 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 78.2 rating. The offense is already without Malik Nabers, who suffered a torn ACL, and Cam Skattebo, who sustained a dislocated ankle.

Defensively, rookie Abdul Carter has stepped in effectively as the third pick in the 2025 draft. On the offensive side, Dart and Skattebo have shown potential when healthy, though both have dealt with repeated injuries. Their absences, combined with the overall inconsistency, have contributed to the team’s position in the standings.

Inside the locker room, reactions reflected the season’s trajectory. Dart is expected to feel the change most due to his strong working relationship with Daboll. Several players said after the loss in Chicago that accountability was necessary and that the head coach was the likely figure to bear it.

Questions also surround Schoen. Although the Giants publicly stated that he would lead the coaching search, New York Times insider Ian O’Connor reported on November 11 that “I don’t believe Joe Schoen is certain to be [the] Giants’ GM next year.” He explained that the team “needed someone to get things going on the search, especially with John Mara dealing with his illness,” and said ownership would make the final coaching decision in January, when Schoen would be reviewed again. His future may depend on how the rest of the season plays out.

Kafka’s performance could influence that outcome. If the Giants show improvement under his leadership, he could emerge as a candidate for the permanent job and reinforce ownership’s belief in the roster. If the team struggles further, especially on defense under Shane Bowen — whose unit has allowed 75 fourth-quarter points across the past four games — more organizational changes remain possible.

In the short term, Kafka and Schoen must determine who will start at quarterback in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium. Dart’s status in the concussion protocol leaves the decision between Wilson and third-string quarterback Jameis Winston. The outcome of this choice could factor into the organization’s broader evaluation at season’s end.

Daboll’s exit brings an end to a tenure that began with early success. Hired in 2022 after four seasons as the Bills’ offensive coordinator, he led the Giants to the playoffs and earned 2022 NFL Coach of the Year honors. That same season, the team secured a 31-24 wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, its first postseason win in more than a decade. However, the roster changed dramatically. Saquon Barkley joined the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2024 season and went on to rush for more than 2000 yards and win Super Bowl LIX. Midway through last season, Daniel Jones moved to the Indianapolis Colts after six inconsistent years, and he now has the franchise at an 8-2 start.