What mystifies me is why Daboll, a coach who has lost twice as many games as he has won, still has folks hoping he’s retained for 2026. I’m not one of them.
After a Giants’ 34-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, Daboll is now 20-39-1 as the Giants’ head coach (5-21 in the past 26 games), and he’s now 2-7 in ’25.
Opponents beat the Giants by being physical. Daboll-coached teams aren’t physical, they commit penalties (8th in the league), and they often find ways to lose games (remember Denver?). Daboll might as well be Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, or Joe Judge, but that’s an insult to his predecessors because Daboll is worse than they were.
You hear media apologists and Giants fans campaigning for Brian Daboll to remain as Giants head coach, describing him as having an offensive mind. Really? The offense is ranked #18 in the NFL.
Successful with the Bills, not with the Giants (photo courtesy NBC News)
If Daboll is so gifted offensively, how do you explain this move? With the Giants trailing 20-7 to the 49ers in the third quarter and inside the 20-yard line, Daboll decided to have Graham Gano kick a 22-yard field goal. Sure, the Giants cut the lead to 20-10, but you can’t tell me that the better option was going for a first down. There’s no way Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid, Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, Sean Payton, or any other competent head coach is going for the kick in that situation.
Then, there’s Daboll’s work with the quarterbacks. He has not achieved notable results with any QB during his tenure as the Giants’ head coach. After Jaxson Dart started well in his first few games, he is now playing like the rookie quarterback he is, averaging under six yards per completion on Sunday. He ran eight times for 56 yards (seven yards per rush) vs. the 49ers, and has run about 40 times in the last five games. Dart’s career will end shortly after taking so many hits that wear on his body, as Robert Griffin III can attest.
The Giants’ head coach also believed that firing defensive coordinator Wink Martindale would improve the defense, as it had become too predictable due to the frequent use of blitzes. The problem is that the defense is worse under Shane Bowen. On Sunday, Mac Jones had all day to throw the football, and Christian McCaffrey easily ran through the Giants’ defenders (106 yards on 28 carries).
What’s the problem? This defense does not tackle well, isn’t physical enough, and has been terrible all season, currently ranked as the 4th worst (by total yards) in the league.
All these factors prove Daboll should be fired. He’s 3-18 over the last 21 games, and has lost four of the previous five games. You can make a case for that being extended to eight of nine games when you consider the upcoming schedule with the Bears, Packers, Lions, and Patriots.
So, here’s the thing: if Daboll hasn’t been able to address the Giants’ problems up to this point, what are the odds he’ll be able to do that over the nine weeks remaining in the 2025 season? Slim or none is my answer.
