Why Did Giants Fire Brian Daboll? NFL Insider Reveals ‘Turning Point’ for Former HC

Even though the New York Giants just fired Brian Daboll on Monday, his fate may have been sealed a few weeks earlier.

Per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Giants’ Week 7 loss to the Denver Broncos in which they allowed 33 points in the fourth quarter was considered the “turning point” for management’s willingness to remain patient with Daboll.

New York built a 26-8 lead over the Broncos after Theo Johnson’s 41-yard touchdown catch with 10:14 remaining. It felt like Daboll had started to figure something out because the Giants entered that game coming off a 34-17 victory against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

The Broncos went on to score 25 points in the final 5:13 seconds of regulation, capped off Wil Lutz’s 39-yard field goal as time expired to steal a win.

Amid Denver’s furious comeback, the Giants still had an opportunity to win when Jaxson Dart scored on a one-yard run with 37 seconds left to play. Jude McAtamney missed the extra point, allowing Denver to win in regulation after getting into field-goal range.

Since the start of fourth quarter against Denver, the Giants have been outscored 129-77 in their last 13 quarters played. They have lost four straight games and won’t have Dart available on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers due to a concussion he suffered in Week 10.

This is the third consecutive season that the Giants have started 2-8 under Daboll. Their 20-40-1 record during his tenure is the fifth-worst mark in the NFL since the start of 2022.

Mike Kafka, who has been on Daboll’s staff as offensive coordinator since 2022, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. This is his first stint as a head coach after nine seasons as an assistant in the NFL.