After nearly four years together, the New York Giants have decided that they are no longer interested in the services of Brian Daboll. The 50-year-old play caller was officially relieved of his duties just one day after he admitted to being unsure about the details of the concussion that his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, sustained during their 24-20 loss to the Chicago Bears.
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Daboll oversaw the team’s eventual transition from Daniel Jones to Dart, and he’ll now depart from New York having compiled a head coaching record of 20-40-1. Suffice to say, his reign in the Big Apple was far from stellar, but he still helped to provide the team with some capable talent by advocating for the drafting of both Dart and Malik Nabers.
There’s a lot of mixed feelings in New York today, most of which can be exemplified by Stephen A. Smith, who, in spite of feeling “sad,” also understands that “you are what your record says you are.” For better or worse, however, Smith suggested that Daboll likely could have stayed around for a bit longer if Dart’s concussions hadn’t been handled the way that they were.
“When he came on the scene, he was the 2022 Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year, but there’s a nose dive that has taken place since then… I personally believe that, when you see Jaxson Dart and what he’s been exposed to, that had a lot to do with it too. Jaxson Dart suffered his fourth concussion of the season. He’s a rookie. He’s already had four concussion protocols… Why the hell are you calling five designed running plays for Jaxson Dart?”
To Smith’s credit, it’s hard to receive your due recognition for scouting and drafting a guy if you’re constantly risking the longevity of his career. But then again, Dart isn’t your typical rookie signal caller.
He’s enthusiastic about contact, and while that helped to draw him praise from coaches like Daboll and even Jon Gruden, it’s also not the best trait to have if you’re hoping to enjoy a lengthy and successful career in the National Football League. There are times to be tough and there are times to be smart, but it seemed as if both Dart and Daboll were going for toughness first and foremost.
There’s a fine line between setting the tone for a younger team and taking unnecessary risks with the very face of the franchise, and the Giants’ front office seems to believe that Daboll crossed too far over the line. As a result, fans will now see Mike Kafka will now be the man to watch on the sidelines, as New York has deemed him to be their interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 regular season.
