The New York Giants moved on from Brian Daboll on Monday after another slow, mistake-filled start that left the team with a 2-8 record. The decision wasn’t unexpected, as multiple double-digit collapses, including a 24-20 Week 10 loss to Chicago, made it clear that the franchise lost its footing.

The team’s ownership faces an important call: finding the right coach to repair the locker room and the confidence of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.

With Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka taking over on an interim basis, the next seven weeks will serve as a live audition.

Here are five candidates who could help reshape the franchise and accelerate Dart’s growth.

5 best candidates to replace Brian Daboll

#1 Jon Gruden

Jon Gruden’s name surfaces whenever a major job opens, and the Giants are no exception. Speculations have connected him to the team because of his public admiration for Jaxson Dart. On his “Barstool Sports” show and in pre-draft segments, Gruden praised Dart’s toughness and flair, calling him “the Evel Knievel of quarterbacks.”

Gruden won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002. His 15-year coaching career produced a 117-112 record.

Gruden’s ongoing legal dispute with the NFL and past email scandal have clouded his prospects for a return. However, with a long record of molding competitive teams, he remains a polarizing but intriguing outside possibility.

#2 Kliff Kingsbury

Kliff Kingsbury’s NFL résumé has its blemishes, but his quarterback development track record speaks for itself. He mentored Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, guided Kyler Murray in Arizona and shaped rookie Jayden Daniels into one of last season’s breakout stars. Kingsbury consistently designs schemes that allow young quarterbacks play fast and confidently.

For New York, that kind of creative vision might be exactly what Dart needs. Kingsbury’s “Air Raid” roots, blended with the pro-style adjustments he’s made in Washington, could modernize the team’s attack.

#3 Klint Kubiak

Klint Kubiak’s work in Seattle has caught the attention of nearly every front office in football. He has transformed the Seahawks’ passing game into one of the league’s most efficient units. Sam Darnold has been revitalized under his direction and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is emerging as a premier playmaker.

Coming from the respected Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, Kubiak blends zone-running principles with heavy motion and play-action concepts that could suit Dart’s skill set perfectly. While he’s never been a head coach, his reputation as a meticulous planner makes him an intriguing option for a team desperate for offensive identity.

#4 Mike Kafka

Mike Kafka is the logical starting point. Promoted to interim coach after Brian Daboll’s dismissal, he has the clearest path to proving he can lead the locker room beyond 2025. A former backup quarterback turned offensive strategist, Kafka built his résumé under Andy Reid, helping develop Patrick Mahomes during his early MVP seasons.

His background carries weight in a quarterback-driven league. If Kafka stabilizes Dart’s performance and gives the offense rhythm during the final stretch, the Giants may already have their next coach in the building.

#5 Jesse Minter

Not every fix has to start on offense. Jesse Minter has earned a reputation for building disciplined, technically sharp defenses everywhere he’s gone. It starts from Michigan’s national championship run to the Chargers’ No. 1 scoring defense in 2024.

New York’s defensive front, loaded with Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Kayvon Thibodeaux and rookie Abdul Carter, has underachieved. Minter’s structured, player-accountable approach could maximize that investment and prevent the late-game collapses that doomed Brian Daboll. Pairing his defensive steadiness with an aggressive offensive coordinator could finally give the Giants balance.