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New York Giants coaching search: NFL insider reveals three candidates in the mix to replace Brian Daboll

Meby: Nick Geddes11/11/25NickGeddesNews

The New York Giants will be moving into yet another new era in 2026. Head coach Brian Daboll is out of a job, fired Monday amid a 2-8 start to the 2025 season.

Daboll had the longest tenure of any Giants head coach since Tom Coughlin‘s departure in 2015, but a 20-40-1 overall record wasn’t enough for team owner John Mara to keep him around. And so, the Giants will look towards hiring another head coach this offseason, with general manager Joe Schoen leading the search.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network mentioned three names as possible candidates: Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce and Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

“They now have, what I would say, one of the more coveted head coach openings in the NFL. General manager Joe Schoen will not only stay on as GM but run the search,” Rapoport said on NFL GameDay Kickoff. “Among the names I would keep an eye on as the Giants, let’s say potentially look to kind of regaining some of the greatness of the Tom Coughlin era, I would say Steve Spagnuolo and Antonio Pierce, two head coach candidates, both guys they will look at. Lou Anarumo also has ties to the Giants’ organization.”

Giants move on from Brian Daboll, will enter new era in 2026

All three are defensive coaches who have ties to the Giants. Anarumo was New York’s defensive backs coach in 2018 and now calls plays for the Colts, the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Spagnuolo, meanwhile, had multiple stints as Giants defensive coordinator (2007-08, 2015-17). Spagnuolo won a Super Bowl with the Giants in 2007 and served as interim head coach for four games in 2017 following the firing of Ben McAdoo.

Then there’s Pierce. The former NFL linebacker played for the Giants from 2005-09, hoisting a Lombardi Trophy alongside Spagnuolo. Pierce most recently served as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, taking over for Josh McDaniels midway through of the 2023 season. Pierce finished the season 5-4, earning the full-time job. He was fired after going 4-13 in 2024.

With quarterback Jaxson Dart in place, along with core pieces such as running back Cam Skattebo, wide receiver Malik Nabers, edge rusher Brian Burns and edge rusher Abdul Carter, the Giants should garner plenty of interest. It’s up to Schoen to nail the hire.