5 Head Coaching Candidates Reportedly Part of Giants’ Short List

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen, whom ownership has tabbed to lead the search for the team’s next head coach after the dismissal of Brian Daboll over a month ago, has been vetting potential candidates for consideration as the search is expected to really ramp up after these last four weeks of the season wrap-up.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Giants’ list includes Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman.

Let’s take a look at each reported candidate.

Jeff Hafley

The Giants saw Hafley up close and personal in a Week 11 loss to the Packers, whose defense allowed 336 net yards of offense to Big Blue.

Still, the Packers have the league’s fifth-best defense, ninth-best rushing defense and seventh-best pass defense, the unit allowing just 19 points per game, the sixth-best mark in the league.

The Giants, as is well known by now, have talent on the defensive side of the ball that former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was unable to fully optimize.

While the New Jersey-born Hafley would likely have a separate defensive coordinator, his fingerprints would likely be all over the Giants' defense were he to be hired for the job.

Hafley’s prior head coaching experience came in 2020-23 with the Boston College Eagles, where he had a 22-26 record, including postseason. Hafley was also an assistant coach at Rutgers.

Lou Anarumo

The Giants are familiar with Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose son, Louis, is a member of the team’s scouting department.

The elder Anarumo was the Giants’ defensive backs coach during the 2018 season under head coach Ben McAdoo before leaving to become the defensive coordinator for the Bengals, a role he held until last season.

Currently, the Colts' defense ranks 22nd overall and 28th against the pass, but is sixth against the run, which has been a sore spot for the Giants for several years now.

The Colts' defense is also ranked 28th in third-down conversions allowed, but 11th in the red zone, and has allowed 21.9 points per game, 13th in the league.

Anarumo has never been a head coach at any level; the closest came in 1995-2000 at Harvard, where he served as assistant head coach and defensive backs and special teams coach.

Kliff Kingsbury

The Giants will get their second look at a Kingsbury-led offense this season on Sunday when the Washington Commanders land at MetLife Stadium.

Kingsbury, a former NFL quarterback whose career ran from 2003 through 2006 before he finally finished with one season (2007) in the CFL, is likely included on the list not just for his prior head coaching experience (Cardinals, 2019-22), but more recently for the work he’s done with Commanders franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Last season, the Commanders' offense ranked seventh overall, third in rushing and 17th in passing, and had the fifth-best scoring offense in the league (28.5 points per game).

Under Kingsbury’s guidance, Daniels went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl berth. Daniels was also in the discussion for league MVP, finishing seventh in the voting, and Offensive Player of the Year, finishing 17th.

With the Giants looking to have their own young quarterback, Jaxson Dart, taking a step forward in Year 2, Kingsbury is an intriguing option despite his 28-31-1 NFL head coaching record and 35-40 college head coaching record.

Klint Kubiak

Kubiak is another offensive-minded head coaching candidate who has worked wonders with the Seahawks offense. Kubiak, who played safety at Colorado State, has since held a variety of offensive coaching assignments in both college and the NFL, including offensive coordinator roles with the Vikings in 2021, the Saints in 2024, and now the Seahawks.

Seattle’s offense currently ranks 14th overall, 28th in rushing, and eighth in passing. In situational football, the unit is 21st on third-down conversions, tied for 21st on fourth downs, tied for 14th in the red zone, and 18th in scoring (22.1 points per game).

Marcus Freeman

Interestingly, the Giants are not believed to have reached out to Freeman, who, unlike the others reportedly on Big Blue’s wish list, can be interviewed right away.

That delay, though, could be due to Freeman, who has a 43-12 record with the Fightin’ Irish, wanting to wait to see what other head coaching opportunities become available around the NFL in addition to the Giants’ and the Titans’ jobs, both of which are the only ones open so far.

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Jeff Hafley

Kliff Kingsbury

Klint Kubiak

Marcus Freeman

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