What NY Giants Would Be Getting in New Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy

When New York Giants fans made their list of preferred offensive coordinator options, they generally did not include Matt Nagy. The former Chicago Bears head coach and Kansas City Chiefs OC does not sizzle like other candidates, but he spent almost a decade and a half learning under one of the greatest coaches ever.

After watching Andy Reid engineer the Chiefs offense in two stints, Nagy will now call plays for the Giants, replacing the former coordinator.

He will oversee a promising unit that improved last season. His Big Blue tenure will hinge on his work with Jaxson Dart, who joined the Giants as a transfer.

The 22-year-old quarterback braved some harsh conditions during his rookie campaign and came out on the other side as a promising talent.

Nagy played a key role in the early development of three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, which he then parlayed into a head-coaching gig.

He will try to do the same with Dart.

“(Mahomes) had to learn how to run a huddle, more importantly, how to run a meeting room and how to communicate, and Matt Nagy had a lot to do with that,” Locked On Chiefs co-host Ryan Tracy told the Locked On Giants podcast.

“There were a number of people that had input, and I do believe that if you go back to that time, Patrick would tell you that Matt and he spent maybe the most time together.”

Oct 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) looks at plays with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, center, and head coach Andy Reid against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Although Reid understandably receives most of the credit for molding No. 15, Nagy helped the former Texas Tech standout quickly find his footing in the NFL. He must now quickly build rapport with Dart and figure out how to best utilize the athletic signal-caller’s versatile skill set.

Perfecting that process should be easier for the new quarterback, thanks to the groundwork laid by former Chiefs quarterbacks coach and ex-Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka last year.

“For this situation to have that kind of process where someone else from the Andy Reid tree has already been in place and already worked with this quarterback, I do feel like there can be maybe a little bit less of a jarring change, more of a smooth elevation to where they’re going to go with it,” Tracy said.

“And Nagy can extend concepts Kafka established, without having to dismantle and rebuild the offense.”

How Matt Nagy could operate the NY Giants' offense

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart will look to take a big step forward in Year 2, his first under offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Dart is obviously still evolving as a passer, so the new offensive coordinator will probably want to keep things simple at first. New York will continue to take advantage of Dart’s mobility – he rushed for 487 yards and nine touchdowns. If Nagy’s history in Kansas City is any indication, the young quarterback will be expected to set the tone with his arm.

“(Andy Reid) wants to get you on your heels and thinking about moving backward, especially at the linebacker level, so that you can try to get some depth there and then hit you when you feel like you have an easier front to run against,” Ryan Tracy explained.

“I think that is probably a commonality of where Matt Nagy will start.”

Nagy will work with top receiver Malik Nabers, who aims to regain standing after his season-ending knee injury. The Giants’ reliance on him could shift in the new system.

NY Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart looks to pass vs. Commanders — Dec 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) prepares to pass the ball during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The position the new OC may want to heavily feature with New York

The position the new offensive coordinator may want to heavily feature with New York

“Some of the staples I think are going to depend on personnel that are not the stars,” Tracy said. "You’re going to see mesh concepts across the middle. You’re going to see play action that looks to move linebackers out of the way of what they want to try to do.

“But I think you will see part of the offense flow through there and try to make the tight end a focal point to riff off of as they have in the past in Reid’s offense. Then they will hit the motion behind the deeper overs at the 12- to 18-yard range. I think those are concepts that you’re going to see in New York.”

If the tight end becomes a focal point, the Giants must assess Theo Johnson’s future. If they doubt his progress, Harbaugh may seek a replacement, possibly Isaiah Likely.

Will Nagy jumpstart his prospects as a head coach with Big Blue?

Regardless of who Nagy’s personnel is, fans will scrutinize his every move. When the Bears finished 12-4 in his first season as head coach, the defense was praised. When the Chiefs won back-to-back championships, Andy Reid was heralded as a genius. The limelight never seems to find Matt Nagy.

But if Jaxson Dart becomes a star, Nagy could finally get the recognition he deserves, and their partnership could guide the franchise to long-term success.

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Or send us a question for our weekly Saturday morning mailbag.

“I do believe [Dart] will get to a point where once the command of the offense is there and they see things the same way, Dart will get a lot of freedom with where he wants to go with the ball. He will also have more input in what he wants to do,” Ryan Tracy predicted.

“And I think that relationship will grow into one that’s symbiotic. It will not be just play caller to play executor, but a melding of the minds about how to attack a defense.”

While John Harbaugh is the glue that will hold everything together, Nagy’s importance in this Giants restoration project is hard to overstate.