Former Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll Could Emerge as Candidate for Old Team

The Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott, and there is already speculation that Daboll, the Bills' offensive coordinator before taking the Giants job, could be on their list to replace him.

Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, shown here with recently fired Bills head coach Sean McDermott, has emerged as a possible candidate to replace his old boss. | JAMIE GERMANO/ROCHESTER DEMOCRAT

Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll has drawn plenty of interest around the NFL for both offensive coordinator (Eagles, Chargers) and head coaching (Titans) roles.

He might soon be able to add another suitor for his services: the Buffalo Bills, who on Monday morning relieved head coach Sean McDermott from his duties following the Bills’ disappointing divisional playoff loss to the Denver Broncos.

Talking to NFL executives around the league about Buffalo’s next head coach options, the name that keeps coming up is a familiar one, a Buffalo native and someone Josh Allen loves: Brian Daboll.

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 19, 2026

Daboll is no stranger to the Bills or the Buffalo area. He was the team’s offensive coordinator from 2018-2021, and has been widely credited with helping quarterback Josh Allen transform from a smaller school quarterback prospect into one of the league’s elite signal callers.

Allen, under Daboll’s tutelage, had one of his best seasons in 2020, his third year in the league. That season, the Bills' offense finished second overall, second in scoring, and third in passing yards.

Daboll, who left the Bills after 2021 to take the Giants head coaching job, obviously didn’t have the same success in that role, though he has been widely credited for helping current Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart’s transition from Ole Miss to the NFL get off on the right foot.

Daboll had one year remaining on the five-year contract he signed with the Giants in 2022, a deal that reportedly paid him $5 million per season. 

Daboll, who the Giants fired after a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears in which Daboll also suffered a concussion that cost him two games, was replaced by assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Mike Kafka.

Kafka finished 2-5 in the team's final seven games of yet another lost season, the Giants finishing 4-13, a one-game improvement from their franchise worst 3-14 mark the season prior.

After going 9-7-1 in his first season with the Giants, which also resulted in his winning the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year honors and saw the Giants qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016, the wheels fell off the wagon for Daboll.

The Giants, under Daboll’s leadership, would win only 11 games over the next 2 1⁄2 seasons, with Daboll fishing with a career record of 20-40-1 in his 3+ seasons overall as an NFL head coach.

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