NFL Insider Details Key Traits Giants Are Looking for in Next Head Coach

The Giants fired Brian Daboll last week after he spent four seasons at the helm of the franchise. Interim coach Mike Kafka will take the reins for the remainder of the 2025 season as New York finishes out another losing season in the Meadowlands. Then the real fun will begin in the form of a high-profile search for a new head coach.

The Giants’ job won’t be the only one available once the offseason begins this winter but it will definitely be an appealing one. Big Blue appears to have a QB of the future in exciting rookie Jaxson Dart and two talented, fun running mates in Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers (who will both hopefully return fullly healthy next season). The roster also boasts some impressive talent on the defensive line, and the new head coach knows resources will not be a problem while working under the Mara family. It isn’t a perfect opportunity but the pieces are in place for success in the short- and long-term.

On Thursday, ESPN Giants reporter Jordan Raanan wrote about the impending coaching search and shared the key traits the team appears to be prioritizing in any candidates for the job.

“The same group of multiple league sources who have spoken to the Giants believe they are looking for a head coach who can "command the room,’ Raanan reported. “Someone who can oversee the operation and develop a sustainable culture. Previous head coaching experience (whether at the collegiate or professional level) is preferred. It might be necessary in part because of the difficulty of the New York market and the setup of the Giants organization.”

It sounds like the Giants are looking for a CEO-type head coach, a popular archetype for the job nowadays. NFL head coaches have to juggle so many responsibiltiies that teams are more and more interested in candidates who possess multifaceted skillsets rather than specializing in offense or defense. Daboll was more the latter as a former offensive coordinator whose primary draw as a candidate was his ability to run an effective offense. New York now wants the former.

It should make for a fascinating search. The Giants have not been a model franchise for the last decade, and retaining general manager Joe Schoen to lead the search after firing Daboll is raising eyebrows. But the bones of a good roster are there and ultimately there are only so many NFL head coaching jobs that become available every year. There will be lots of interest.

The Giants seem to know what they want in their new coach. Now they just have to find the right guy.

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