As the New York Giants limp toward the finish line of a brutal 2-12 season - one that could go down as their second-worst ever - the focus has already shifted to what comes next. With three games left and an eight-game losing streak weighing heavy, the franchise is deep into its head coaching search.
General manager Joe Schoen, still in charge of that process for now, is navigating uncertain waters. The Giants are 5-26 since the start of last season under his leadership, and with co-owner John Mara dealing with a cancer diagnosis, Schoen’s future is murky at best. He could be out after the season, but until then, he’s steering the search that began when Brian Daboll was dismissed back on November 10.
So, who’s on the Giants’ radar?
The early list of candidates includes a mix of defensive minds and offensive tacticians, all with varying degrees of experience. Two defensive coordinators - Jeff Hafley of the Packers and Lou Anarumo of the Colts - are reportedly in the mix.
Hafley is a Montvale, New Jersey native and a former Rutgers assistant. Anarumo has ties to the Giants, having coached their secondary in 2018, and hails from Staten Island.
Also under consideration: Kliff Kingsbury, currently the offensive coordinator in Washington; Klint Kubiak, who holds the same role in Seattle; and Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. No wild cards in that group - these are names that have floated around the coaching carousel before.
Freeman, like Hafley and Anarumo, comes from a defensive background. He’s an intriguing option, but whether he’s ready - or even willing - to make the leap from college to the NFL is another question entirely.
Among the defensive candidates, Hafley stands out for one key reason: head coaching experience. While it came at the college level, he did lead Boston College from 2020 to 2023, compiling a 22-26 record.
His best season came in 2023, when he guided the Eagles to a 7-6 finish before moving on to Green Bay. That kind of experience could carry weight in East Rutherford, especially given the Giants’ deep ties to Boston College - Mara is an alum, and the franchise has dipped into that well before (see: Tom Coughlin).
Hafley will be 47 when next season kicks off. Anarumo, the more seasoned of the two at 60, hasn’t been a head coach at any level. Both would bring strong defensive acumen, but they’d also face a critical challenge: hiring the right offensive coordinator to develop Jaxson Dart, the young quarterback who represents the team’s best shot at turning things around.
And that’s where things get complicated.
Hiring a defensive-minded head coach means you’re relying on someone else to mold your quarterback. If that offensive coordinator clicks with Dart and elevates the offense, great - but success often means that coordinator becomes a hot head coaching candidate elsewhere.
That kind of turnover can be brutal for a young quarterback’s development. Continuity matters, and losing the architect of your offense just as things are starting to click can set everything back.
That’s why offensive head coaches are often seen as safer bets for quarterback development - they’re the constant, even when the staff around them changes.
Still, the Giants can’t afford to get paralyzed by hypotheticals. They need the best leader available, someone who can build a staff, establish a culture, and guide this franchise out of the wilderness. That’s where names like Mike McDaniel come into play.
If - and it’s a big if - the Dolphins move on from McDaniel after a disappointing season that could end at 6-11 and out of the playoffs, he’d be a compelling option as an offensive coordinator. The Giants could do far worse when it comes to finding someone to develop Dart.
McDaniel doesn’t have any direct coaching history with Anarumo, but he does have overlap with Hafley. Back in 2014, McDaniel coached wide receivers for the Browns while Hafley handled the defensive backs.
Then, from 2016 to 2018, Hafley was the defensive backs coach in San Francisco. McDaniel was there too, serving as the 49ers’ run game coordinator in the final two years of that stint - learning under Kyle Shanahan’s innovative offensive system.
So if Hafley does land the Giants’ head coaching job, don’t be surprised if he looks to reconnect with McDaniel, should the opportunity arise. That pairing would offer a balance of defensive leadership and offensive creativity - exactly the kind of synergy the Giants need if they’re serious about building around Dart and climbing out of the NFC basement.
Bottom line: This hire isn’t just about who wears the headset on Sundays. It’s about building a staff that can maximize the talent already in the building, especially at quarterback. Whether it’s Hafley, Anarumo, or someone else entirely, the Giants have to get this one right.