The New York Giants aren’t going to be the only team on the hunt for their next head coach this offseason.
ESPN projects there to be at least eight openings come January, including the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins, the Giants, and the Tennessee Titans.
But which jobs are the most attractive and will garner the most attention from top candidates?
New York’s opening was thought to be fairly attractive, given its assets and young, high-upside players at premium positions.
But Bill Barnwell has them ranked closer to the middle of the pack, thanks to several extenuating circumstances.
Bill Barnwell Ranks Giants Job Fifth-Best Available
Barnwell ranks the New York Giants’ head coaching job as the fifth-most attractive, behind the Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, and Tennessee Titans.
“When Daboll was fired, there was significant chatter suggesting that the Giants job would be the plum opportunity of the 2026 offseason. Having the first overall pick and the most projected draft capital of any team in football would obviously go a long way if the Giants end up there,” wrote Barnwell.
“Although ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Big Blue only a 16% chance of finishing the season with the worst record. Outside of the potential draft capital, I’m not sure I agree with the idea that this is an outstanding opportunity for the league’s best coaching candidates.”
Jaxson Dart has shown promise in his rookie season, but the young quarterback also faces injury concerns with his reckless playstyle.
In 10 starts, Dart has been evaluated for a concussion in five.
Could his long-term health concerns outweigh the tantalizing talent he’s displayed in 2025?
“He (Dart) has faced a difficult schedule and played without his top wide receiver in young star Malik Nabers for most of that stretch, of course. But on dropbacks that ended with a pass attempt or a sack, Dart’s 42.9 Total QBR is 26th in the league,” continued Barnwell.
“It’s still too early to draw conclusions on what Dart will become, but coaches might not be inclined to tie themselves to a QB who seems hell-bent on putting himself in harm’s way on a weekly basis as part of his playing style.”
The Joe Schoen Conundrum
Aside from concerns about the quarterback, Barnwell also cites the New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen as a reason prospective head coaches may steer clear of Big Blue’s coaching gig.
“The other issue is general manager Joe Schoen, whom ownership backed as part of the future when it fired Daboll in midseason…Schoen will obviously hire someone he feels compatible with, but if the Giants decide to move on from Schoen in 2027 or 2028, it would create another mismatched timeline between the coach they hire now and the next general manager,” Barnwell wrote.
“Will that new personnel executive want to hire his own coach? Will the Giants just fire this next coach, as they (deservedly) did with Joe Judge after two seasons, so the next general manager can enter the building with his handpicked guy?”
If the Giants decide to fire Schoen at the end of the 2025 season (which should absolutely be on the table), they may also be creating more interest in their head coaching opening as a byproduct.
Big Blue can reel in the top coaching candidates; they may just have to make a couple of changes to solidify their chances.
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