New York Giants

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has accepted the New York Giants' offer to become their next head coach, the team announced on Friday. 

Earlier in the evening, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Giants were "working to hire" Daboll as their new head coach and that "the two sides will attempt to do a deal" that would reunite the OC with Joe Schoen, the ex-Bills assistant general manager who took the Giants' GM job earlier this month.

Daboll was considered a finalist for the open Miami Dolphins' head coaching job, but SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reported Friday that the Fins no longer expected the Bills' OC to be available when they begin their second round of interviews.

Daboll beat out a candidate group for the Giants job that included ex-Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and Bills defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Leslie Frazier. He replaces Joe Judge, who Big Blue parted ways with after two seasons (10-23).

This move has been a long time coming after Daboll helped transform Buffalo's offense.

The Bills didn't go above and beyond on that side of the ball in 2019. They finished 24th in yards (330.2) and 23rd in points (19.6), and Football Outsiders ranked them 22nd in offensive efficiency.

Still, Daboll was generating buzz as a possible candidate to fill any of the coaching vacancies across the NFL.

The 46-year-old stayed in Buffalo, though, which proved to be a shrewd move.

Josh Allen enjoyed a massive leap in his third season and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. He threw for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns as his completion percentage soared from 58.8 to 69.2. Stefon Diggs also led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) while hauling in eight touchdown grabs.

"I hate to give him so much credit because I don't want anyone to steal him from me," Diggs told reporters of Daboll in December 2020.

As a team, the Bills tied for second in yards (396.4) and had sole possession of second in points (31.3).

They fell back to earth a bit in 2021, piling up 381.9 yards per game and finishing 10th in offensive efficiency at Football Outsiders. That slight step backward coincided with what appeared to be a rift growing between Daboll and head coach Sean McDermott.

Still, fans of the franchise haven't seen an attack this lethal since the early 1990s when Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed led the way. A 47-17 victory over the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card Round proved cathartic as the offense rolled up 482 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Bills followed that up with 36 points (five touchdowns) and 422 yards in a 42-36 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round.

Prior to arriving in Buffalo, he worked on Bill Belichick's staff and was Nick Saban's co-offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017. A connection to either of those coaches is often enough to generate a level of skepticism because of how frequently former Belichick or Saban staffers have fallen short of expectations on their own.

There's no guarantee Daboll will deliver for the Giants. His work with the Bills earned him this shot, though. His overall body of work didn't go unnoticed.

Derek Anderson played under Daboll with the Bills and Cleveland Browns and explained to The Athletic's Matthew Fairburn how much he has improved with the benefit of experience:

I really enjoyed watching him grow as a play caller. You know, he's a friend, obviously, I'll text him after games or call and chat for a little bit. I'll ask him how he thought he did or whatever, but I think he's just grown. You know, it sometimes takes time. He and I were together early on. I think it was the first time he'd ever been a coordinator and it was kind of his way or the highway in the beginning. And now, you can tell him and Josh are on the same page. They're talking through concepts, talking through things going into the week, making sure that they're both on the same page. And I think that's huge.

For a long time, hiring the guy in charge of the Bills offense wouldn't have generated much excitement within a fanbase. But Daboll's arrival should go over well among those who follow the Giants.

While many Giants fans have given up on Daniel Jones, the team may be willing to extend the 2019 first-round pick one more chance. Jones' contract has one more guaranteed year remaining, and working under Daboll could get his development back on track.

In the event New York is willing to cut bait on Jones and use one of its top-10 picks on a quarterback, the onus will be on Daboll to put him in a position to thrive right out of the gate.

The New Orleans Saints are reportedly hoping to interview former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores about their head coaching vacancy following the departure of Sean Payton.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday it's unclear whether the Saints will get that chance with Flores among the final candidates to fill the New York Giants' opening:

Payton stepped aside Tuesday after 15 years leading the New Orleans staff. The 58-year-old California native said it's not a formal retirement but rather a chance to explore other avenues while keeping the door open to coach again in the future.

"I don't know what's next—and it kind of feels good," he told reporters. "But, man, I felt like it was time. ... But not with any regret. There's some excitement, like, 'All right, what's next?'"

He leaves a significant void after compiling a 152-89 regular-season record with the Saints. His teams also went 9-8 in the playoffs, highlighted by winning the Super Bowl XLIV title.

Meanwhile, Flores was the most surprising head coach firing of the current cycle.

Even though he posted a 24-25 record and didn't reach the playoffs across three years, he was coming off back-to-back winning seasons and generally seemed to have the Dolphins moving in a positive direction.

So it's no surprise he's become a popular candidate elsewhere. SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reported Thursday the Giants' search has come down to Flores and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier as a sleeper.

It sounds like if New York opts for one of the Buffalo assistants, the Saints are prepared to swoop in to make Flores a key part of their search.

The 40-year-old New York City native won four Super Bowl titles across 15 years in the New England Patriots organization (2004-2018), first in the scouting department then as an assistant coach.

More recently, he finished third in the Associated Press' Coach of the Year voting in 2020 after guiding the Dolphins to a 10-6 record.

Flores is a strong bet to land another head coaching job before next season gets underway.

Incoming New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen sounds like he's prepared to go into next season with Daniel Jones as the starting quarterback. 

Speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference on Wednesday, Schoen said the front office will "build an offense to accentuate what Daniel does best."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last month the Giants were planning to bring back Jones and head coach Joe Judge. 

Giants ownership had a change of heart about Judge, who was fired on Jan. 11 after going 10-23 in two seasons. 

Jones, the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL draft, has one more guaranteed year remaining on his rookie contract. The Giants have until May 3 to decide if they want to pick up his fifth-year option worth around $21.3 million in 2023.

Things haven't worked out for Jones or the Giants over the past three seasons. He did have a promising rookie campaign with 3,027 yards, 24 touchdowns and 279 rushing yards in 13 appearances. 

Since the start of 2020, Jones has thrown for 5,371 yards, 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 25 starts. He ranked 22nd out of 31 qualified quarterbacks in ESPN's QBR during the 2021 season. 

There are many problems with the Giants roster around Jones that have made things more difficult for him. They had the third-worst offensive line in the NFL this season, per Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson. 

The Giants haven't had a winning season since making the playoffs with an 11-5 record in 2016.    

Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is "clearly the favorite," to become the next head coach of the New York Giants, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

Daboll will have a second interview with the Giants on Tuesday.

"[Daboll] has been the favorite to many all along, given his relationship with new Giants GM Joe Schoen and the fact that Daboll has other supporters inside the organization, too," Vacchiano writes. 

SNY previously reported that Daboll was "very high" on Schoen's list of candidates, even before he took the Giants general manager position. And given his work turning Josh Allen into an elite quarterback, it should come as no surprise that the Giants are interested. 

Daboll has been brilliant coaching the Bills offense over the last four years and took the team to new heights in 2021. Buffalo's offense ranked ninth in the NFL averaging 252 passing yards per game and eighth with 36 passing touchdowns. The team also ranked sixth with 129.9 rushing yards per game and eighth with 20 rushing scores. 

The postseason has only furthered Daboll's case to become a head coach. The Bills had 482 total yards and scored seven touchdowns against the New England Patriots and their fourth-ranked defense in the AFC Wild Card Round, and had 422 total yards and five touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. 

But while the Giants want Daboll, he's a candidate for several head coaching jobs around the league. He already interviewed for the position in Chicago and Miami, and could have more interviews in the coming weeks. 

Aside from Daboll, the Giants are interested in former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and the team's current defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. 

The Giants have not made the playoffs since 2016 and are in desperate need of a solid head coach, something they haven't been able to find since Tom Coughlin held the job from 2004-14. 

The New York Giants have requested to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll for a second time, according to Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. 

The team also plans to interview Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on Monday and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and its current defensive coordinator Patrick Graham later in the week. 

Daboll, 46, has spent the past four seasons as Buffalo's offensive coordinator, leading the team to back-to-back campaigns as a top-five offense in both yards and points. His scheme has helped Josh Allen become one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and has played a major role in the team reaching the postseason in three straight years.

Before the Bills, he had stints as an offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011), Kansas City Chiefs (2012) and the Alabama Crimson Tide (2017). The Canada native has been part of the New England Patriots staff for 11 seasons in various roles.

Quinn, 51, spent the past season as Dallas' defensive coordinator, leading the team to a No. 7 finish in points allowed. He helped rookie Micah Parsons have a debut season for the ages (84 tackles, 13 sacks) while playing him in multiple roles, including off the edge. 

He previously served as the Atlanta Falcons head coach from 2015 to 2020, going 43-42 and leading the team to the playoffs twice, including a Super Bowl appearance in the 2016 season.

The New Jersey native also served as the defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators (2011-12) and Seattle Seahawks (2013-14). 

Flores, 40, spent the 2019-21 seasons as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, going 24-25 without any playoff appearances. He previously spent 15 seasons with the New England Patriots (2004-18), holding multiple roles on the coaching staff. 

Finally, the 43-year-old Graham spent the past two seasons as the Giants defensive coordinator. The Giants were ninth in points allowed in 2020 and 12th in yards allowed, though those numbers ballooned to 23rd and 21st, respectively, this past season.

He also served as the Dolphins defensive coordinator in 2019.

Whoever gets the job will be taking the reins of a franchise in disarray. The Giants haven't had a winning season since 2016 and just one playoff berth since 2012. For a team that won two titles in the Tom Coughlin era, the results since his departure have been well below standard. 

New York Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is interviewing for the team's vacant head coaching position, and if he doesn't get the job, he's reportedly interested in remaining on board as the team's DC under a new head coach, per SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

According to Vacchiano, "many believe the Giants would be open to his return in the right situation."

Of note, though, the Pittsburgh Steelers have requested to interview Graham for the defensive coordinator vacancy, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Graham is interested in remaining the team's defensive coordinator. As Vacchiano writes, he was popular with the players and was well-liked by Giants owners. In addition, he declined the opportunity to interview for the New York Jets' head coaching job last year.

Graham has also made it known in the past that coaching the Giants defense is his "dream job." 

He told Zack Rosenblatt of NJ Advance Media:

This is my dream job, being the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants. It’s a great opportunity, to be able to stay here, and the commitment they’re showing me. But the fact is, it’s the NFL. I still got a ways to go. We’ve got to perform better than this past year. That’s my goal. But I love being here.

The Giants fired Joe Judge earlier this month after just two seasons. He went 10-23 as head coach in New York. 

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll are considered the early favorites to replace Judge as head coach of the Giants. If either takes over, there's a good bet Graham will stay on as the team's defensive coordinator. 

Graham worked with both Flores and Daboll with the New England Patriots from 2013-16. In addition, Graham served as Flores' defensive coordinator with the Dolphins in 2019 before joining Judge's staff in New York.  

If Graham doesn't remain with the Giants, there are currently only two other defensive coordinator positions available with the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks. It's unclear if he'd be considered for either position. 

The Giants ranked No. 21 in total defense and No. 23 in scoring defense last season. Those ranks aren't eye-popping, but New York's defense often had to make up for its subpar offense.  

The New York Giants will reportedly interview Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for their head coach vacancy on Sunday, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.

Anarumo is in his third year with the Bengals, helping the team reach the AFC Championship Game with Saturday's 19-16 win over the Tennessee Titans. The defense forced three turnovers while holding star running back Derrick Henry to just 62 rushing yards in the upset win.

The Giants are seeking a replacement for Joe Judge, who was fired after going 10-23 across two seasons.

New York hired Joe Schoen as the new general manager Friday and has quickly advanced its search for a new head coach. Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier reportedly interviewed this weekend, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, while Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is also set to interview, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

The organization is seeking someone who can turn things around after five straight losing seasons, a stretch that has spanned three different coaches.

Anarumo knows what it takes to reshape a franchise after a significant transformation the past three years in Cincinnati. After winning just six games in 2019 and 2020 combined, the Bengals went 10-7 this year with an AFC North title. The squad is now one win away from a trip to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988.

Though the Bengals defense finished just 17th in the NFL in points allowed this year, it's been a steady climb after ranking 30th in the category the year before Anarumo came to town.

The 55-year-old also has experience with the Giants, serving as the defensive backs coach in 2018.    

The New York Giants are expected to interview defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for their vacant head coaching job, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.  

ESPN's Jordan Raanan added that he was "told to watch" Graham as a potential candidate for the Giants since "ownership thinks highly of him."

Graham served as the Giants' DC and assistant head coach under Joe Judge from 2020-21.

Judge was fired at the conclusion of the 2021 season after going just 10-23 in two seasons. None of the Giants' past three head coaches have managed to make it beyond two years with the organization.

While the Giants struggled as a whole under Judge, it was primarily the offense that was to blame for New York's poor performance.

With Judge at the helm, the Giants ranked 31st in total offense and 31st in scoring in each of the past two seasons.

Graham's defense wasn't great in 2021, ranking 21st in total defense and 23rd in scoring, but it was among the better defenses in the NFL in 2020, finishing 12th in total yards allowed and ninth in points allowed.

In addition to having some success as the Giants' DC, Graham has a long and impressive resume as an NFL assistant coach.

He broke into the league with the New England Patriots in 2009 and remained with them through 2015 in multiple roles, winning one Super Bowl during his tenure.

Graham then spent time with the Giants and Green Bay Packers before serving as the Miami Dolphins' defensive coordinator for one season in 2019 and then returning to the G-Men in 2020.

Although Graham has some factors working in his favor, he may face an uphill climb in terms of being chosen as the new head coach as an in-house candidate.

Following the retirement of general manager Dave Gettleman, the Giants went outside the organization to hire former Buffalo Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen as the new general manager this week.

Per the Giants' official website, Schoen has already interviewed a pair of Bills assistants in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.

The Giants are also reportedly expected to interview former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who was fired despite leading Miami to a winning record in each of the past two seasons.

Graham has some stiff competition, but if ownership is indeed behind him, Schoen figures to give him a fair shot to win the job at the very least.

The New York Giants are expected to interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for their head coaching vacancy, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The report comes after the Giants hired Bills assistant general manager Joe Schoen to become Big Blue's new GM.

Schoen, who is still in Buffalo before he makes the move to New Jersey, is expected to conduct the interviews in Western New York on Saturday, per Rapoport.

ESPN's Adam Schefter previously reported that the Giants were also expected to request interviews with ex-Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

The Giants were in the market for a new GM after Dave Gettleman's retirement. They also parted ways with head coach Joe Judge following the season.

Big Blue is looking to break out of a decade-long rut that has seen the team make the playoffs just once in the past 10 years. The Giants have not won a postseason game since Super Bowl XLVI in Feb. 2012.

Daboll and Frazier have worked under Bills head coach Sean McDermott, who has led Buffalo to playoff appearances in four of the past five seasons.

The Bills are also back-to-back AFC East champions who most recently crushed the New England Patriots 47-17 in the Wild Card round. They'll battle with the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs next.

The 46-year-old Daboll has led an offense that finished second in scoring in 2020 and third in 2021. Under his tutelage, the Bills' offense has flourished, with quarterback Josh Allen, wideout Stefon Diggs and a stout offensive line leading the way.

The 62-year-old Frazier's defense allowed the fewest points in football this year and the second-fewest in 2019. He leads a stout unit that's strong on all three levels and finished tied for third with 30 takeaways.

Daboll could have the edge on anyone in the field. Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reported Friday that Daboll was on the top of Schoen's head-coaching list.

Jordan Raanan of ESPN also provided this report:

The connection between Daboll and Schoen is strong, according to a source close with the pair. The expectation is that Daboll (who has guided top-five offenses each of the past two seasons) would get an interview if Schoen is the general manager. And Daboll's first stint as an assistant in New England (2000-06) also overlapped with Peters' time there.

As Raanan noted, head coaching candidates involved with playoff teams who advance past the divisional round can't interview until after they are eliminated.

Therefore, the Giants are pressed for time to interview the Bills coordinators with the team set to travel to Kansas City for a 6:30 p.m. ET game on Sunday.

For now, the Giants appear to have a talented and accomplished coaching shortlist thus far as the team looks for its next leader.