The New York Giants are on the lookout for a new head coach following the firing of Brian Daboll. Amid this transition, Jon Gruden has emerged as a potential candidate, especially given his prior rapport with quarterback Jaxson Dart before the recent draft.
On the heels of Daboll”s dismissal, Gruden”s brother, Jay Gruden, who previously coached the Washington Commanders, expressed his support for Jon, calling him “a perfect candidate.” Jay emphasized, “I know my brother loves to coach and loves football. I don”t know the level of interest he would have. But he would be a hell of a candidate because he”s a great developer of quarterbacks and understands the position as well as anybody in the world.” He added that if the Giants are serious about developing a quarterback, Jon could be the right choice.
However, the possibility of Gruden taking the helm remains uncertain. With general manager Joe Schoen still at the helm for this coaching search, the question arises whether the Giants want to deal with Gruden”s controversial past. In 2021, while coaching the Raiders, Gruden resigned amid pressure following revelations of emails containing offensive language, including racist, misogynistic, and homophobic remarks. Since then, he has not returned to coaching and has filed a lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell, accusing them of orchestrating a campaign to damage his career.
Given this context, Giants co-owner John Mara may be hesitant to engage with Gruden. Yet, with the franchise struggling and in need of change, Mara could consider taking a bold step by hiring Gruden, as suggested by Jay Gruden, who noted, “Yeah, why not? Jon would be entertaining. And he”s really good with quarterbacks. It would be great for Jaxson.” The Giants currently require someone who can nurture Dart”s development as he assumes the starting role.
Furthermore, the Giants have not appointed a head coach with a proven track record since Tom Coughlin in 2004. The successors, including Ben McAdoo, Joe Judge, and Daboll, were all rookie head coaches, while Pat Shurmur faced challenges during his tenure with the Browns. Following Daboll”s exit, the Giants promoted offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who has yet to serve as a head coach, to the interim position.
Jay Gruden expressed that Kafka would be given the chance to prove himself, but he believes the team should pursue a more experienced coach. “If it were me, I think they would go after more of an experienced guy who has been a leader and won some games,” he commented.
While Jon Gruden is a prominent name among former NFL head coaches that could fill this vacancy, he is not the only option. Other potential candidates include Bill Belichick, Mike McCarthy, and Bill O”Brien. The Giants may also explore the possibility of hiring Lane Kiffin, Dart”s former coach at Ole Miss. The situation is dynamic, and with the right move, the Giants could reshape their future.
Jay Gruden humorously noted the competitiveness of former coaches in this search, stating, “There are other older coaches I”m sure that would be pretty good,” before jokingly adding, “Like me. I”d be very good, too.” His previous success in developing quarterbacks like Andy Dalton and Kirk Cousins underscores the value of experience in this critical role.
As the Giants navigate this coaching search, the pressure is on to find a leader who can bring the franchise back to relevance and effectively develop their young quarterback in Dart.
