See video of Mike Kafka as takes over as NY Giants interim head coach
New York Giants interim coach Mike Kafka discusses the qualities it takes to be a great head coach.
EAST RUTHERFORD – Not all head coaching searches are created equal.
And when teams refuse to consider all options, they might miss out on the candidate who may end up becoming the NFL’s next big thing.
The New York Giants are about to enter the fifth head coaching search for the organization since Tom Coughlin’s exit following the 2015 season, and just because Brian Daboll’s firing came with seven games remaining, there is time for this list of candidates to evolve between now and season’s end.
Get ready for the misdirection.
College coach. No college coach.
CEO coach. Great coordinator. No coordinators.
Leader of men. Too young. Too old. Too old school. Too modern.
And on and on we go.
Just consider this: the Giants have not hired a head coach with a defensive background since Bill Parcells.
So this is what we’re going to do at NorthJersey.com and The Record: we’ll have a regular look at the Giants’ coaching search as it takes shape over the next two months and beyond until co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch with general manager Joe Schoen leading the search find the next coach for the franchise.
Interim head coach Mike Kafka has six more weeks – after three years – to impress on the job. Can he do it? It’s not impossible, but the challenge won’t be easy, especially if the Giants continue to lose.
How does the list of potential candidates not currently in the organization stack up? Here’s how we’d rank who we see as the Top 6, and our list will change based on impressions, additional reporting and developments across the board.
6. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
Making the case: CEO leader to rebuild what has been broken here with Giants if Freeman would make the leap. He seems to have great command of the program and a dynamic personality. Ability to build a staff in the NFL would have to be vetted as an integral part of his candidacy. A big sticking point could be a reported $50 million buyout teams would have to pay in order to hire Freeman.
The latest: Notre Dame is playing well in recent weeks and a potential Freeman candidacy could gain more steam if the Irish make another run to the college football playoffs.
Next game: Notre Dame, currently ranked No. 10 in the race for the college playoffs, play host to Syracuse in South Bend
5. Former NFL coach Mike McCarthy
Making the case: Dallas put up a Top 5 scoring offense in three of his five seasons as head coach – finishing No. 1 in 2021 and 2023. Schematically, though, McCarthy has faced questions as to whether he would update his offense to the intricacies and stylings of today’s game.
The latest: McCarthy interviewed with the Giants in 2020. He parted ways with the Cowboys after the 2024 season and is currently taking time away from the sideline this year. If the Giants are looking for a head coach to continue Dart’s development, the 61-year-old McCarthy has coached Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott since becoming a head coach.
Next game: McCarthy has a career record of 171-112-2 with a Super Bowl victory on his resume. His body of work isn’t going to change, so it’ll be interesting if the Giants go down that road again. You’ll hear a lot about Mike Vrabel and what he has done in New England, only McCarthy’s exit in Dallas has sapped whatever juice was left in his candidacy.
4. Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
Making the case: The Bergen County native has been prominently mentioned as one of those to watch as the Giants’ coaching search unfolds over the next few months. The franchise has strong ties to Boston College, where Hafley served as head coach from 2020-23, and his coaching resume includes stops in college (WPI, Albany, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Ohio State and Boston College) and the NFL (Buccaneers, 49ers, Browns and Packers) where he worked with some of the brightest and best minds in the game.
The latest: With the Cleveland Browns, Hafley worked with Kyle Shanahan, Mike McDaniel, Aaron Glenn and Kevin O’Connell. With the 49ers, he worked under Shanahan and with Robert Saleh and DeMeco Ryans. All have become head coaches in the NFL, with Shanahan and O’Connell among the most respected.
Next game: Hafley’s defense closed out the Giants last Sunday when Micah Parsons’ strip sack of Jameis Winston ended things. The Packers will look to continue their impressive play against the Vikings and struggling second-year pro QB J.J. McCarthy this week back home at Lambeau Field.
3. Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
Making the case: A favorite of the entire organization, Spags did not get the full-time job when he served as the interim head coach after Ben McAdoo’s firing. If he still wants to be a head coach, this might be the place willing to give him that shot. He’s won three Super Bowl rings as Kansas City DC since then. That was an impossible situation in 2017 for Spags, and without a quarterback with the Rams for his last head coaching job – Sam Bradford never panned out, there is a sense of unfinished business.
The latest: If Spagnuolo wants to come here, could Andy Reid with Spags convince Mike Kafka to stay on as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach? Would he consider adding Antonio Pierce as his DC? A strong move would be pairing Spags with a young offensive mind like Broncos QB coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb as offensive coordinator with Dart.
Next game: In a sure twist of fate for the former Giants defensive coordinator, Spags faces former Giant Daniel Jones and running back Jonathan Taylor, and Kansas City needs a big performance to remind people yet again of its mettle, especially on defense.
2. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo
Making the case: The Staten Island native has plenty of familiarity with the Giants. He was the secondary coach on Pat Shurmur’s staff in 2018, and his departure took all the steam out of that defense a year later. Anarumo, 58, did a very good job in Cincinnati as the Bengals‘ DC, a tenure that looks even better with how that defensive personnel is faring in the wake of his dismissal after last season.
The latest: Anarumo worked with Schoen for five years when they were both with the Miami Dolphins. Louis Anarumo, Lou’s son, works as a pro scout hired by Schoen. There’s no question Anarumo will get other looks; he was a finalist in Arizona after the 2023 season, losing out to Jonathan Gannon.
Next game: Anarumo and the Colts will get a big chance to impress when they travel to Arrowhead on Sunday to face Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and the Chiefs. The defending AFC champs are 5-5 after losing a heartbreaker to the Broncos, and if Indy’s defense can hold its own, Anarumo’s stock will rise.
1. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula
Making the case: Sean McVay’s coaching tree bears plenty of juicy fruit more times than not. Yes, the 39-year-old Shula is the grandson of the NFL coaching legend Don Shula. His father, Dave, was the head coach of the Bengals, and his uncle, Mike, was the offensive coordinator of the Giants for two years under Pat Shurmur. The Rams are very good defensively and you never know when the risk on a young coach with pedigree and production pays off with significant reward.
The latest: When Fox Sports insider Jay Glazer mentioned Shula’s name as part of his report on potential Giants candidates on Sunday, his stock went up simply because Glazer often doesn’t push out fake news. And the way the Rams are playing defensively, he’s earned his mentions.
Next game: Shula and the Rams will take on Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers in a key NFC clash, and with every victory for McVay and Co., the profile of his right-hand man is going to continue to gain prominence in Los Angeles and beyond.
Also considered: Chargers DC Jesse Minter, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, Broncos DC Vance Joseph and Vikings DC Brian Flores.