Dismal Rankings for Daboll Among NFL Coaches
A recent ranking of NFL head coaches by Pro Football and Sports Network places Brian Daboll, head coach of the New York Giants, at No. 25 out of 32, which is particularly concerning.
Daboll is only ahead of seven coaches who are new to their teams this season. Notably, the rankings also include Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots and Pete Carroll of the Las Vegas Raiders, who arguably shouldn’t be grouped with the newcomers.
According to PFSN, Daboll’s coaching stint with the Giants has been marked by decreasing success. His impressive initial record of 9-7-1 in 2022, which included a playoff victory, has been overshadowed by a subsequent 9-25 record in the last two seasons. The Giants have struggled offensively, consistently ranking among the bottom teams in scoring, while their defense was rated 31st in PFSN’s Defense+ metric for 2024.
Given this decline, it’s surprising that Daboll remains with the Giants, as other coaches have faced dismissals under similar circumstances. The front office seems hopeful that he can recapture his initial success, yet questions arise regarding whether he should revert to his previous coordinator role, where he excelled in Buffalo.
Valentine’s Perspective
The evidence of Daboll’s diminishing returns is hard to contest. The Giants’ performance has steadily declined from 9-7-1 to 6-11 to a disappointing 3-14 over three seasons, a clear indicator of regression.
While PFSN’s ranking has its critics, Daboll’s case might be more defensible, potentially placing him as high as No. 18 on the list, given his recent Coach of the Year accolades. His future will depend largely on how he utilizes the newly drafted quarterback, Jaxson Dart, especially after parting ways with Daniel Jones.
Quarterback coach Jordan Palmer believes in Daboll’s teaching abilities, hoping that he will finally have a quarterback tailored to his system. Looking back at other coaches like Kyle Shanahan and Zac Taylor, patience may bear fruit for the Giants in Daboll’s ongoing journey.
