The New York Giants have hired Brian Daboll as their next head coach, the team announced.
Daboll was the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. Under Daboll's guidance, the Bills finished third in the NFL, averaging 28.4 points this past season. Quarterback Josh Allen finished sixth in the league with a franchise-record 409 completions as well as 36 touchdown passes and 4,407 yards.
Daboll joined Buffalo in 2018 after helping lead Alabama to the national championship in 2017 as the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year after the Bills finished 13-3 in 2020.
Daboll said in a press released that it is "an honor and a privilege" to be named head coach, saying that his immediate goal is to put together a coaching staff. He also acknowledged how fans are feeling after five consecutive losing seasons.
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"I have a pretty good idea where our fan base’s feelings are right now, and I get it. I promise we will work our tails off to put a team on the field that you will be proud to support and give us the results we all want," Daboll said.
Daboll had his second interview for the job in five days when he spent Tuesday with co-owners Steve Tisch and John Mara, new general manager Joe Schoen and senior vice president of player personnel Chris Mara at the team's headquarters. The 46-year-old also was interviewed last Friday on a video conference call.
Schoen, who was the Bills assistant GM before being hired by the Giants Friday, and Daboll worked with the Bills for the past four seasons.
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"I have observed first-hand Brian’s strengths as a leader – he is an excellent communicator, intelligent, innovative, and hard working. Brian’s genuine and engaging personality is refreshing," Shoen said. "He fosters relationships with the players and coaches around him. He is progressive in his vision and values collaboration, two of the attributes we think are essential."
He was the first man to receive two interviews for the job that opened when Joe Judge was fired on Jan. 11 after a 4-13 second season, and a 10-23 overall record in his two seasons. Giants President John Mara said that Daboll was the first candidate the team met with as they began their search for the next head coach."
"As we continued our conversations, it was clear that his approach to coaching and team building was what we are looking for moving forward with our team," Mara said. "Brian has had tremendous experience in the NFL and has been part of multiple championship teams. It is clear he used that experience to grow and develop into a dynamic leader, one that we are confident is the right fit as our head coach."
Buffalo won the AFC East for the second straight season, but its season ended in Kansas City for the second straight year with a 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs in a divisional round game.
Daboll, who was raised in a suburb of Buffalo, has 20 years of NFL coaching experience. He spent 11 seasons with the New England Patriots (2000-06, 2013-16). He has been an offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011) and Chiefs (2012). He was also the Jets quarterbacks coach in 2007-08.
The Giants also spoke with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, former Miami coach Brian Flores and the team's current defensive coordinator Pat Graham.
