Giants to hire Brian Daboll: 10 things to know about the newest head coach

After an extensive search for the right candidate, the New York Giants have finally come to a decision on their next head coach: Brian Daboll, who is currently working out a deal.

Here are 10 things to know about Daboll.

Daboll was the top offensive coordinator in the NFL

David Eulitt/Getty Images

The Giants sunk to the bottom of the league offensively the past several seasons averaging 16.3 points per game. That’s the worst in the NFL over that period.

Under Daboll, the Buffalo Bills averaged 29.8 and 29.9 points per game over the past two seasons. Only Tampa Bay scored more.

Daboll was born in Canada

Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images

Daboll was born on April 14, 1975 in Ontario, Canada and was raised outside of Buffalo by his grandparents.

An early connection to the NFL

AP Photo/Brett Carlsen

Daboll played high school football at St. Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York and was teammates with Bill Polian’s son, Brian, and future NFL executive David Caldwell.

University of Rochester

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Daboll played safety at the University of Rochester — starting two years — and earned a degree in economics. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is also an economics major.

Giants chose Daboll over talented field of candidates

Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

Daboll won the job over a field of candidates that included Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.

The Daboll-Schoen Connection

AP Photo/John Minchillo

Daboll and new Giants general manager Joe Schoen have a long connection. Daboll was the offensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins in 2011 during Schoen’s tenure there as director of player personnel. The two reunited in 2018 in Buffalo when Schoen was named assistant general manager of the Bills.

Daboll has plenty of hardware

AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Daboll earned five Super Bowl rings during his several stints as an assistant on Bill Belichick’s staff in New England. Daboll also earned a college football championship ring as the offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2017.

Coaching awards

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Daboll was voted the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020 after leading the Bills to their first division title and postseason win since 1995. They made it to the AFC Championship Game.

This was a long time coming

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Daboll has been paying his dues in the coaching ranks the past two decades. He began his career in New England as a defensive assistant in 2000 and was named wide receivers coach in 2002. In 2007, he left to coach the quarterbacks for the New York Jets and then moved on to Cleveland to become the Browns’ OC under head coach Eric Mangini.

From there, Daboll would work as the OC in Miami, Kansas City, Alabama and Buffalo, stopping back in Foxborough form 2013-16 to coach the Patriots’ tight ends.

He can develop quarterbacks

AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

Daboll has worked with some top quarterback talent in his career. Most recently, he’s help turn Josh Allen into an All-Pro in Buffalo. Before that at Alabama, Daboll worked with quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa, who are currently starters in the NFL.

1

1