Several Head Coaching Candidates To Watch For Giants’ Search

Jordan Raanan of ESPN writes that the Giants are expected to cast a very wide net when it comes to their head-coaching search this offseason. 

Raanan reiterates that GM Joe Schoen is expected to run the search and return as the team’s general manager once the next head coach is hired. Multiple sources tell Raanan that Schoen “is coming back” as the general manager despite a 6-27 record over the past two seasons.

This, of course, is barring any last-minute change from ownership or something in the process like a top coaching candidate who demands his own general manager. It’s worth mentioning that former Giants head coaches Ben McAdoo and Joe Judge were told they were safe before being let go. 

As for the head coach candidates, Raanan lists these names as those to keep an eye on in the coming weeks:

• Former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy
• Former Raiders interim HC Antonio Pierce
• Broncos DC Vance Joseph
• Giants interim HC/OC Mike Kafka
• Rams DC Chris Shula
• Chargers DC Jesse Minter
• Colts DC Lou Anarumo
• Packers DC Jeff Hafley
• Texans DC Matt Burke
• Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak
• Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury
• Panthers DC Ejiro Evero
• Vikings QB Josh McCown
• Jaguars DC Grant Udinski 

Raanan also mentions current Browns HC Kevin Stefanski, Steelers HC Mike Tomlin, Ravens HC John Harbaugh and Bengals HC Zac Taylor as possibilities should their respective teams move on.

McCarthy, 62, began his NFL coaching career with the Chiefs back in 1993 as an offensive quality control coordinator. He bounced around with the Packers, Saints and 49ers before the Packers hired him as their head coach in 2006.

The Packers made the decision to move on from McCarthy following a disappointing loss to the Cardinals in Week 13 of 2018. He was out of football in 2019 before being hired by the Cowboys in 2020.

McCarthy and the Cowboys were unable to reach an agreement on an extension, which led to the two parties parting ways. 

During his 13-year tenure in Green Bay, McCarthy led the Packers to a record of 125-77-2 (61.8 percent), which includes nine playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in 2010.

McCarthy posted a record of 49-35 (58.3 percent) in five years with the Cowboys, with three playoff appearances and a 1-3 record in the postseason. 

Hafley, 46, began his coaching career at WPI back in 2011. From there, he worked for Albany, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Buccaneers as their assistant defensive backs coach

Hafley had stints with the Browns and 49ers before becoming the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2019. Boston College hired him as their head coach the following year and he held the position until Green Bay hired him as their defensive coordinator before the 2024 season.

Anarumo, 59, began his coaching career at Wagner back in 1989 as their RB coach. He worked for a few universities before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Dolphins in 2012 as their DB coach. 

The Giants hired Anarumo as their DB coach in 2018 but he left the following season to take the defensive coordinator job with the Bengals. Anarumo was with the Bengals from 2019 to 2024 as their defensive coordinator.

After being let go by Cincinnati, Anarumo was hired by the Colts as DC

Kingsbury, 46, was hired as the Texas Tech head coach back in 2013 and spent six years in the position before he was fired. USC hired him as their offensive coordinator, but he resigned from the job after just a month after receiving interest from the NFL. The Cardinals subsequently hired him. 

After four seasons in Arizona, Kingsbury was let go and returned to USC as the quarterback coach. In 2024, the Commanders hired him as their offensive coordinator.

During his six seasons at Texas Tech, Kingsbury led them to a record of 35-40 (46.7 percent), which included three bowl game appearances.

For his NFL head coaching career, Kingsbury led the Cardinals to an overall record of 26-33-1 in four seasons with one playoff appearance.

Kubiak, 38, played four years of college football at Colorado State before entering the coaching ranks in 2010 at Texas A&M as a quality control coach. He joined the Vikings in 2013 as an assistant WR coach, spent a year at Kansas as its WR coach, and joined the Broncos in 2016 as an offensive assistant. 

Kubiak joined his father, Gary Kubiak, with the Vikings in 2019 as Minnesota’s QB coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021. He was not retained when the team fired HC Mike Zimmer and returned to the Broncos as their QB coach. 

From there, the 49ers hired Kubiak last offseason as their passing game coordinator. He joined the Saints as their offensive coordinator last February.

We’ll have more regarding the Giants as the news is available.