The New York Giants, after dropping yesterday's matchup to the Chicago Bears, 20-24, made the shocking move today of firing their head coach Brian Daboll. Daboll was halfway through his fourth season in the position.
While offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will serve as the interim coach for the time being, New York will certainly be in the market for a coach come the offseason, and it is quite possible that Los Angeles Chargers' defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, could be in the mix.
Not only has Minter led one of the best defensive units in the NFL over the past two seasons after following Jim Harbaugh from Michigan, but the Giants' regime may be looking to go in a more defensive-minded direction after Daboll's failures, leaving the perfect opening for Minter to get a promotion.
Jesse Minter could see some serious interest from opposing teams this offseason
For many, New York's decision to fire Daboll was a matter of when, not if. In his time as head coach, the Giants have posted a 20-40 record, and the organization's move to draft Jaxson Dart in the first round seemed like a serious act of desperation for a coaching staff (and a front office) who knew their time was coming to an end.
Yet, for a number of assistant coaches across the NFL who have excelled in their role, the Daboll firing, along with the Tennesse Titans' decision to move on from head coach Brian Callahan in mid-October, represent an opportunity to work their way up in the league when the time is right.
In 2024, Minter's first year as defensive coordinator, Los Angeles's unit was one of the top in the league, limiting opponent passing yards through a relatively blitz-averse coverage scheme. Now, although they have struggled against the run at times this season, the defense seems to have returned to form with an excellent performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.
Young coaches who lead impressive units always get buzz for head coaching positions, and the interest Minter garners from New York will of course depend on if they lean towards a set of more familiar options as they attempt to turn their organization around.
Nevertheless, any number of teams (such as the Washington Commanders, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, etc.) could be unexpectedly on the hunt for new head coaches after this season, and, depending on how the Chargers' defense finishes out the year, Minter should be expected to at least have his name mentioned in some of these conversations.
For now, therefore, the Daboll firing represents just another door that could open for Minter: a development that, if it proves to be real, could be disastrous for Los Angeles.