The New York Giants would prefer to remain patient and keep their top brass intact heading into 2025. However, their 2-10 record and seven-game losing streak are making it difficult to justify maintaining head coach Brian Daboll. But the Giants don’t seem eager to fire Daboll, just for the sake of making a change. If the Giants do decide to move on from Daboll, it would likely only be done if they had the confidence that they could land a major upgrade.
Furthermore, if the Giants do fire Daboll, they will be competing with several other franchises for the top head coach candidates in the offseason. There is no guarantee New York would be able to hire their desired candidate. Instead, could they pull off a blockbuster trade to acquire one of the NFL’s top-established head coaches?
The Kyle Shanahan Era could be coming to an end in San Fransisco
The 2024-25 season has not gone according to plan for the reigning NFC champion San Fransisco 49ers. It’s been an incredible run in San Fransisco for head coach Kyle Shanahan. However, it is speculated that that run could be coming to an end this offseason.
Shanahan is one of the best head coaches in the NFL currently. He has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl twice but has failed to secure the Lombardi Trophy each time. Now San Fransisco is 5-7, on the verge of missing the postseason, and their offense looks stagnant. Has the Shanahan effect run its course?
Could the Giants make a play to bring Shanahan to New York?
There has been speculation that Shanahan’s seat is beginning to heat up. The 44-year-old head coach could be in need of a change of scenery, potentially embarking on an Andy Reid-esque arc in the second half of his coaching career. If both the 49ers and Shanahan mutually agree that it is time to part ways, could the Giants swoop in to bring him to New York?
“I feel like Shanahan and the 49ers are getting close to the point where they would benefit mutually from a fresh start,” NFL insider Mike Florio stated on “The Rich Eisen Show” while speculating a potential trade between the Chicago Bears and San Fransisco 49ers that would send Shanahan to the Windy City.
Reports indicate that Shanahan’s deal stretches through the 2027 season. Even if both parties agree that it’s time to split up, Shanahan’s contract would complicate a potential exit. If his deal were expiring, the 49ers could opt to not extend him and begin the search for his successor. But with his deal still running, the 49ers won’t have that luxury and instead would need to fire Shanahan (a highly unlikely outcome) or trade him away to a team desperate for head coaching stability.
The Giants are one of those teams. They are as desperate for head coaching stability as any franchise. Shanahan would instantly give them that stability. Even while coaching at his worst, Shanahan is viewed as one of the five best head coaches in the entire league. He has a regular season 69–58 (.543) record and a postseason 8–4 (.667) record in his career. He has led the 49ers to numerous deep postseason runs and, even prior to his stint as San Fran’s head coach, played an instrumental role in leading the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl as their offensive coordinator in 2016.
The 49ers would want a haul for Shanahan
Acquiring Shanahan would transform the Giants’ franchise. But getting Shanahan on the MetLife Stadium sidelines is easier said than done. The 49ers would want a haul for Shanahan, especially considering the high price tags that have been met in recent years for other head coaches. The Denver Broncos sent first- and third-round picks to the New Orleans Saints for Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton.
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It would likely take multiple first-round picks to trade for Shanahan. Thankfully, the Giants are projected to have a top-five pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. But would they be willing to sacrifice that top selection and forego the opportunity to draft a quarterback in favor of bringing in one of the league’s best coaches?
Holding such a high pick in the draft could boost the Giants’ chances of landing Shanahan, but would also decrease their chances of landing a franchise quarterback. New York would need to decide which of the two important pieces they value more: a franchise quarterback or a franchise-altering head coach?
