The New York Giants’ search for their next head coach has begun. After firing Brian Daboll, the team is looking for a more experienced leader to step in and stabilize the locker room.
Mike McCarthy gushes over Jaxson Dart on The Pat McAfee Show
Among the top candidates for the Giants’ head coaching job is former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday and was asked about the Giants’ prized young quarterback, Jaxson Dart. McCarthy gushed over Dart, praising the way he plays in his first public audition for Big Blue’s big gig.
“I love the way he plays,” McCarthy told McAfee. “When I evaluate quarterbacks, you look at the in-the-pocket ability versus the out-of-pocket, and what he does naturally, you can’t teach.
“…This young man has an extremely bright future. Every quarterback coach in the United States would love to coach this guy, just from the way he plays. But he’s just gotta be conscious of his availability.”
McCarthy had high praise for Dart, both in his ability to play from the pocket and in his ability to make plays out of the pocket, with his legs on scrambles and designed runs alike. However, McCarthy stressed the same message that everyone else has been stressing lately: Dart needs to do a better job of protecting himself.
“We always talk about the two most important abilities: accountability and availability. And availability is No. 1. You’ve gotta be available for your team,” McCarthy said. “It’s decision-making. If you can improve your decision-making, that’s going to improve your availability, and it’s part of his job description.
“…We all love the way he plays, don’t get me wrong. We love the physicality… but he’s gotta get out of bounds.”
Dart has taken many hits this season, running into contact while fighting for extra yardage. It’s resulted in him going into the medical tent on several Sundays and even being absent for two Sundays. He suffered a concussion in the Week 10 loss to the Bears that kept him sidelined for the following two weeks.
McCarthy will be a top head coaching candidate for the Giants this offseason
If the Giants are intent on hiring a head coach with prior experience, then McCarthy will be near the top of their wish list. He has 18 years of head coaching experience, paired with over a decade of winning.
McCarthy has led his teams to a winning record in 12 of his 18 seasons at the helm with both Green Bay and Dallas. He has a career 174–112–2 (.608) regular-season record with a 11–11 (.500) postseason record and one Super Bowl victory (Super Bowl XLI, 2010-11 season).
During his recent stretch with Dallas (2020-2024), McCarthy led the Cowboys to three-straight 12-win seasons (2021-2023) and an impressive 49-35 overall record. Although he and the ‘Boys didn’t achieve the postseason success they had hoped for, that shouldn’t necessarily be a deterrent for the Giants.
The last time the New York Giants had a 12-win season was in 2008. McCarthy has coached five 12-win seasons since then (two with the Packers, three with the Cowboys).
Hiring McCarthy wouldn’t be about taking a big swing with eyes on the Lombardi Trophy. It would be about making the Giants a relevant, competitive football team that plays meaningful games in December. They haven’t been that in a long time (outside of the two anomalies of 2016 and 2022).
McCarthy could make the Giants competitive again
The Giants are routinely competing near the bottom of the NFC. They are routinely eliminated from the postseason before the calendar reads “December.” That is a standard that needs to change, and McCarthy would change it almost immediately.
He has received plenty of criticism for failing to get talented Packers and Cowboys teams over the hump and lifting trophies. But he has always been able to produce winning seasons for talented rosters. That is what the Giants need.
Additionally, McCarthy has a reputation for hiring excellent coordinators and developing quarterback talent — two major selling points for the Giants, who have had a lot of overturn at the coordinator spots and who have a promising young quarterback in Jaxson Dart.
McCarthy might not be the flashy, sexy pick as the next head coach of the New York Giants, but that doesn’t mean he would be the wrong pick.
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