Ben McAdoo version 2?
Brian Daboll earned plenty of praise for his handling of the Giants offense in 2022. The former Bills offensive coordinator was heralded for his ability to get the most out of offensive rosters, and that much was apparent when he won Coach of the Year with a half-deck in the Big Apple.
But the Giants roster is simply offensive in 2023, and that’s led to some heavy-handed blowouts early in the season. While Daboll doesn’t — and shouldn’t — carry the brunt of the blame for those results, his sophomore slump has put him in some unfavorable company in Giants history.
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There’s still plenty of season left for the Giants to make good on a promising 2022, but Daboll should hope that the Giants’ luck turns in their favor in the immediate.
Here’s what to know about Daboll’s record, and how it compares to some other Giants cast-offs:
Brian Daboll coaching record
Through Week 5 in 2023, Daboll has put together a 10-11-1 record. His Giants squad finished the 2022 season at 9-7-1, making the playoffs as a wild card. They would beat the Vikings in the wild-card round, 31-24, but lose to the Eagles in the divisional round, 38-7.
In 2023, the Giants have put together a non-competitive 1-4 start and have the NFL’s worst point differential entering Week 6 at minus-91 points.
| Year | Record | Division place | Point differential |
| 2022 | 9-7-1 | Third | -6 |
| 2023 | 1-4 | Fourth | -91 |
Of course, it’s too early to call Daboll’s tenure a failure just yet, but he’s slowly creeping toward being included in the same conversation as a pair of recent Giant failures at the head coaching position in Joe Judge and Ben McAdoo.
Famously, McAdoo was the head coach who succeeded Tom Coughlin and helped guide the Giants to an 11-5 record and a playoff appearance in 2016. Then the Giants took a picture, and it hasn’t quite been the same since.
Joe Judge followed Pat Shurmur’s ill-fated tenure (9-23), and the results weren’t much better. Judge failed to make the playoffs in either season he was head coach, earning his dismissal after the 2021 season.
Here’s how Giants head coaches have panned out since Coughlin’s retirement after the 2015 season (divert your eyes, Giants fans):
| Year | Coach | Record | Division place | Point differential |
| 2016 | Ben McAdoo | 11-5 | Second | +26 |
| 2017 |
Ben McAdoo Steve Spagnuolo |
2-10 1-3 |
Fourth | -142 |
| McAdoo | 13-15 | -116 | ||
| 2018 | Pat Shurmur | 5-11 | Fourth | -43 |
| 2019 | Pat Shurmur | 4-12 | Third | -110 |
| Shurmur | 9-23 | -153 | ||
| 2020 | Joe Judge | 6-10 | Second | -77 |
| 2021 | Joe Judge | 4-13 | Fourth | -158 |
| Judge | 10-23 | -235 | ||
| 2022 | Brian Daboll | 9-7-1 | Third | -6 |
| 2023 | Brian Daboll | 1-4 | Fourth | -91 |
| Daboll | 10-11-1 | -97 | ||
| TOTAL | 43-75-1 | -601 |
Brian Daboll coaching history
When McAdoo took the job with the Giants in 2022, it was clear he was qualified for a head coaching job because of the work he did with Josh Allen in Buffalo. Daboll’s coaching odyssey began well before his stop in Orchard Park, however.
Daboll’s first NFL gig came with the New England Patriots in 2000, serving as a defensive assistant on Bill Belichick’s staff. He would work his way up to wide receivers coach, where he stuck until 2006. In 2007, he followed Belichick disciple Eric Mangini to the Jets, joining Gang Green as their quarterbacks coach until 2008.
In 2009, Daboll operated as the Browns’ offensive coordinator, again following Mangini, and would stay there through the end of the 2010 season. When the staff was fired, Daboll quickly landed on his feet, working under Tony Sparano on Miami’s staff for a season, before landing alongside former Patriots colleague Romeo Crennel in Kansas City in 2012.
With Crennel’s ousting, new Chiefs head coach Andy Reid opted not to retain Daboll in 2013, and he rejoined Belichick’s staff in New England, operating as the team’s tight ends coach from 2013 to 2016.
Then Daboll again found himself working alongside football royalty, this time with Nick Saban as the Alabama offensive coordinator in 2017. His offense was operated by Jalen Hurts (and later, Tua Tagovailoa) en route to a national championship.
Between 2018 and 2021, Daboll made home just outside home: He made his way back to upstate New York, serving as Bills offensive coordinator and helping grow Josh Allen into the passer and perennial MVP candidate he is today.
Fans are hoping he has the same effect on Daniel Jones — maybe they should keep hoping, though.