Brian Daboll's second season as head coach of the Giants fell drastically short of the dreamlike debut campaign he enjoyed in 2022.
With it came plenty of turmoil, including a mutual parting of ways with defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale at the end of a 6-11 campaign that produced just one glimmer of hope -- a 3-1 run around Thanksgiving -- before sputtering to a 1-3 finish.
Daboll has had time to reset. He's found a new defensive coordinator and taken back play-calling duties. And he knows he doesn't have a ton of time to right the ship.
"I'm sure there is a lot we all learned about ourselves going through that and, as leaders, myself included, we all have to get better in terms of how we handle those situations," general manager Joe Schoen said, . "I think we're all going to reflect this offseason on how things went and what we can do better. I would put Dabes (Daboll) in that category as well."
Daboll earned the opportunity to coach the Giants because of his play-calling abilities, which powered the Bills on a rise into the AFC's elite tier. He gave up his play-calling responsibility to offensive coordinator Mike Kafka upon arriving to New York in 2022, but after nearly everything went south in 2023, he's taken them back, reducing Kafka's role even after he added to the assistant's official title.
"I'm just complementary to Dabes, helping out with offensive drills," Kafka, the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, said. "You'll see me walking around and being an asset to the coaches and the players wherever I can. Whether it's fundamentals, technique, whether it's thoughts and ideas on routes or protections, stuff like that.
"So doing whatever I can to complement those guys."
Collaboration is the goal, but the change in responsibility also illustrates the pressure Daboll is likely feeling after his team fell flat last year. He's made the necessary changes on the coaching staff, replacing Martindale with Shane Bowen and giving himself more power on the offensive side. If Daboll is going to keep his job, he'll have every opportunity to earn it.
One determining factor remains, though: the performance of Daniel Jones. Daboll extracted the most from Jones in 2022, prompting the Giants to re-sign the quarterback to a four-year, $160 million deal. Instead of building on that positive momentum, a lack of availability doomed Jones in 2023, contributing to New York's slide.
There's no guarantee Jones will rebound in 2024, and like it or not, Daboll's future might be tied to the quarterback. Their results will undoubtedly hinge on Jones' performance. But with the offseason's changes now complete, Daboll has at minimum positioned himself to pilot the Giants as the sole captain of the ship.
We'll see if that voyage ends successfully in 2024.
