Mike McCarthy, Antonio Pierce Among Giants’ HC Candidates

By Nikhil Mehta | at January 2, 2026 11:51 am

The Giants’ head-coaching search informally started immediately after firing Brian Daboll, but recent discussions have created an initial list of candidates to interview, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Several coaches are already known to be on the Giants’ radar, including Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, and Browns HC Kevin Stefanski. Giants interm HC Mike Kafka is also expected to interview with the team after auditioning for the full-time job since Daboll’s removal.

Interview requests will be much stronger indications of the Giants’ interest. Their lengthy list of candidates is primarily focused on former head coaches and current coordinator, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

The formal interview process has technically already begun, as candidates not employed by an NFL team can interview right away. Former Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and and former Raiders HC Antonio Pierce are on the Giants’ list. Pierce, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, played in New York for five seasons and earned a Pro Bowl nod and a Super Bowl ring in the process. That connection to the franchise – as with Jets HC Aaron Glenn – could give Pierce a leg up in the Giant’s hiring process, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

For coaches currently working for an NFL team, interview requests must wait until the regular season ends. The Giants’ interest seems to be focused on defensive coordinators, as Hafley (Packers), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Chris Shula (Rams), and Jesse Minter (Chargers) are all expected to receive interview requests. Hafley, a New Jersey native, in particular “seems to have some traction in New York,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Any coach for a non-playoff team can be interviewed as soon as Week 18 concludes. If the Broncos secure a first-round bye, Joseph (and any other coaches employed by a team with a bye) can only be virtually interviewed until the end of the wild card round. Coaches without a bye can be interviewed until the end of the divisional round. After the divisional round, teams can begin in-person interviews with coaches for teams eliminated by the playoffs.

Other coaches who have an “outside chance” to be interviewed by the Giants include Texans DC Matt Burke and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, per Raanan. Current head coaches that are fired at the end of the season, especially Stefanski, could also be considered by the Giants. They could also seek to follow the wave of hiring young offensive coordinators from the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree such as Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown or Jaguars OC Grant Udinski.