EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ

The New York Giants co-owners wanted a head coach that new general manager Joe Schoen could work well with.

By hiring Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll on Friday, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch have found someone Schoen has worked well with for the past four years in Buffalo.

“At the end of the day, it was obvious that Brian had spent his career preparing for this moment,” Tisch said. “He’s creative, thoughtful, determined, and Joe and Brian complement each other perfectly. We’ll do everything we can to support their process as they progress into the 2022 season and well beyond that.

Daboll, 46, replaces Joe Judge, who was fired two days after the Giants finished a 4-13 season, their fifth consecutive double-digit season.

Daboll was the first person Schoen interviewed to be hired last Friday, and he quickly got a second interview on Tuesday.

“We’ve interviewed several people who are incredible coaches and all of whom will be much more successful in this league in their current positions and as a head coach,” said Schoen, who was the Bills’ assistant general manager during the Daboll’s mandate.

“Having said that, we – me and the property – all think Brian is the right person to be our head coach,” Schoen added. “Over the past four years I have witnessed Brian’s strengths as a leader – he is an excellent communicator, smart, innovative and hardworking. Brian’s genuine and engaging personality is refreshing.”

Daboll came to the Bills in 2018 after helping Alabama win its 17th national championship as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of Crimson Tide.

The Giants have interviewed six candidates for the vacancy, granting a second interview to Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier earlier Friday. They also spoke to former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores; defensive coordinators Lou Anarumo of Cincinnati, Dan Quinn of Dallas and Patrick Graham of the Giants.

Mara said Daboll’s approach to coaching and team building was what the franchise wanted. The Giants last made the playoffs in 2016, the only time since winning their fourth Super Bowl in February 2012.

“Brian has had a terrific experience in the NFL and has been on multiple championship teams,” Mara said. “It is clear that he has used this experience to grow into a dynamic leader, which we are convinced is the right candidate as a head coach.”

Daboll’s biggest job will be helping quarterback Daniel Jones improve in his fourth season and get one of the NFL’s worst offenses back on track. His immediate job is to assemble a staff that he wants to focus on teaching and collaborating and putting players in a position to win.

“That’s why we’re all doing this,” Daboll said. “Teaching, achieving, developing talent and winning. I have a pretty good idea of ​​how our fans are feeling right now, and I get it. I promise we’ll be working hard to put a team on the field that you proud to support and give us the results we all want.

Daboll’s offense excelled last season as Buffalo won its second straight AFC East title with an 11-6 record with quarterback Josh Allen in charge. The Bills finished third in the NFL, averaging 28.4 points, and fifth with 381.9 yards per game. Allen finished sixth in the league with a franchise-record 409 completions, seventh with 36 touchdowns, and eighth with 4,407 yards. Allen’s favorite target, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, caught 103 passes for 1,225 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Daboll has 20 years of coaching experience in the NFL. He spent 11 seasons with the New England Patriots (2000-06, 2013-16) in a variety of roles and helped the franchise win five Super Bowls. Daboll began his coaching career at age 24 in 2000 – Bill Belichick’s first year with the team – as an assistant defensive coach. He was promoted to wide receivers coach in 2002.

Daboll left the Patriots to become the Jets’ quarterbacks coach from 2007 to 2008. He served as offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011), and Chiefs (2012).

Before entering the NFL, Daboll spent a year (1997) as a volunteer assistant at William & Mary, where he first met current Bills coach Sean McDermott. He also served two seasons (1998-99) as Nick Saban’s graduate assistant at Michigan State.

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