The New York Football Giants finally moved on from head coach Brian Daboll after an abysmal 2-8 start to the 2025-26 season and a disappointing 20-40-1overall record with the club.
With offensive coordinator Mike Kafka stepping up as interim head coach, the search is on for the next full-time sideline boss for Big Blue. There have been some potential high-quality candidates mentioned in the rumor mill to date, but so far fans seem to be clamoring for an unconventional option: former Las Vegas Raiders head coach and current Barstool Sports contributor Jon Gruden.
It’s time to hire Jon Gruden @Giants pic.twitter.com/YGDGT7qaoh
— Jimmy Randazzo (@JimmyRandazzo) November 10, 2025
The most common reasoning behind the suggestion is Gruden's passion for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, as displayed in his pre-draft sessions with the then-21 year old.
The Giants should hire Jon Gruden! He already has a relationship with Jaxson Dart and wouldn’t be a first-time head coach. #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/sbauZ2xozv
— Adam Bernstein (@AdamBernstein18) November 10, 2025
"New York Giants fans … you are getting one tough SOB!" wrote Gruden when New York took Dart in the first round in April.
Gruden's younger brother and former Washington head coach, Jay, told The Arena Gridiron on Wednesday that Jon would "be very interested" in the opportunity. Those comments shot the elder Gruden into the favorites category for betting enthusiasts.
"He loves Jaxson Dart," Jay said. "If you have a young quarterback who is talented like Jaxson, you want a guy like Jon who is going to challenge him every day. If you want a guy that gets the most out of your quarterback, the most out of your team, then I believe Jon would be a good fit."
While the rapport and familiarity with Dart is a commendable asset, there are more concerning things about Jon Gruden that Giants leadership should be aware of.
Jon Gruden would be a toxic nuclear option for the New York Giants
Lest we all forget what Gruden is actually like behind the scenes: Regardless of the legality of how his controversial emails came to light, the content is damning enough evidence.
He has a right to say what he said, but he has no right to employment if what he says does not match the culture and priorities of his employer. Gruden would just be too much of a distraction, especially in the New York market.
And even just looking at his football credentials, it's been a long time since the Super Bowl XXXVII days. His time with the Raiders wasn't all that impressive, either: He went 22-31 (.415) in Las Vegas, which is marginally better than what Daboll posted in New York (.336).
He had an opportunity to maximize Derek Carr's abilities at quarterback and Josh Jacobs' rushing prowess and failed to do so. Who's to say he's actually going to develop Dart and running back Cam Skattebo correctly?
With other options like Kafka, Mike McCarthy and Kevin Stefanski potentially being more realistic (I know, slim pickings), there's a more realistic path the Giants should be taking. It's time to turn the page on being the butt of the league's jokes, and only a serious candidate will help the franchise take that first step back to relevancy.