Could Coaching Reunion Happen in Kansas City … This Season?

A week after Reid’s plea, Daboll got a lot more than a New York minute. The Giants helped Daboll and the Chiefs by upsetting the Chargers. But John Mara’s patience ran out Monday when the team fired Daboll.

"The past few seasons have been nothing short of disappointing,” Mara said, “and we have not met our expectations for this franchise. We understand the frustrations of our fans, and we will work to deliver a significantly improved product.

"We appreciate Coach Daboll for his contributions to our organization. We wish the Daboll family all the best in the future.”

Back in Kansas City?

Could that future include a return to Kansas City, where Daboll served as Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2012? And not next season, but this season?

Last year after another New York team lost patience with its head coach, Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur had an idea. After the Jets fired Robert Saleh, LaFleur quickly hired the defensive mind as a consultant – an offensive consultant.

Reid is already using that reverse coaching psychology. Assistant running backs coach Mark DeLeone has a defensive pedigree, like Saleh, but the Chiefs are using him as a gameplan contrarian on offense.

In theory, along those lines, Daboll could assist Steve Spagnuolo as another set of eyes in breaking down upcoming opponents.

Bills aren't interested

Another Reid protégé, Sean McDermott, said Monday afternoon that the Bills weren’t currently considering a reunion with Daboll. Before the Giants hired him in 2022, Daboll was Josh Allen’s first offensive coordinator in the NFL, from 2018-21.

Regardless of Daboll’s plans over the next two months, Reid and McDermott might be in search of new offensive coordinators if they finish the season on strong notes. Both Matt Nagy in Kansas City and Joe Brady in Buffalo are expected to interview for head-coaching vacancies in January.

Daboll’s offensive coordinator in New York, Mike Kafka, is now the Giants’ interim head coach. Reid gave Kafka his first NFL coaching job as a quality control assistant with the Chiefs in 2017. Kafka earned a promotion to quarterbacks coach (2018-19) and passing game coordinator (2020-21) before Daboll brought him to New York in 2022.

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