The New York Giants reportedly have an initial short list of five potential candidates for their head coaching job.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, Indianapolis Colts’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are at the top of the Giants’ current wish list.
Let’s look at each potential candidate.
Marcus Freeman
The 39-year-old Freeman just finished his fourth full season as Notre Dame head coach. He has never coached in the NFL, but the way he has run his program and the success he has enjoyed (43-12, .782 winning percentage) has NFL teams intrigued.
The Giants, or any NFL team, would have to pay Notre Dame a buyout believed to be $40 million or more for the right to hire Freeman. Would he be worth it?
Russini says Freeman’s “leadership, people skills and ability to thrive in one of the most high-profile jobs in the country are what’s drawing the interest of general managers and owners.”
Lou Anarumo
The 59-year-old is defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts. A Giants assistant in 2018, Anarumo is a Staten Island native who interviewed for the Giants job in 2022.
Anarumo was defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2012-2017. Giants GM Joe Schoen was in Miami’s front office for all but the last of those six seasons.
Jeff Hafley
Hafley, 46, checks a lot of boxes when you think about Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin, the Super Bowl era coaches the Giants have been most successful with. Hafley is a Jersey guy (Montvale). He played football at Siena College in upstate New York, was assistant coach at UAlbany and Rutgers, and head coach for four seasons at Boston College.
Klint Kubiak
The current Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator, 38, is one of those hot coordinator candidates considered to be on the fast track toward becoming a head coach. He has also been offensive coordinator for the Vikings (2021) and Saints (2024).
Kubiak’s father is former NFL head coach Gary Kubiak.
Kliff Kingsbury
Th 46-year-old Kingsbury was 28-37-1 as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2019-2022. He is currently offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders.
David Harrison of the Locked on Commanders podcast told the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast he does not think Kingsbury is the answer. See the 26-minute mark.
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