Brian Daboll, the former head coach of the New York Giants, returns to MetLife Stadium this Sunday for the first time since being fired last November.
He is now the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, the Giants' opponent this week, and is downplaying the reunion as he would any other game.
"A big week ahead," Daboll told reporters on Thursday down in Nashville. "A challenging opponent, a good football team. … We have a bunch of work to do. It will be a big challenge for us on the road."
It's not just another game, though. Daboll poured his heart and soul into the job, making a huge splash in his first year, going 9-7-1 and taking the Giants to the postseason in 2022. He earned NFL Coach of the Year honors for his effort.
After Daboll's
big first season, the Giants fell apart. Just about everything went wrong. He won just 11 of the next 44 games and was replaced by offensive coordinator Mike Kafka after another 2-8 start last season.
.@Titans OC Brian Daboll on facing the @Giants, where he previously served as a head coach. pic.twitter.com/EopVHJdZ6N
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) September 24, 2026
"I've faced a lot of former teams before," Daboll said. "It's a one-week season every week. So, you have to put everything you've got into it; you have to get ready for scheme, new coordinators on their end, different players, and as simple as it is, that's what it is every week in the National Football League.
"I have a ton of respect for the people in that organization. I'm very grateful for the opportunity the Mara family and the Tisch family gave me, from the top to the bottom, really good people in that building. But it is about our players, and it is about getting ready for a game. … The focus is on our players."
The Giants, of course, will be playing their first game after losing starting quarterback Jaxson Dart (knee, out for season), a player Daboll had a close relationship with.
"It's always tough. I have a very good relationship with him," Daboll said of Dart on Thursday. "Obviously he's devastated with what happened. Prayers to him, his family, great people... I got a lot of respect for him, a lot of love for him, and I know he'll come back stronger than ever."
The Giants fans hope Daboll is right.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Titans' Brian Daboll downplays facing Giants, but praises ownership
