Kevin Stefanski didn’t get an opportunity to come back to the Giants in 2018, and he didn’t get an opportunity to teach Jaxson Dart in 2025.
May he get a two-for-one particular in 2026?
Stefanski dined Tuesday night time with Giants brass and didn’t sprint, sticking round to interview for the pinnacle coach emptiness Wednesday on the crew facility, The Publish confirmed. He grew to become the primary exterior candidate interviewed — simply two days after he was fired by the Browns.
If schedules allow, it’s typical for the Giants to rearrange a get-to-know-you dinner with a candidate for a high-profile job or a marquee free agent the day earlier than getting all the way down to enterprise in a proper setting.
One subject that was certain to come back up in each settings — apart from whether or not or not Stefanski would possibly be capable to convey top-notch defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz with him from Cleveland — was his growth plan for Dart.
“I believe it could be a extremely good match,” one NFL supply conversant in Stefanski advised The Publish. “Baker Mayfield had success beneath him, and he has an analogous fashion to Jaxson. They’re each actually good from the pocket, however they will make some actually heroic performs operating round exterior the pocket, and throw very nicely on the run.”
Stefanski received the first of his two NFL Coach of the 12 months awards throughout his first yr in cost, when he and Mayfield teamed as much as lead the Browns to an 11-5 file and a playoff victory in 2020. Mayfield threw for 3,563 yards and 26 touchdowns — the latter quantity has not been reached by a Giants quarterback since Eli Manning in 2016.
However the Browns mistakenly moved on from Mayfield in favor of Deshaun Watson in 2022 — a commerce that Stefanski reportedly was in opposition to — and it began a cycle of 10 beginning quarterbacks over the previous 4 seasons. The Browns completed the season beginning Shedeur Sanders, who a number of Giants executives have been excessive on till late within the course of when momentum switched to Dart.
Teaching Dart can be like a Mayfield do-over for Stefanski, who made a optimistic impression on the Giants rookie franchise quarterback through the pre-draft course of.
“Kevin has an amazing soccer mind, he doesn’t get rattled, and he has nice perception about individuals,” the supply stated. “He’s a extremely good chief with a really clear imaginative and prescient of what he needs performed.”
Giants possession nearly had a firsthand have a look at these traits in 2018, when Pat Shurmur tried to convey Stefanski with him from Minnesota to function offensive coordinator. However the Vikings blocked the lateral transfer and elevated Stefanski to interchange Shurmur whereas the Giants pivoted to Mike Shula.
Normal supervisor Joe Schoen and Stefanski haven’t labored collectively earlier than, however Stefanski is just not anticipated to object to Schoen’s retention (maybe as a lame duck).
“When he wins there,” the supply stated, “he received’t act any otherwise than he did when he was constructing it to a winner.”
The Browns went 45-56 below Stefanski, who surrendered play-calling in his West Coast playbook to offensive coordinators Ken Dorsey and Tommy Rees in the midst of the previous two seasons. The Publish beforehand reported that it’s Stefanski’s desire to not name performs as a head coach once more.
“While you speak about offense, you need to speak about a coach evolving and using the personnel that he has,” the supply stated. “You wish to encompass Dart with actually robust quarterback individuals below you, which Kevin will.”
