The decision to move on from Shane Bowen has thrown the Giants’ entire defensive identity into flux, and Mike Kafka did little to sugarcoat why the change was necessary. After yet another blown fourth-quarter lead, the interim head coach said he went back through the Lions tape and “the last few weeks on defense, including communication” before acting, stressing that he did not want to make a rash decision in the immediate aftermath.
With five losses in games where New York led in the final period, Kafka finally decided “today was the right time” to make a move and see if a different voice could stop the late-game collapses that have defined this season.
Into that vacuum steps a familiar name on the NFL rumors mill. According to Josina Anderson, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is expected to receive strong consideration for the Giants’ head-coaching vacancy in the upcoming cycle, with a league source emphasizing his familiarity and relationship with current GM Joe Schoen.
Anderson added that it remains to be seen how much that connection will influence ownership once the search is complete, but it is clearly a factor as the franchise weighs its next direction.
Anarumo’s candidacy would represent a clear philosophical shift after the Bowen era: a defensive-minded leader with an established relationship in the front office, potentially giving Schoen more alignment between the GM’s long-term roster vision and the head coach’s scheme. At the same time, Kafka’s own future hangs over everything. If the offense stabilizes and the defense responds under a new coordinator, he can at least make his case as more than a temporary bridge.
In the background, the Colts are wrestling with their own regrets after a gut-punch overtime loss to the Chiefs. Head coach Shane Steichen repeatedly shouldered blame for an offense that sputtered late, pointing to poor first-down efficiency, stalled drives, and self-inflicted mistakes as the reasons Indianapolis let an 11-point lead slip away.
His comments underline the tension any Giants target like Anarumo will face: it is not enough to build an elite unit on one side of the ball; the next coach in New York must be able to close games, manage situational football, and steady a roster that has forgotten how to finish.
