The New York Giants have been in the market since November. Now, a new name is buzzing in league circles with Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback legend, Joseph Thomas Barrett. The All-American has reportedly climbed to the top of New York’s list as it looks for Brian Daboll’s replacement.

“Former Ohio State Buckeyes star J.T. Barrett mentioned for major NFL head coaching job just before Christmas,” reported AtoZ Sports NFL analyst Brandon Little on December 24. 

The Giants hit the eject button on head coach Brian Daboll after 10 rough-and-tumble games (2-8) in his fourth season. Daboll’s debut year in 2022? A playoff run that had fans buzzing. The aftermath?

It was brutal. A 20-40-1 skid over 61 games. Enter Mike Kafka, the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator, who is now holding the interim reins. It’s been a 0-5 skid with just two games left. So, as the Giants are in desperate need of a spark, ESPN’s Louis Riddick stirred the pot by dropping Barrett’s name. 

“You know what, here’s a name to keep an eye on… who’s the assistant head coach of Chicago right now that Ben Johnson brought with him from Detroit?” said Riddick on the December 24th episode of Get Up podcast. “Antwaan Randle El. And remember the name J.T. Barrett, another guy who’s the quarterback coach in Chicago.”

Chicago’s rise to NFC No. 1 seed contender in Ben Johnson’s rookie head-coach season is turning heads. Johnson didn’t come alone. He brought Barrett over from the Detroit Lions, and the former Buckeye has been key in leveling up quarterback Caleb Williams this year.

“We said he would be one of the most critical people on the entire staff, because he’s the bridge between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams,” Riddick said. “Those are names you’ve got to start thinking about, because you’re going to be picking from that tree.”

From offensive assistant in Detroit to Bears playcaller, Barrett’s rise has been lightning fast. The 30-year-old Texas native spent two seasons as the Lions’ assistant quarterback coach before landing in Chicago, where he’s been instrumental in developing elite-level talent.

Coming to Chicago, Barrett brought a resume that’s hard to ignore. In 2024, the Lions’ offense put up 409.5 yards per game, scored 32.4 points on average, and tallied 68 total touchdowns, the NFL’s top mark. Quarterback Jared Goff soared to career-best numbers under Barrett’s watchful eye. 

He threw for 37 touchdowns with a 72.4% completion rate and a 111.8 passer rating. Simply put, Barrett knows how to light up a scoreboard.

Before coaching, Barrett was a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten QB at Ohio State and a three-time Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, including 2016 when he earned Big Ten MVP. In 44 starts over four seasons (2014-17), he set Ohio State and Big Ten records with 104 passing touchdowns, 147 total touchdowns, and 12,697 total offensive yards.

The former Ohio State quarterback quickly climbed the coaching ladder, moving from offensive assistant to assistant quarterback coach on Dan Campbell’s staff. Barrett was a key part of a Lions passing attack that racked up 4,444 yards, tossed 29 touchdowns, and kept interceptions in check with just seven last season.

Thus, the talk of Daboll’s replacement is heating up. Hired for his offensive chops in 2022, the former head coach couldn’t turn Russell Wilson’s leadership into wins. The Giants stumbled to an 0-3 start and ranked near the bottom in scoring. Now, who is running in the race with Barrett?

The other hot names on the New York Giants’ list, along with JT Barrett

One name from college football who has picked up the latest buzz to fill Daboll’s seat is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach, Marcus Freeman. As per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Freeman is viewed as the hot target for the New York Giants job. 

Other than Freeman, Barrett will be mostly facing competition from within the league itself. For instance, the Giants might look for experienced head coaches. In that case, former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy comes off as a potential name. He is one of the few candidates with a Super Bowl on his resume.

Meanwhile, though Barrett has been far removed from college football, he still keeps track of the Ohio State Buckeyes. For instance, he did not forget to hit Will Howard with a question at the 2025 Combine about their heartbreak against the Michigan Wolverines. 

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“I actually got to see JT Barrett over there with the Bears (presently a QB coach with the Chicago Bears), and the first and the only question he really asked me at the Combine was what happened against those guys?” Howard shared on Just Football with Cam Heyward.

JT Barrett’s perfect record against Michigan, 4-0 as a starter, earned him the moniker “Wolverine Slayer.” With that kind of pedigree, can his clutch magic translate into a head coaching breakthrough?