According to ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Veteran Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is among the top interview candidates for the current New York Giants head coaching vacancy:
“The first order of business is to find a new head coach. The Giants fired Brian Daboll nearly eight weeks ago and named Mike Kafka interim head coach,” Ranaan writes.
“The team has begun compiling a list of candidates that includes former NFL head coach Mike McCarthy, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, former Raiders coach and Giants player Antonio Pierce and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, among others. Kafka will also be interviewed.”
Whoever is ultimately hired in New York will replace Brian Daboll, who coached the Giants from 2022-25.
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This isn't the first time Anarumo has been linked to an NFL head coaching vacancy. as earlier in the season he was mentioned as a top candidate for the Tennessee Titans vacancy in multiple league reports accordingly.
Nicknamed “The Mad Scientist,” the 59-year-old veteran defensive coordinator has been lauded for his ability to adapt his defensive game plans on a weekly basis to stop opponents, even causing some problems in the past for the likes of Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes, among other elite quarterbacks.
In his debut campaign with the Colts, there is no doubt that Anarumo is a significant improvement over his predecessor, veteran Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
When the Colts were healthy and playing the right way, they had a formidable roster this season.
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That being said, after losing arguably their top three defensive players late in the season to key injuries in DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward, the Colts defense has since struggled to finish the season. Lately, he no longer looks like the top-10 defensive unit he was for much of the 2025 campaign due to the loss of top players.
It's hard to win on defense in the NFL without horses. Much less so, there are personnel issues related to the Colts' lack of consistent outfield passes beyond Anarumo and key injuries down the stretch.
Anarumo has paid his coaching dues, has a successful track record, and deserves serious consideration for any NFL head coach heading into this upcoming offseason. However, it would be a shame if he only got to coach the Colts' defense for one season. In my opinion, he is the best candidate to return to Indianapolis as defensive coordinator, even in the rare event that Colts head coach Shane Steichen surprisingly doesn't.
Considering we didn't really see this roster fully healthy by the time Gardner arrived, Anarumo's best coaching performance is theoretically still to come in Indianapolis – if we even get to see him again.
