Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Pat Shurmur of the Giants and Freddie Kitchens of the Cleveland Browns were the first coaches fired as the N.F.L. entered Black Monday, the date when the leaders of disappointing teams are traditionally sent packing.
Shurmur’s firing was confirmed on Monday by people with knowledge of the Giants’ plans. He took over the Giants for the 2018 season and led the team to a 5-11 record, which was actually a two-game improvement. This season, he handled the difficult task of benching the team’s veteran quarterback, Eli Manning, for Daniel Jones. The move seemed to pay off, as the Giants won their first two games under Jones to improve to 2-2 and get fans talking about a successful season and a bright future.