While fans around New England will be thrilled to see yet another thorn in their side fall apart (say hello to the Ravens and the Colts!), Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had nothing but great things to say about Coughlin. “Jerry put together two Super Bowl-winning teams”.
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ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported via Twitter that New York Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin has officially stepped down from his position after twelve years with the team.
The Giants made the postseason five times under Coughlin, but 2015 was his third consecutive losing season and fourth in a row without a playoff appearance.
Spagnuolo’s first stint as a head coach didn’t go particularly well in St. Louis, as the Rams going 10-38 in three seasons.
The ink was barely dry on Tom Coughlin’s resignation from the Giants when the question was raised: Does he belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? NY lost five games in the final 74 seconds of regulation, including four in the final 7 seconds.
Coughlin was supported by a number of family members in attendance (including his wife, Judy, and son-in-law, former Giants offensive lineman Chris Snee), current Giants (Victor Cruz, Eli Manning, Andre Williams) and ex-Giants (Shaun O’Hara, Rich Seubert).
He also did not rule out the possibility he might coach another team in 2016.
A graduate of Syracuse, and a coach for the Orange in the 70’s, Coughlin entered the National Football League as a wide receivers coach for the Eagles in 1984.
“He thinks he’s the reason, [but] he’s not the reason”, Coughlin said of Manning during his going-away press conference to Hubbuch. “The GM/Coach relationship is of the utmost importance in this business, and I’m grateful for the relationship we had”.
But over an hour after the expected start of the press conference, the Colts called it off for Monday leaving an air of suspense about the top of a coaching staff that will try to turn around an 8-8 season that left them outside the playoffs.
What makes Coughlin a great coach is his toughness and his connections with his players. He didn’t have a lot of talent on the roster, and his defense spent the first two months with Pierre-Paul sidelined by a July 4 fireworks mishap that mangled his right hand.
Tom Coughlin is the only head coach Eli Manning has ever played for in his 12 seasons in the NFL.
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Coughlin came to the Giants in 2004 after Jim Fassel was sacked.
