According to reports in various media outlets, the New York Giants are expected to give Tom Coughlin an extension in the near future. As a long-time “Coughlin doubter,” I am finally on board.
Just to be silly for a moment, I think the Giants should repeatedly offer one year extensions. Each time he enters the final year of a contract, the Giants offer him one more year. Then Big Blue goes on to win a Super Bowl. If he’s constantly in his last year, the Giants will perpetually win the Lombardi Trophy. This might be a theory that doesn’t work out.
Back to reality, I’m on board with Coughlin and he deserves to coach the Giants until he decides to go. Barring anything crazy like a 2-14 season, which I don’t believe will happen, he’s earned job security.
When the Giants first hired him in 2004, I was not happy. My first thought wasn’t about the success he would bring the Giants. Instead I wondered how many years of mediocre football would it take to get rid of him. I estimated three years.
The Giants would make the playoffs in 2005 and 2006, but failed to advance. After 2006, I hoped with all my heart Couglin was history. But the Giants extended him for one year much to my dismay and the Giants won the Super Bowl XLII.
Even then, I credited the Super Bowl win more for the performance of Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo than anything Coughlin did. When Spagnuolo left and Plaxico shot himself, the Giants seemed unable to recover. My theory was correct!
It was, again, time for Coughlin to go. I believed the Giants had as much talent as any other top team in the NFL. It just seemed Coughlin was unable to get the most from the players on the roster on a consistent basis. It had to be his fault. That opinion remained the same through 2009……2010…..and the first half of 2011.