The New York Giants, of course, are just one of the seven teams at this point looking for a new head coach. The arch rival Philadelphia Eagles fired Chip Kelly and are looking at some of the same candidates as the Giants. Ben McAdoo interviewed for the Eagles on Thursday and according to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, he’s “being sold as a young Andy Reid.”
Now, Tom Coughlin has entered the conversation courtesy of Bill Parcells. In an interview on 97.5FM The Fanatic, Parcells was asked if Coughlin would be a good fit for the Eagles. “I know guys Tom Coughlin’s age who know a whole lot more about football than some of the 30 year olds who are coaching it… I think his record pretty much speaks for itself.”
Obviously, there’s a question as to whether or not the 69-year old Coughlin will be available. He stepped down on Monday but didn’t rule out the possibility of coaching again. And would he even consider coaching a rival to the Giants? Parcells went on to say that age is just a number when it comes to Coughlin. “If he has the energy to do the job and still knows what he’s doing, then age shouldn’t be a factor.”
Parcells makes a valid point when considering a candidate who has never had any head coaching experience. “The talent pool is a little bit thin right now. The debate is always between the experienced coach versus the hot coordinator. Nobody knows which of this hot coordinators are eventually going to be successful.”
McAdoo is one of the leading candidates for the Giants and has the backing of his players. A “young Andy Reid” is something Eagles fans would certainly embrace. Parcells is certainly a brilliant football mind, but it’s doubtful that his opinion would sway any GM in their decisionmaking. If either McAdoo, or in an unlikely scenario Coughlin, ends up as the Eagles head coach, it would certainly sting for Giants fans.