Former New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin wants the opportunity to prove himself once more in the NFL. For the first time in nearly half a century, he’s out of a job and the free time seems to be getting to him. Coughlin spoke to the MMQB’s Peter King on Sunday about his future in football.
“I’ve coached 47 years of my life. You take it away, and that’s not an easy thing to duplicate.”
Coughlin said his “motor is starting to run again.” He clearly wants to coach again, but is there a suitor out there for the two-time Super Bowl champion? “It’ll take two to tango. The 70-year-old-man stuff will be a factor, and I’m sure they’ll know this would be a three- or four-year thing… If I have an opportunity to speak to anyone , they’ll see what I’d be able to do for them.”
Coughlin interviewed with the arch-rival Philadelphia Eagles before they settled on new head coach Doug Pederson. Coughlin reportedly spoke ill of the Giants organization during their meeting despite the fact that they wanted him to stay in some capacity after the end of his head coaching tenure. Isn’t that a dealbreaker in a job interview?
David Carr, former backup QB for the Giants, on NFL HQ sang Coughlin’s praises. “He’s a situational master… I hope he’s back out there, I don’t know in what role he’s going to be in whether it be a head coach or a consultant but he has to be coaching football or helping somebody out in some capacity… If you know Tom, he has to be out there.” It’s somewhat ironic that situational football is what failed the Giants in 2015.
Coughlin was a wide receivers coach for the Eagles (84-84), Packers (86-87) and Giants (88-90) where he won a Super Bowl. He deserves a role in the NFL in some capacity. For those who think his age is a factor, take a look at Cardinals assistant coach Tom Pratt, 80, or Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, 78.
Pratt is a “pass rush specialist” for the Cardinals. Coughlin could serve as a “situational specialist” or “wide receiver connoisseur” for a team in need. The Panthers and Titans have a young crop of receivers who could use some whipping into shape and the Browns just drafted five WRs who need to be coached up.
Do the Giants want him back? Would Coughlin want to return?