NY Giants’ LB coach Brett Bielema hired as Illinois head coach | 4 replacement possibilities

The NY Giants lost a position coach, when linebackers coach Brett Bielema was hired as Illinois head coach Saturday

NY Giants linebackers coach Brett Bielema was hired by the University of Illinois to replace former head coach Lovie Smith, the university announced Saturday.

Bielema had interviewed for several positions since being hired by NY Giants head coach Joe Judge last winter, clearly eyeing a head coaching opportunity. He lands in the Big Ten, and takes over a program that finished just 2-5 this season.

Losing Bielema creates a long-term void in the Giants’ coaching staff, with Jody Wright taking over outside linebackers in the interim.

Here’s a look at four possible replacements the Giants can tab to replace Bielema long term:

Jody Wright

Wright, 39, has an extensive track record working alongside the Giants’ coaching staff, and was hired as a defensive assistant.

During a 16-year career that included a pair of stints with the Alabama Crimson Tide, he shared a staff briefly with Judge under Nick Saban in 2010, and also worked under Giants tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens in 2019.

An extensive background coaching offensive and defensive position groups, and if the Giants’ inside linebackers improve dramatically down the stretch it will obviously be an audition for Judge to consider promoting Wright to the position full-time.