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 NY Giants Rush: Top 5 Coaches to Replace Coughlin

By Michael Stewart

The New York Giants are still awaiting the decision of Tom Coughlin’s future as their head coach. Tom Coughlin has yet to make any announcement of his plans beyond this season. However; Giants management must be prepared to have a list of possible successors should Coughlin decide to either retire or move on to another team. 

Below are my top 5 candidates who could possibly be available to succeed Tom Coughlin as the Giants next Head Coach;

  • Steve Spagnuolo (Giants DC) is the defensive coordinator for the Giants and has head coaching experience with the St. Louis Rams. Although he didn’t have much success in St. Louis, Spagnuolo has done well as a DC with teams such as; the Saints, Ravens and the Giants. He has a great relationship with Tom Coughlin and the management; and is widely respected throughout football. Perhaps the Giants management brought Spagnuolo back to replace Coughlin, should he retire.
  • Bill Cowher (Football Analyst) hasn’t coached in the league since 2006, but has stayed in the game as an analyst for CBS. He’s won a Super Bowl and had sustained success in a cold-weather city (Pittsburgh). Cowher has said he would come back to coaching if the right situation presented itself. Head coach of the New York Giants would be the right situation.  
  • Nick Saban (Alabama Crimson Tide) has been rumored for a while now and although it would be hard to imagine him leaving a very established program in Alabama; history tells us that Saban has done it before when he was with LSU and bolted to the Dolphins without success.
  • Jon Gruden (Football Analyst) has the name, the background (Super Bowl Champ with the Bucs) and the personality to succeed in the New York. Known for his ability to groom young QB with his well-known pupil Brett Favre while with the Green Bay Packers; Gruden would provide much-needed energy to the Giants on day one.  
  • Brian Kelly (Notre Dame Fighting Irish) has received a ton of interest mostly by the media. Kelly has been a very successful coach everywhere he has landed and it would take an opening like the NY Giants Head Coach vacancy for him to leave Notre Dame

Final Thoughts: The verdict is still up on whether or not Coughlin returns in 2016; as it will be his decision. However; if he does decide to retire; these 5 highly qualified coaches could become the next New York Giants Head Coach.

Does it matter if the new coach is offensive or defensive minded (not really), the biggest question will be if the new coach has the toughness and the ability to success in New York. Let’s not forget that the Giants current roster needs to make some changes in the off-season. Either way, whoever the new coach will be, he will have very big shoes to fill as Tom Coughlin is destined to be inducted into the football Hall of Fame.