Tom

Coughlin

Coughlin’s three-year stint went poorly and ended on a very sour note with a judge ruling that the Jaguars broke CBA rules when they fined players for various non-football reasons. The NFLPA went as far as advising future free agents to second guess signing with the Jaguars. Coughlin and his team’s on-field performance had tanked as well, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Just a few years ago, Jacksonville had one of the top units in the NFL, but they are 29th in defensive DVOA in 2019 and were forced into trading away an elite corner. Now 73, it’s certainly possible that Coughlin’s days in the NFL are over. He’ll eventually retire as a two-time Super Bowl champion.

Coughlin, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Giants and the Jaguars’ first-ever head coach, returned to Jacksonville in a front office role last year. The Jaguars were expected to be a contender this year after advancing to the AFC Championship in 2017 but they’ve regressed this year, falling to 4-9. Marrone has been unable to control the locker room and could be at risk of losing his job if things don’t improve quickly. Despite his impressive resume with both the Jaguars and Giants, a return to the sidelines might be ambitious for Coughlin, who turned 72 in August.

The 67-year-old Coughlin cited his and his wife Judy’s good health as reasons pushing him to stay in the NFL. Co-owner John Mara confirmed Coughlin would be the Giants’ head coach at least next season “and hopefully for longer than that.” Coughlin is 97-73 with two Super Bowl wins in 10 seasons with the G-Men.

Gilbride’s offense was shut out for the second time this season in Sunday’s loss to Seattle, and the longtime Giants coordinator has come under much fire for his playcalling and scheme in a forgettable year for New York’s NFC team. Gilbride has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator since 2007, and spent three years as Eli Manning’s quarterbacks coach before that. His 2013 offense ranks 28th in yards per game and 30th in points per game.

Coughlin has two Super Bowl titles, five playoff appearances and a 90-70 record in ten seasons at the helm of the Giants. So despite a disappointing 2013 campaign that saw the G-Men start 0-6, he likely has a lifetime pass from the Mara family. Coughlin, 67, isn’t ready to retire just yet.

Coughlin is now signed through 2015. The 67-year-old has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles and will likely be able to coach the team for however long he pleases, though the front office stepped in this offseason to force some changes to Coughlin’s coaching staff. Coughlin “could see himself” coaching past 2014.

The NFL, who Coughlin currently works for, denied the meeting as well. Rex Ryan probably bought himself more time with a surprising win over the Cardinals, but his seat is as hot as any. These reports should pop up all season.

70-year-old Coughlin spent 2016 as the NFL’s senior advisor to football operations. He will now become the Jaguars’ overseer, possibly in a dumbed-down version of roles held by Mike Holmgren in Cleveland and Bill Parcells in Miami. GM Dave Caldwell was extended two years and seems likely to maintain most of the front-office power. Per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, the Jaguars are “very much centered on trying to salvage” Blake Bortles. The futures of Coughlin, Caldwell, and Doug Marrone all hinge greatly on the so-far-failed 2014 No. 3 overall pick.

This means Coughlin will wield considerable power within the organization. It looks like GM Dave Caldwell, who agreed to a two-year extension on Monday, will be reporting to the former Giants and Jaguars head coach. There are moves to be made in Jacksonville, but overall the team has a solid foundation with impressive young talent on both sides of the football. Ultimately the biggest challenge for Jacksonville will be salvaging Blake Bortles, who took a major step back following a breakout 2015 campaign.

This confirms reports Coughlin will have the “final say on everything” inside the organization. Despite getting an extension, it seems clear GM Dave Caldwell has lost a lot of power, but he should remain an important voice in personnel decisions. Caldwell has, at least on paper, done a good job acquiring talent to this point.