Tag: Tom Coughlin

One-of-a-kind signed Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin jerseys being auctioned off for charity

New York Giants legends Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin are auctioning off one-of-a-kind signed jerseys to help tackle pediatric cancer.

New York Giants legends Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin have dedicated themselves to helping families in need through both the Jay Fund Foundation and Tackle Kids Cancer.

That continued in July as the two-time Super Bowl-winning duo took 10 families on a grocery shopping spree to help ease their burden. It’s the second time Manning and Coughlin have teamed up for such a spree, the first coming in December of 2023.

Comparing Q1 2023 to Q1 2024, the Jay Fund Foundation says they have seen a 63% increase in requests for assistance with groceries.

To better help the families in need, Manning and Coughlin are auctioning off one-of-a-kind 100th-anniversary Giants jerseys, each one autographed by the legend who wore it. They are the only two such jerseys in existence, which would make for a unique collectible for any Big Blue fan.

The added bonus is that all proceeds will be split equally between the Jay Fund Foundation and Tackle Kids Cancer.

Following their recent shopping spree, Manning and Coughlin sat down with ABC to discuss how they continue teaming up to help families tackle pediatric cancer when they need it most. That segment will air on Thursday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m. EDT ahead of the ESPY Awards.

The jersey auction is currently live and fans are welcome to bid. Donations are also accepted.

Imagine walking into MetLife Stadium in Week 1 of the Giants’ 100th season wearing one of these unique jerseys? Talk about standing out in a crowd.

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Did ex-Giants coach Tom Coughlin use PFF to win Super Bowl XLVI?

Former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin relied so heavily on PFF data in 2011 that the company hired an employee solely for the team.

When you think about former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, you don’t generally think of someone who was technologically or analytically savvy.

Coughlin was an old-school football mind who did things in an old-school football way. That is, until a talk from his late wife, Judy, led to the coach showing a bit more of his personal side.

As it turns out, that wasn’t the only evolution Coughlin made during his time with the Giants.

In a brand new book, Football Is a Numbers Game: Pro Football Focus and How a Data-Driven Approach Shook Up the Sport, PFF’s Matthew Coller reveals that Coughlin was so enthralled with their analytical data that the company had to hire someone to deal solely with the Giants.

“The more they got the information, the more that Tom Coughlin wanted to go to (former Giants senior director of football information) Jon Berger and say, ‘Hey, can you get PFF to give us this? Can we find out that?’ (It got) to the point where PFF assigned one person just to answer Giants questions,” Coller elaborated on the Giants Huddle podcast.

Coughlin and the Giants were so pleased with the help provided by the PFF employee that they invited him to Super Bowl XLVI on their behalf.

“In the Super Bowl, the second time they went to the Super Bowl, they gave that guy a ticket to the Super Bowl because they felt he was so valuable in helping them out (and) answering whatever Tom Coughlin’s questions were,” Coller said.

Obviously, a lot more than PFF data went into defeating the New England Patriots for the second time in four years, but Coughlin, unbeknownst to many, consumed every bit of it he could. And it clearly paid dividends.

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Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation patients decide ‘no cape’ in Superhero Day survey

Not all superheroes wear capes, say Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation patients after a Superhero Day survey.

It has been decided: Not all superheroes wear capes.

Ahead of National Superhero Day — which was this past Sunday, April 28 — the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation, Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF), and the V Foundation for Cancer Research came together for a poll to help settle an age-old debate. Capes or no capes for superheroes?

Nearly 55 percent of pediatric cancer patients, survivors, and their siblings voted, “No cape!”

“We are excited to be partnering with the V Foundation and the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation to remind families and patients we work with that they are the true superheroes,” said Kim Gradisher, CEO of TRF. “Their collective voices are the embodiment of bravery and resilience.”

“These kids are the real superheroes, and their message is clear: being super is not about the cape, but the courage within,” said Dick Vitale, an original V Foundation board member. “Being super is awesome, baby! And that’s exactly what these kids are. They inspire me each and every day.”

Those polled were also asked about their favorite superheroes and what powers they would want to have if they became a superhero or superheroine.

Spider-Man and Wonder Woman topped the list of favorites, while 20 percent said they’d want the power to cure/heal cancer. 17 percent would want the power to fly, while 10 percent would want the power of invisibility.

“At the Jay Fund Foundation, we believe in being there for families tackling childhood cancer every step of the way,” former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. “You don’t have to be a superhero to know that two pulling in the same direction is stronger than one. No one fights childhood cancer alone. It takes a team, and we will be there with or without capes to support patients and their families.”

Following the survey, the three organizations officially declared April 28 as a “No Cape Day.”

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Tom Coughlin: Eli Manning one of the best big-game QBs ever

Retired New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin says Eli Manning was the best big-game QB he’s coached and one of the best he’s ever seen.

The New York Giants are suffering an identity crisis. As the 2024 NFL draft nears, they are waffling over whether they still believe Daniel Jones is their future at quarterback or if they have to draft a new one next weekend.

In short, they are looking for the next Eli Manning.

Manning, who the team traded for on draft day in 2004, led the franchise to some of its greatest moments while never missing a game due to injury and comporting himself with class and dignity.

Jones has shown some of Eli’s traits but there’s no mistaking him for the future Pro Football Hall of Famer. Jones is often injured and has struggled in key games over his five-year career in New York.

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Eli was, for intents and purposes, the Giants’ unicorn and goat all at the same time.

“He’s the greatest big-game quarterback I’ve ever been around or even watched,” retired Giants head coach Tom Coughlin told Newsday. “You look at his eyes on game day and it’s like sending laser beams from his eyes. He was so into what he’s doing.”

The Giants miss that. Sure, there were days when Eli looked as if he hadn’t played a down in his life, but when the stakes were high, he rose to the occasion.

One thing the Giants could always rely on was Eli’s availability. He started 210 consecutive games for the Giants from 2004 through 2017.

“I think one thing people don’t realize is what it meant, what a magnificent feeling it was, to know as a coach that he was going to be there every Sunday,” Coughlin added.

“Every Sunday, he lined up and played. He played with a separated shoulder, but he played. And it was important to him that he did. But from the standpoint of coaching, there was nothing he couldn’t do and nothing you couldn’t ask him to do. You could do whatever you wanted to do because he was going to grasp the concepts and he was going to do it to the best of his ability. And that was a tremendous [comfort] for all those years because he lined up and played.”

Giant fans had gotten spoiled with Eli. Jones, although appearing to be a perfect fit as Manning’s heir apparent, hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Next Thursday night at the NFL draft in Detroit, general manager Joe Schoen could walk away with the team’s next franchise quarterback, or he could choose to wait and take a player the Giants can develop.

Either way, there will always be only one Eli. Coughlin tells the story of how Eli stopped to get a sandwich before his pro day and almost missed the event.

“It’s the best passing performance at a Pro Day that I’d ever seen,” Coughlin said. “He really lit it up, and this was with five [receivers] who he’d been throwing with, but he didn’t know them. He didn’t play with them. It was an amazing experience.”

Just another day in the charmed life of Eli Manning.

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Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin talk Jay Fund on ‘Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon’ podcast

Giants legends Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin joined Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon to discuss a wide range of topics including the Jay Fund.

New York Giants legend Eli Manning joined the Six Degrees with Kevin Bacon podcast on Tuesday, and he brought a guest with him — two-time Super Bowl champion head coach Tom Coughlin.

Manning talked about the Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots, his famous pass to wide receiver David Tyree, growing up in the Manning household, and much more.

Coughlin, meanwhile, discussed the motivating force behind the creation of the Jay Fund Foundation and shared some interesting — and hilarious — stories about Eli as a child by way of Archie Manning.

Be sure to check out the full hourlong episode.  To find out more about the Jay Fund Foundation and how you can help, visit their official website.

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Michael Strahan: ‘No way’ Giants beat 2007 Patriots in playoff series

Retired New York Giants legend Michael Strahan says there’s “no way” they could’ve beaten the 2007 New England Patriots in a playoff series.

It’s been a long time since the New York Giants had a decent run in the postseason. The last time was back when Tom Coughlin was in charge.

There have been other appearances, but he was the last one to win a Super Bowl. Not only that, but he managed to beat the New England Patriots twice, something no other coach has done in the Bill Belichick era.

One of Coughlin’s best players was former defensive end Michael Strahan. He didn’t take part in the 2011 victory but was part of the 2007 team that earned Eli Manning his first Super Bowl ring.

Strahan recently appeared on the Let’s Go! podcast with former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to discuss that particular game. During the conversation, Strahan revealed that he didn’t think the Giants could have defeated the Patriots in a series of games.

“Beating you guys in the Super Bowl, I’ve never been that exhausted in my life. Ever. When they say leave it on the field, it was nothing left,” said Strahan. “That last pass rush I had, that was like, not even fumes in the tank. You guys were so good, and we were just a bunch of guys who were just happy not to be home because we didn’t want our story to end.

“We didn’t want our togetherness to end because we loved being around each other so much. I always say, the great thing about football, you just got to win one. You don’t have to win one out of three, one out of five, one out of seven. There’s no way we would have done that against you guys. No way.”

There’s a reason football games are one-and-done, though. It would be incredibly taxing on the players to have a series of games to play in the postseason. And it’s clearly a good thing that they don’t play series’ in the NFL, or the Giants might not have those Super Bowl wins at all.

The good news is, they do have those wins and Tom Coughlin remains one of the greatest Giants’ head coaches of all time. And the Giants got to ruin the Patriots’ season on two separate occasions — including that not-so-perfect run in 2007.

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Tiki Barber comes to the defense of Giants head coach Brian Daboll

Tiki Barber once criticized his former coach relentlessly but he doesn’t want to hear the same when it comes to Giants coach Brian Daboll.

A man once known for his repeated criticisms of one New York Giants head coach is now coming to the emphatic defense of another.

Retired Giants great, Tiki Barber, has grown tired of the Brian Daboll criticism in recent weeks and shredded the narrative that Daboll is the reason some coordinators, assistants, and staffers are unhappy and reportedly want out in East Rutherford.

“I keep hearing these nonsense takes, ‘It’s an indictment on Brian Daboll that Mike Kafka might not be here,'” Barber said on WFAN this week. “Maybe Mike Kafka just wasn’t good here, and it was more of an indictment on Mike Kafka.

“Same thing with (special teams coordinator Thomas) McGaughey. I’d watch special teams for the Giants and be frustrated that those guys didn’t know what the hell they were doing. Is it on Daboll, or is it on Daboll to hold him accountable, which he did? Is it on Daboll to hold his offensive coordinator accountable? He did, sometimes taking the play calling away from him. That’s what a good head coach does.”

Ultimately, all failures fall at the feet of the general manager and head coach. That’s the nature of the business and all business — you know what rolls downhill.

But it is true — the Giants underwhelmed in all three phases of the game, largely due to injuries and an already lacking roster. They didn’t have the depth to overcome those issues and rushed to compete during a rebuild, which was the Achilles heel for the previous three regimes as well.

Still, those aren’t the issues that have allegedly caused such dissatisfaction within 1925 Giants Drive. Reports from Jay Glazer, Pat Leonard, Jordan Raanan, and others all suggest the problems are the result of disrespectful person-to-person interactions.

Barber still isn’t buying that, however.

“The narrative of, ‘This sounds like trouble for the Giants because Daboll has problems with his coordinators,’ maybe the coordinators sucked in those moments!” Barber said. “You should have a problem with them. I’m serious.”

Maybe. But when everyone at the party gets along except with one guy, is it that lone guy who’s the problem or is it all of the other partygoers?

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Tom Coughlin comments on Antonio Pierce being named Raiders head coach

Former New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has released a statement following news of Antonio Pierce’s hire as Raiders head coach.

After a search that never should have been, the Las Vegas Raiders officially named Antonio Pierce as their next head coach on Friday.

Pierce’s hire comes after he took over for Josh McDaniels and led the Raiders to a 5-4 finish (8-9 overall) with three of the four losses coming by a combined 13 points.

In Week 9, Pierce coached the Raiders to a 30-6 victory over the New York Giants, his former team. It was his first-ever NFL game as the lead dog.

The 45-year-old Pierce was originally signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free-agent rookie out of Arizona in 2001. After four seasons in D.C., Pierce signed with the Giants in 2005 and remained with Big Blue until his retirement in 2010.

During his time with the Giants, Pierce was named a team captain and carved out a nice place in franchise history. He was a catalyst in the team’s Super Bowl run in 2007, which was capped off by the largest upset in NFL history — a 17-14 victory over Tom Brady and the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

Unsurprisingly, Pierce has a good relationship with former Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, whom he had address the Raiders this past season.

After learning of Pierce’s hire, Coughlin released a congratulatory statement.

“I could not be prouder of Antonio Pierce being named head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders,” Coughlin said, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “I’m excited for him, his family, and the franchise. This is the team he grew up watching, and his belief in himself and in the players is why he is there. He is a great student of the game, a quick learner with a great attitude, and he is eager to get to work. The 2024 season just got a lot more interesting with him at the helm. Go get ’em AP!”

Coughlin has consulted with Pierce on filling out his Raiders’ staff and remains open to helping AP down the line if the first-time head coach needs it.

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Giants legend Tom Coughlin to be inducted into ‘Pride of the Jaguars’

New York Giants legend Tom Coughlin will be inducted into the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Ring of Honor during the 2024 regular season.

Retired New York Giants head coach and three-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Coughlin, will become the seventh member of the Pride of the Jaguars when he’s inducted into their Ring of Honor during the 2024 season.

The Jaguars made the official announcement on Thursday, noting that Coughlin will be the first inductee since Jimmy Smith in 2016.

“The story of the Jaguars cannot be told without Tom Coughlin and the influence he had on our expansion team and new fan base here in North Florida,” said Jaguars legend Tony Boselli. “He is our foundational figure and the initial architect. He built our football operation and set it up for sustained success.

“Beyond all the remarkable on-field achievements, he also showed everyone how an NFL team could win off the field by positively impacting the communities surrounding us. Speaking for the PRIDE and the entire Jaguars organization, we are collectively excited to celebrate Coach and thank him for positive impact his NFL legacy will forever have on the Jaguars and throughout Jacksonville.”

The 77-year-old Coughlin was the first-ever coach of the Jaguars, taking the helm in 1994 ahead of their first season in 1995. He compiled a regular season record of 68-60 and led the team to four playoff appearances and two AFC Championship Games. The 68 wins remain the most in franchise history.

“It means everything to me,” Coughlin said.

After his time with the Jags, Coughlin spent 12 seasons coaching the Giants, winning two Super Bowls over that span and expanding his fingerprint on the organization, which includes a three-year stint as their wide receivers coach from 1988 through 1990.

Coughlin was inducted into the Giants’ Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony in 2016.

In addition to his success as an NFL coach and executive, Coughlin also founded the Jay Fund Foundation, which has become a staple in both New York and Florida, helping families impacted by childhood cancer.

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Tom Coughlin to be inducted into Pride of the Jaguars in 2024

Former coach and executive Tom Coughlin will be the first inductee into the Pride of the Jaguars in eight years.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach and executive Tom Coughlin will be added to the team’s Pride of the Jaguars ring of honor in 2024, the team announced Thursday.

Coughlin, 77, will be the first person added to the ring in eight years, joining former owners Wayne and Delores Weaver, and former players Tony Boselli, Fred Taylor, Mark Brunell, and Jimmy Smith. The last inductee was Smith in 2016.

“The story of the Jaguars’ cannot be told without Tom Coughlin and the influence he had on our expansion team and new fan base here in North Florida,” Boselli said in a statement. “He is our foundational figure and the initial architect. He built our football operation and set it up for sustained success.

“Beyond all the remarkable on-field achievements, he also showed everyone how an NFL team could win off the field by positively impacting the communities surrounding us. Speaking for the Pride and the entire Jaguars organization, we are collectively excited to celebrate Coach and thank him for positive impact his NFL legacy will forever have on the Jaguars and throughout Jacksonville.”

Coughlin was hired by the Jaguars in 1994, a year before the franchise’s first season in the NFL. With no general manager in place, the team’s first head coach was essentially in charge of building the roster from scratch. It didn’t take long for the Jaguars to find success with Coughlin leading the team to the AFC Championship in 1996 and 1999.

Eventually, salary cap mismanagement led the Coughlin getting fired by the Jaguars following the 2002 season. He later spent 12 seasons as the head coach of the New York Giants, winning two Super Bowls during his tenure with the team.

Coughlin returned to the Jaguars in 2017 as an executive vice president and helped construct a roster that reached another AFC Championship.

On Wednesday, Coughlin was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. The Jaguars haven’t announced what date in 2024 he’ll be added to the Pride.

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