January 7, 2016
Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
In a shocking move, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired head coach Lovie Smith on Wednesday, which means the team will have it's fourth head coach in six years when the 2016 season gets underway. Perhaps ownership should consider that the franchise is always in transition, when pondering the reasons they've been a laughingstock for so long.
Smith only won two games at the helm in Tampa, but as ESPN points out, they were one of the most improved teams in the NFL from 2014 to 2015. In fact, they finished in the top-5 in the league, in total offense this past season. Their 2015 draft class was also ranked number one in the NFL, according to NFL.com, so the future is certainly bright for the Bucs. And that draft class doesn't even include some of the young talent they assembled before that, including linebacker LaVonte David (drafted in 2012) and wide receiver Mike Evans (drafted in 2014). Not to mention running back Doug Martin (drafted in 2012), who had a bounce-back year for Tampa after a couple of disappointing seasons. Under Smith, the Bucs' future was looking up, and a coaching change at this point only serves to disrupt that. Nothing about this move makes any sense.
None of that matters in the slightest, to the New York Football Giants; they've already got plenty to deal with themselves. And according to Ralph Vacchiano, of the New York Daily News, you can add Smith's name to the growing list of candidates the Giants will consider to replace Tom Coughlin as their coach.
That shouldn't come as a surprise. Smith is one of the finest coaches in the league, and this won't be the first time the Giants come calling. Smith interviewed for the Giants' job back in 2004. Ultimately, Coughlin beat him out, but the Giants' front office was reportedly very impressed with his interview. Smith took the job in Chicago that year, where he lead the Bears to three playoff appearances, two NFC Championship games, and a Super Bowl.
Late Wednesday, Tom Pelissero, who cover the NFL for USA Today, broke the news that the Giants will also interview Lions' defensive coordinato Teryl Austin, will also interview for New York's coaching vacancy. Austin became a rising star in the league when he led a Detroit defense that ranked second in the NFL in 2014. With the loss of some key defensive personnel last offseason, the Lions slipped to #18 in the NFL this past season, but Austin remains a hot commodity. He's already interviewed for head coaching vacancies in Miami and Cleveland.
Though it would come as no surprise should the Giants' list of potential candidates grow in the coming days, current offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo remains the front-runner until someone else knocks him off the perch. The Giants are interested in a quick turnaround, not a long rebuild. Bringing in a coach from outside the organization, as well as their third offense system in four seasons, will only hinder that process.
