Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY
Tom Coughlin held his final press conference as coach of the Giants on Tuesday, then rode off into the sunset.
With Coughlin stepping down, talk of his potential replacements has consumed the media. To nobody's surprise, offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo have emerged as candidates. As Coughlin's top two assistants, they've both earned an interview with the Giants' front office.
The Monday Morning Quarterback recently made a case for Spagnuolo being named head coach, but the idea was centered around keeping McAdoo in place as offensive coordinator. With McAdoo receiving head-coaching interest from other franchises, such a scenario isn't likely. Should McAdoo fail to get any offers for a head coach position, then all of that could change once again.
Spagnuolo is considered a long shot to get the Giants' job as he oversaw one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2015. However, that isn't likely to hurt his chances all that much. The organization knows how good of a coach he is and they love him. They also know that their defensive woes were far more of a personnel problem than a coaching problem. Spagnuolo put together a championship defense when he was given the tools to succeed, and the team won't soon forget that.
McAdoo, on the other hand, is definitely an up-and-comer in this league, but his lack of experience is a concern. The 38-year old has only been a play caller for two seasons, and could stand for a little more mentoring before he moves up. With that said, McAdoo would still be a more promising choice for the Giants than someone like Chip Kelly, who was a disaster in Philadelphia.
The Giants are also reportedly amongst four teams interested in trading for New Orleans Saints' head coach, Sean Payton. Of all the names being thrown around, Payton makes the most sense for New York. He's a former Giants offensive coordinator, with a ton of coaching experience, and a Super Bowl Ring. Not to mention, he runs a west coast offense similar to the one McAdoo utilizes, and such a transition should be seamless for quarterback Eli Manning.
Payton is currently under contract with the Saints, and acquiring him would require the Giants to compensate New Orleans in exchange. The Saints are reportedly interested in receiving a second round pick for their coach.
In a perfect world, the Giants would be able to acquire Payton, and leave Spagnuolo and McAdoo in their current roles, but the world, and the NFL for that matter, are far from perfect.
The Monday Morning Quarterback will continue to follow this story through to the end, whenever that may come, so stay tuned for more.
