The Giants a year ago braced for the loss of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo but the impact never came. They sure felt it today.
The hiring of Spagnuolo as the new head coach of the Rams was hardly shocking but nevertheless reverberated throughout the Giants organization, officially making it a rough start to the off-season.
Spagnuolo, 49, emerged as a serious candidate for several openings and it appeared only a matter of where he’d go. As jobs were filled, though, the chances of Spagnuolo remaining with the Giants grew stronger. All it takes is one and that one is the Rams, who signed Spagnuolo to a four-year, $11.5 million contract. He was in the first year of a three-year, $6 million contract after the Giants rewarded him following the Super Bowl, making him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL.
The Jets spoke with Spagnuolo twice and he was on their short list, although Ravens defensive whiz Rex Ryan is believed to be the favorite to replace Eric Mangini and could be hired immediately after this weekend if the Ravens get beat by the Steelers in tonight’s AFC Championship Game.
Though this comes as no surprise, Tom Coughlin is now suddenly in the market for someone to run their defense. For the sake of continuity, it is likely Coughlin will stay in-house, where seemingly the only candidates are linebackers coach Bill Sheridan or secondary coach Peter Giunta. Sheridan came to the Giants in 2005 after an extensive career in college, has never been a coordinator but is considered an excellent communicator. Giunta has far more NFL experience and was the defensive coordinator for the Rams when they won the Super Bowl following the 1999 season. The other key member of the defensive staff is line coach Mike Waufle, who is extremely popular with his players.
If Coughlin wants to go outside the organization, there are two respected veterans with whom he has personal ties. Dom Capers, currently a Patriots special assistant, ran Coughlin’s defense in Jacksonville in 1999 and 2000. Romeo Crennel and Coughlin were on Bill Parcells’ staff with the Giants. Crennel following this season was fired by the Browns.
This is a big blow to the Giants. Spagnuolo arrived prior to last season after eight years as an assistant in Philadelphia and he brought an attack style to Giants Stadium. Firm but fair, players rallied around him because he usually managed to spin everything in a positive way. His defense was the primary season why the Giants were able to stun the football world with last season’s playoff run. The Giants a year ago during the post-season denied an interview request by the Falcons. After beating the Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII, Spagnuolo so impressed Redskins owner Dan Snyder during a lengthy interview that Snyder was prepared to offer him the job but Spagnuolo withdrew his name from contention.
Despite the losses of Michael Strahan to retirement, Osi Umenyiora to a pre-season knee injury and valuable starters Gibril Wilson and Kawika Mitchell to free agency Spagnuolo once again made the Giants a rugged defensive outfit before faltering down the stretch.
Spagnuolo interviewed with the Browns, Jets, Broncos and Lions before meeting this past Thursday with the Rams. No doubt, his relationship with new Rams general manager Billy Devaney was a huge advantage for Spagnuolo. The two worked together with the Redskins when Spagnuolo was a personnel intern in 1983 and again in 1993 when Spagnuolo was a scout for the Chargers and Devaney was assistant GM in San Diego. Devaney was in Atlanta last year when the Falcons tried to speak with Spagnuolo.
In St. Louis, Spagnuolo takes over for interim coach Jim Haslett, who took over after Scott Linehan was fired following an 0-4 start and a near-rebellion by the Rams players. Consider this a major rebuilding job, as the Rams finished last in the terrible NFC West at 2-14, lost their final 10 games and were out-scored during the season 232-465.