New York Giants set to hire Ben McAdoo as head coach
Thursday 14 January 2016 07:31, UK
The New York Giants are expected to confirm offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo as their next head coach on Thursday.
The 38-year-old McAdoo will replace Tom Coughlin, who stepped down last week after 12 seasons in charge.
The Giants have been impressed with what McAdoo has done with the offence during his two seasons in charge, helping two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning return to something close to his best form.
Under McAdoo's leadership, Manning threw 65 touchdowns and 28 interceptions over the past two seasons. He had 18 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in 2013.
It is uncertain whether defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who also interviewed for the top job, will stay.
"Excited for Coach McAdoo," Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara said in a text to The Associated Press. "I figured him or Spagz (Spagnuolo) would have been a great pick. I'm sure his players and the fans are all excited."
Assuming the deal is finalized; McAdoo will have beaten out a field that included former NFL head coaches Mike Smith and Doug Marrone, as well as Spagnuolo and Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
In addition to those men, the Giants also interviewed Dolphins head coach Adam Gase, and they expressed interest in Hue Jackson, who was hired Wednesday to coach the Cleveland Browns after declining to fly to New Jersey to interview with the Giants for their job.
McAdoo joined the NFL in 2004 as an offensive quality control assistant with the New Orleans Saints, spent a year with the 49ers the following season and then joined the Green Bay Packers for the next eight seasons, initially working with the tight ends before spending the final two years of his tenure as Aaron Rodgers' quarterback coach.
The Giants hired him in 2014 to replace Kevin Gilbride and his version of the West Coast offence and the addition of Odell Beckham Jr have helped revive the offence.
