New York Giants finalising deal to make Joe Judge new head coach
Mississippi State had also expressed an interest in Judge amid their search for a new head coach
Tuesday 7 January 2020 17:35, UK
The New York Giants are expected to hire New England Patriots special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach Joe Judge as their new head coach.
After missing out on Matt Rhule as their new head coach, the Giants have reportedly acted quickly on Tuesday, naming Judge to the position.
Judge interviewed for the job on Monday. He will replace Pat Shurmur, who was fired by the Giants on December 30 after two seasons and a 9-23 record.
The Giants reportedly had a meeting scheduled with Rhule on Tuesday, but the Baylor head man instead accepted the Carolina Panthers' head coaching position, according to reports.
NFL Network reported that Rhule gave the Giants an opportunity to match the Panthers' six-year deal, but the team declined.
Judge, 38, began his coaching career as a Mississippi State graduate assistant from 2005-07.
He then served three years as an analyst for head coach Nick Saban at Alabama from 2009-11, joining the Patriots in 2012 as an assistant special teams coach.
In 2015, he was promoted by the Patriots to special teams coach and received his most recent title in 2019.
The Patriots' season ended on Saturday in a home loss to the Tennessee Titans in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
One reason the Giants moved so quickly on Judge after Rhule went to the Panthers, according to a Sports Illustrated report, was that Judge had emerged as the top candidate to become the head coach at Mississippi State.
The Giants already had interviewed a number of candidates, including Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Dallas Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard and Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
The club also reportedly were set to meet with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels this week, and the Giants also interviewed Mike McCarthy, who was named the Cowboys' new head coach on Monday.
ESPN's Ed Werder reported that the Giants requested permission from the Dallas Cowboys to interview for the offensive coordinator position.
Garrett, dismissed on Sunday as the Cowboys' coach, could provide an experienced ear for a rookie head coach.
The Giants need permission to talk to Garrett because he remains under contract in Dallas for another week.
