Ben McAdoo to replace Tom Coughlin as Giants head coach, reports say

The move supports the notion that those inside the Giants organization, specifically players, supported the idea of hiring internally and not having to bring in a new system to a team that is lead by a 35-year-old quarterback in Eli Manning. They will formally introduce him at a 10:30 a.m. ET news conference Friday morning.

Mara and general manager Jerry Reese interviewed five other candidates before choosing McAdoo, the NFL’s second-youngest coach.

Coughlin, who also coached the Jaguars from their inception in 1995 to 2002, has 170 career wins in the NFL.

“The first thing we have to do is get Ben some players”, Giants co-owner John Mara said. He’s prepared for this opportunity for a long time.

The Giants have something to prove. They have posted losing records the past three seasons, going 6-10 the past two. He has 18 touchdowns and 27 interceptions in 2013. McAdoo said as much, confirming he prefers wearing sweats, i.e. “something I can grind in”.

The unit finished dead last in total defense during the 2015 season (420.3 yards allowed per game) while accumulating the third fewest sacks (23). “I’m excited about that staying the same”.

“This is the capital of the world, and the football capital of the world and with that comes a certain amount of pressure, pressure I look forward to”, McAdoo told reporters, including CBS2’s Otis Livingston.

Prior to joining the Giants under Coughlin, McAdoo had been the with the Green Bay Packers for eight seasons, six as the tight ends coach and two as a quarterbacks coach. Coughlin felt he didn’t have a strong candidate to serve as offensive coordinator if he took the Eagles job, sources said. Adam Gase, the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator who was hired by the Miami Dolphins, is 37. McAdoo was coaching in the college ranks on the east coast at that time and just wanted to “talk football”.

He also impressed the Philadelphia Eagles when he interviewed for their coaching vacancy.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is expected to be back, and Joe Philbin, who worked with McAdoo in Green Bay, is expected to replace him as offensive coordinator.

McAdoo learned under Coughlin and has shown some of his mentor’s attitudes. He is not afraid to gamble.

A touchdown would have iced the game. So that’s my first impression of Ben McAdoo and then, obviously, what he’s put himself in position for, it’s just no surprise.