It is possible Steve Spagnuolo may stay with Giants ..

If named Tom Coughlin's successor, Steve Spagnuolo may stay with Giants

BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, January 12th 2009, 9:55 PM

Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo could be staring at a future with the Giants after all. If either the Jets or the Detroit Lions offers Steve Spagnuolo its head coaching job, there may be nothing the Giants can do to prevent their defensive coordinator from leaving. Unless they're willing to name him their head coach, too.

Giants GM Jerry Reese said Monday the team would consider making Spagnuolo a "head coach-in-waiting" if it would keep him from leaving for another team. It would be an unprecedented move by the Giants, but since Tom Coughlin's current contract expires in 2011 when he will be 65, they could promise Spagnuolo the job would be his then. "We consider everything here," Reese said. "We try to consider everything."

The Giants already made a big move to keep Spagnuolo last February, when they gave him a three-year, $6 million contract after he was nearly hired as head coach of the Washington Redskins. But at the time, according to a team source, they were not willing to name him Coughlin's successor, especially since Coughlin was about to get a new four-year, $21 million deal.

It's still not likely the Giants would do it. For one thing, they don't know if Coughlin will retire at the end of his current contract. For another, predicting the future can be dicey. What happens if the Giants' defense falls apart in the next three years, or another, more attractive candidate is available the next time the Giants need a coach?

But the fact they'd even consider it shows how much the Giants want to keep the 49-year-old Spagnuolo, who again is in high demand. He's interviewed with the Jets, Lions, Broncos and Browns. The Rams are expected to interview him on Thursday.

And while it's possible that the Giants' 1-4 fade down the stretch will hurt his head coaching prospects, he's earned league-wide respect for keeping the Giants' defense in the top five this season despite the loss of Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. The Giants have appeared to be bracing for his inevitable departure for weeks.

"He is one of those coaches that has certain attributes about him that you can't replace," said defensive end Justin Tuck. "Obviously he's a great football mind, but more than that he's a great person and he's a guy that everybody loves playing for."

That's why the Giants sweated out his 20-hour stay at the estate of Redskins owner Dan Snyder last winter, then made Spagnuolo the richest assistant coach in team history. They could offer him a raise again, but naming him as Coughlin's successor would be much more enticing.

It's what the Colts did for associate head coach Jim Caldwell, who was handed the reins Monday as promised when Tony Dungy retired. The Seattle Seahawks had a coach-in-waiting in place, too, promising control to Jim Mora Jr. when Mike Holmgren left at the end of the year.

As loyal as Spagnuolo has said he's been to the Giants, that might be the only way to convince him to abandon his ambitions and stay if he's offered control of another team.

"Most coaches want to be head coaches," Reese said. "So if he gets an opportunity to be a head coach, we'll wish him nothing but the best. But selfishly we'd love for him to be here with the Giants. He's done a terrific job for us."

I would think that Spags would learn the lesson of Jason Garrett this year and realize you don't pass up an offer to be a Head Coach now for a promise of the future.

Better strike while the iron is hot. Things can change.

The thing the Rams have going for them with him too is that he and Devaney are apparently pretty good friends and Spags may really feel good about working with him so that leaving the Giants becomes that much easier.

The thing I think both Spags and Garrett have working against them in the Rams case is that they both already make a lot of money and the Rams would have to pony up even more, whereas Ryan and Frazier would likely come much cheaper.

I wounder how that would play out until 2011 in the locker room, long time to wait.

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Originally Posted by HornIt

I would think that Spags would learn the lesson of Jason Garrett this year and realize you don't pass up an offer to be a Head Coach now for a promise of the future.

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Good point ..

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Originally Posted by HornIt

The thing I think both Spags and Garrett have working against them in the Rams case is that they both already make a lot of money and the Rams would have to pony up even more, whereas Ryan and Frazier would likely come much cheaper.

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It's still an opportunity to land a head coaching gig though ..

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they could promise Spagnuolo the job would be his then.

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Would the Rooney rule not block that?

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Originally Posted by HUbison

Would the Rooney rule not block that?

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My understanding is that it would not. Not if the contract was done prior to the season in which the current HC retired or was fired.

That's why Jim Mora Jr. was able to assume the job in Seattle without going through the coach search process and therefore subject to the Rooney Rule.

Same would actually be true for Garrett in Dallas actually I think. He's under contract as the successor to Wade Phillips Jr. The Rooney Rule does not apply to arrangements like that.

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Originally Posted by HornIt

My understanding is that it would not. Not if the contract was done prior to the season in which the current HC retired or was fired.

That's why Jim Mora Jr. was able to assume the job in Seattle without going through the coach search process and therefore subject to the Rooney Rule.

Same would actually be true for Garrett in Dallas actually I think. He's under contract as the successor to Wade Phillips Jr. The Rooney Rule does not apply to arrangements like that.

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The same thing would apply to the Colts naming Jim Caldwell as their new HC without them having to interview a minority prospect.

As I understand it, the Rooney Rule only applies to head coaching vacancies (can you say "loophole" boys and girls?)

If Spagnuolo signs a successor deal with the Giants, I think I would go ahead and try to hire Leslie Frazier right away. As much as I would like Rex Ryan to be the choice, I don't think I'd be willing to wait until Monday (or longer if the Ravens win on Sunday) just to get into a bidding war with the Jets.

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Originally Posted by AvengerRam

If Spagnuolo signs a successor deal with the Giants, I think I would go ahead and try to hire Leslie Frazier right away. As much as I would like Rex Ryan to be the choice, I don't think I'd be willing to wait until Monday (or longer if the Ravens win on Sunday) just to get into a bidding war with the Jets.

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I dunno .. if Ryan is really the guy Billy D. thinks is best ... It is kind of a catch 22. The longer you wait, the less there is for the eventual HC to choose from when trying to assemble his own coaching staff. Still, if Billy's really sold on Rex, then he should try and get him. Whoever else wants Rex will have to wait too. Plus we always have the Haz to fall back on .. unappealing as that may be to many ..

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Originally Posted by MauiRam

The same thing would apply to the Colts naming Jim Caldwell as their new HC without them having to interview a minority prospect.

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True, but it wouldn't have mattered with Caldwell since he's a minority. Basically makes the Rooney Rule a moot point with them, like it did with SF and Singletary.

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Originally Posted by HornIt

True, but it wouldn't have mattered with Caldwell since he's a minority. Basically makes the Rooney Rule a moot point with them, like it did with SF and Singletary.

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I wasn't aware of that, I stand corrected .. :D

2011? So that means if Spags was "HC in waiting" he would have to wait until 4 seasons from now? No thanks - that is an ETERNITY - and as someone has said - too many other things can happen. Spags is still a hot candidate for HC job and he needs to strike this year while he's "HOT"....

falconator,

i just saw a post by you saying that Scott Pioli is the new GM in KC and saying how Spags is their number 1 target,but its vanished now..


am i really that drunk??

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Originally Posted by Ramblin` Ram

falconator,

i just saw a post by you saying that Scott Pioli is the new GM in KC and saying how Spags is their number 1 target,but its vanished now..


am i really that drunk??

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no your not drunk - the moderator moved it.....i guess he thought it was not rams related - but its TOTALLY Rams related...as it affects the coaching search.

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Originally Posted by Falconator

no your not drunk - the moderator moved it.....i guess he thought it was not rams related - but its TOTALLY Rams related...as it affects the coaching search.

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It's in the NFL Talk forum.