Ex-Giants Coach Tom Coughlin Fired by Jaguars

Give Giants Head Coach Pat Shurmur credit, he outlasted Tom Coughlin by about two and a half weeks.

The former Giants head coach, and current Jacksonville Jaguars Vice President of Football Operations was fired Wednesday after the NFL Players Association sent out a letter warning potential free agents not to sign in Jacksonville after it became apparent that Coughlin was fining players for not attending rehab and doctors appointments in Jacksonville.

The biggest example was former Jaguar Dante Fowler who threatened with a fine in excess of $700,000 if he didn't attend physical rehab within the organization.

The NFLPA also stated that more than 25 percent of  grievances that have been filed by players have come against the Jaguars, a clear sign that Coughlin was completely insubordinate in his job.

Coughlin always had an edge to him. When he was the head coach of the Giants, he was notorious for running training camp and practices like a drill sergeant, and players in the early Coughlin-years didn't like playing for him.

With Coughlin squarely on the hot seat in 2007, defensive end Michael Strahan begged Coughlin to change his ways, which he did and the Giants went on to win the Super Bowl that season, and would return to win another under Coughlin four years later.

After being fired by the Giants following the 2015 season, Coughlin returned to Jacksonville, the franchise he jumpstarted way back in 1995, as their VP of Football Ops. It started out great as the Jags went all the way to the AFC Title game in 2017, but the past two seasons have been mired in mediocrity, and rifts between the players, coaches and management.

The most notorious spats came with Leonard Fournette last season, and with Jalen Ramsey this season. Ramsey was traded to the Rams earlier this season.

Coughlin also struck out in the quarterback department, signing Nick Foles to a record deal in the off-season, only to see the former Eagle bit both by injury and poor play. Foles is now on the bench backing up rookie Gardner Minshew who has hit a collective wall.

In short, Coughlin had to go. There is no word what might happened to General Manager David Caldwell or Head Coach Doug Marrone, but the guess here is everyone is getting blow out of the building in Duval County.

At the very least, you can forget about an Eli Manning-Tom Coughlin renaissance in Jacksonville in 2020.