Giants hire Vikings OC Shurmur as next head coach
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has been hired as the New York Giants head coach.
The Giants announced the hiring late Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after Shurmur and the Vikings were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game.
The 52-year-old Shurmur replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired in early December with the team mired with a 2-10 record and owners and fans upset with his handling of the benching of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took over for the final four games and posted a 1-3 record.
“He has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction,” co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a statement.
“We interviewed six talented and qualified candidates, and we feel like Pat, with his vision and experience, is the right person to lead our team.”
The Giants won’t officially introduce Shurmur until Friday. A winter storm in the Midwest is preventing him from coming to New Jersey on Tuesday and he will be at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, from Tuesday night through Thursday.
Panthers name Washington new defensive coordinator
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » The Carolina Panthers wasted little time naming a new defensive coordinator after Steve Wilks left to become head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Panthers coach Ron Rivera promoted defensive line coach Eric Washington as Wilks’ replacement on Monday, just hours after the hiring of Wilks became official. Rivera said after the season that had a hunch Wilks would get a head coaching job, and was prepared in the event that it happened.
Wilks’ departure means the Panthers will enter next season with three new coordinators.
Rivera fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula two days after the season and replaced him with Norv Turner. Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey was replaced by former assistant coach Chase Blackburn. McGaughey’s contract was up and he wanted to pursue other options.
New coach Mike Vrabel: Titles proof Titans’ approach works
NASHVILLE, TENN. » Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson got his NFL start as a scout with the New England Patriots, the same team his new head coach Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowl rings as a linebacker.
Yes, it seems like the Titans are trying to implement the Patriot Way in Music City.
Vrabel said that’s what it looks like — until the Titans win big themselves.
“You have to be able to win championships before people start giving you ways to do things,” Vrabel said Monday. “So that’ll be our ultimate goal . ... Until we can win a championship doing that, there’s not going to be this Titan Way. It will be talked about in the building. But people from outside the building, they won’t believe in us, they won’t have faith in us until you win.”