Giants fire coach McAdoo, GM Reese
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Believing the team was spiraling out of control, the New York Giants went out of character by making two major in-season moves, firing coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese.
With the team reeling at 2-10 in a season when most felt it was capable of challenging for a Super Bowl, co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch reached the decision Monday morning. It came less than a day after the Giants lost at Oakland, with quarterback Eli Manning benched and the offensively inept team performing poorly again.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will take over as interim coach for the final four games. He coached the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11.
Manning is expected to return as the Giants’ starting quarterback Sunday against the Cowboys, one game after his consecutive-start streak was ended at 210.
The moves come less than a year after McAdoo, 40, ended a four-year Giants playoff drought in his first season, going 11-6.
Assistant general manager Kevin Abrams will take over on an interim basis for Reese, who became GM in 2007 and had two Super Bowl wins on his résumé. But the Giants missed the playoffs four times in the past five years.
Gronkowski gets 1-game suspension
The NFL suspended Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski one game for a late, gratuitous hit to the head of Bills defensive back Tre’Davious White.
White was lying face down on the sideline after intercepting a pass in Buffalo on Sunday when Gronkowski bodyslammed him, driving his forearm into White’s back and head. Gronkowski was called for unnecessary roughness but not kicked out of the game.
Gronkowski will appeal the ban, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told the Associated Press. White entered the concussion protocol, Bills coach Sean McDermott said.
Barring a successful appeal, Gronkowski will miss New England’s game against Miami next Monday night.
Odds and ends
The Ravens will play the final quarter of the regular season without cornerback Jimmy Smith, who will be on injured reserve with a torn left Achilles while serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL policy on performanceenhancing substances. … Titans defensive lineman DaQuan Jones has a torn biceps muscle and will have season-ending surgery. … Bills quarterback Tyrod Tylor has a bruised patellar tendon in his left knee, leaving his status uncertain for Sunday’s game against Indianapolis.