Giants interview Izzo for special teams coordinator opening
He did it at the highest level as a player and coached it at a high level, and now Larry Izzo might return to the Giants as their special teams coordinator.
Izzo interviewed Saturday with Brian Daboll for the vacancy, The Post confirmed, and, given his résumé and history with Daboll, it is likely Izzo is a strong candidate to replace Thomas McGaughey, who was fired by Daboll following the season.
Izzo, 49, is one of the most accomplished special teams players in NFL history, a three-time Pro Bowler who brought skill and temperament to his many roles as a special teams ace. Izzo made his mark with the Patriots from 2001-08, winning three Super Bowls. Daboll was a defensive assistant and the wide receivers coach on Bill Belichick’s staff during most of Izzo’s stay in New England.
Izzo embarked on his coaching career in 2011, hired by the Giants as their assistant special teams coordinator, working with Tom Quinn after McGaughey, in his first stint with the Giants, left for LSU. Izzo earned his fourth Super Bowl ring, his first as a coach, as the Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLVI.
“Great coach, players loved playing for him,” Lawrence Tynes, the kicker on that Giants team, told The Post. “Larry would participate in the practice drills and go full speed. Thing I love about Larry is his intensity. He coaches like he played and he was a damn good player for a long time. “He’s one of my favorite coaches of all time.”
Izzo was with the Giants through the 2015 season. He also served as the Texans’ special teams coordinator and filled that role the past two years for the Seahawks, who are undergoing a coaching staff change after parting ways with Pete Carroll.
The Giants have also spoken with Michael Ghobrial (Jets), Carlos Polk (Bears) and Matt Harper (49ers), who are all special teams assistants with their teams.