Vikings’ Shurmur gets Giants’ top job
Panthers assistant Wilks will replace Arians at Arizona.
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was named as the New York Giants’ head coach Monday, less than 24 hours after the Vikings lost to Philadelphia in the NFC title game.
Shurmur, 52, replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired in early December with the team 2-10 and owners and fans upset with his handling of the benching of quarterback Eli Manning. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took over for the final four games and went 1-3.
Shurmur “has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction,” Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a statement. The Giants won’t officially introduce Shurmur until Friday. A winter storm in the Midwest is preventing him from coming to New Jersey and he will be at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., tonight through Thursday.
Shurmur returns to the head coaching ranks for the first time since leading the Browns in 2011-12. He takes over a troubled team that posted a 3-13 record a year after making the playoffs.
The Giants interviewed five other candidates, kicking it off with Spagnuolo three days after the season ended. New York also spoke with New England coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and recently fired Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville, who has since been hired as a running backs coach by the Dolphins.
Cardinals: Steve Wilks is the new head coach, and chances are he won’t tread meekly into his new job. “Steve’s personality is as an aggressive guy,” said his ex-boss, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera.
Wilks, 48, spent last season as Carolina’s defensive coordinator after five seasons as the team’s secondary coach. He’s been an NFL assistant for 12 years.
Wilks replaces the colorful and outspoken Bruce Arians, who retired after five seasons and compiled a franchise-record 50 victories.
With the hiring of Wilks, all three major football programs in the state have African-American coaches — Wilks, Herm Edwards at Arizona State and Kevin Sumlin at Arizona. Wilks is the Cardinals’ second African-American coach (Dennis Green was the first) and the only minority candidate to get an NFL head coaching job during this hiring cycle.
The Cardinals were 8-8 last season despite a myriad of significant injuries.
“This is not really a rebuild, this is a retool,” Wilks told azcardinals.com. “We have the culture of winning here.”
Meanwhile, Rivera promoted defensive line coach Eric Washington to be Wilks’ replacement.
Titans: General manager Jon Robinson got his NFL start as a scout with New England, where 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.
“You have to be able to win championships before people start giving you ways to do things,” said Vrabel, who was introduced as head coach 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.”
The Titans agreed to terms with Vrabel on Saturday, five days after firing Mike Mularkey. This is the first top job for Vrabel, 42.
Seahawks: The team announced it has “mutually parted ways” with defensive assistant coach Travis Jones after five seasons.
Browns: Cleveland is reportedly ready to give its offensive coordinator duties to Todd Haley, who was fired from the same job title by Pittsburgh last week. Haley would assume play-calling duties from Browns head coach Hue Jackson.