Cowboy rides into town
Giants talk to Dallas’ Richard about top job
The Giants kicked off their head coaching interviews Thursday with Kris Richard, the Dallas Cowboys’ defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach.
Then GM Dave Gettleman hopefully set a new precedent for his public availability with consecutive radio appearances on WFAN and ESPN New York.
“He’s a very impressive guy, and we really enjoyed our time with him,” Gettleman said of Richard, 40.
Ex-Packers coach Mike McCarthy is on deck to be interviewed Friday.
The Giants said Richard (pronounced rih-SHARD) met with co-owner John Mara, Gettleman, assistant GM Kevin Abrams and other members of the staff.
Co-owner Steve Tisch is heavily involved in the process, as well. Tisch is in constant communication with Mara and Gettleman and has plans to speak with all the candidates.
McCarthy, 56, who has met twice with the Carolina Panthers, interviewed with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday and now is set to meet the Giants.
McCarthy and Baylor’s Matt Rhule, 44, who has yet to schedule his interview, both have head coaching experience in either college or the pros.
Rhule has not scheduled his interview yet. He is reportedly vacationing with his family in Mexico for a bit before he gets the process started with both the Giants and Panthers.
After McCarthy, the Giants are scheduled on Saturday to interview both Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, 50, and Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale, 56.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, 43, and special teams coach Joe Judge, 37, cannot interview until next week following New England’s Wild Card game against the Titans.
McDaniels, who interviewed for the Giants’ last vacancy two years ago, reportedly will hold all of his interviews on Jan. 10. He is not believed to be interested as long as the Giants keep Gettleman in control.
Gettleman claimed on WFAN without qualification that he’d be receptive to relinquishing control of personnel moves if it meant it would help the Giants win a Super Bowl. It remains to be seen if that’s genuinely possible.
Richard’s contract with Dallas is up, so he was free to interview with the Giants even though Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has yet to decide on head coach Jason Garrett’s fate.
Richard interviewed for three NFL head coaching vacancies this time last year: the Jets, Dolphins and Buccaneers. The Giants’ first question for Richard on Thursday should have been: ‘Why can’t we score on your defense?’
Pat Shurmur’s Giants went 0-4 against the Cowboys in two years and averaged 16 points per game in three of the losses. They scored 35 in Week 17 of last season, but Dallas rested or limited key players on both sides of the ball.
Richard’s Cowboys pass defense ranked 13th in the NFL in 2018 and 10th this year.
Richard is better known, however, for helping to develop the Seattle Seahawks’ famous “Legion of Boom” secondary that included Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner and Byron Maxwell.
Richard spent eight seasons (2010-17) in Seattle. He was the defensive backs coach when the Seahawks went to back-toback Super Bowls, winning one, in the 2013-14 seasons.
Richard’s 2013 secondary was one of the most dominant in NFL history. The Seahawks ranked first in the NFL in passing defense (172 yards per game), interceptions (28) and opposing quarterback passer rating (63.4).
He was then promoted to defensive coordinator for three seasons before leaving for Dallas.
In Richard’s first season as coordinator in 2015, Seattle led the NFL in scoring defense for the fourth consecutive season, becoming the first defense in the Super Bowl era to accomplish the feat. The unit led the league by allowing just 81.5 rushing yards a game and a franchise-record low 1,304 yards.
Richard, originally from Los Angeles, played four years in the league as a defensive back: three for the Seahawks, who drafted him 85th overall in the third round of the 2002 draft out of USC, and one for the 49ers.
Gettleman said the Giants are in no rush to find their coach; they simply want to find the best one.
“It’s not about who gets there first,” Gettleman said. “It’s about getting it right. And that’s what we’re really focused on.”
So it will be interesting to see if the Giants wait long enough to interview Garrett if the Cowboys wait to let him go