The New York Football Giants made the playoffs 5 times in the 12 years that Coughlin was the head coach. Two of the five playoff years the team won the Super Bowl. Certainly, from a sports historian point of view, those years are large franchise achievements.
He ran the team like a boot camp – very traditional rules. Showing up less than five minutes early for a meeting was dealt with as tardiness. Suits had to be worn on road trips. This bothered players greatly. Willington Mara asked Coughlin to create better relationships with his players.
He was very strict. But, sometimes it paid off. Brandon Jacobs was pulled out of a game and told he was not trying hard enough by Coughlin. Jacobs got angry told the coach that he was going to beat his ass. This happened a few times. Jacobs had a number of angry back and forth discussions with him. They made up each time. In the end Jacobs accepted Coughlin’s criticisms and became a better player for it.
Coughlin evolved as the years went along. He went from a hard-nosed, no nonsense disciplinarian who wouldn’t give you the time of day to a mellower, caring, related coach with his players.
But, there was something about his face that changed too. Yes, there was always the stern looking, unhappy, fighting the world demeanor. The fans and players were familiar with it. Being that kind of leader and personality is very wearing on that person. It is exhausting to keep it up. Coughlin is not a quitter, but he was done a few years before his reign ended. Certainly, leaders who have been very successful and have that personality can only last so long. Coughlin couldn’t save himself. He couldn’t say, “I’m done.” He had to push himself to the edge and beyond. It had gotten to a point this year when Coughlin, Mara and Tisch couldn’t ignore it anymore. Competitive people in sports often stay longer than they should and instead of leaving at the right time, they stay until it is much too obvious to ignore. Coughlin is safe from his own competitive self for now. I expect his facial muscles will relax a bit. He will make The Football Hall of Fame. I hope on that day we all appreciate what he put himself through to make the Football Giants a winner of two magnificent Super Bowls.
