Giants bring back former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
The New York Giants are bringing back Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator.
The team announced the move on Thursday after numerous reports had narrowed the final candidates to Spagnuolo and former Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen. Former Giants linebacker Pepper Johnson and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris also reportedly interviewed for the position.
“We spoke to a lot of very good candidates,” head coach Tom Coughlin said in a release. “The energy, enthusiasm and strong personality that we saw before in Steve Spagnuolo, all of that was very evident again. His desire to be a Giant again was very, very obvious.”
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The Giants fired defensive coordinator Perry Fewell last week after five years. New York finished 6-10 this season and ranked 29th in total defense (375.8 yards allowed per game).
Spagnuolo, 34, was the Giants’ defensive coordinator from 2007-08, overseeing the defense that helped New York win Super Bowl XLII.
He spent the past two seasons as a defensive assistant with the Baltimore Ravens, coaching the the secondary in 2014.
Spagnuolo left the Giants after the 2008 season to become the head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was fired after the 2011 season, going 10-38 in his three seasons as head coach.
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Spagnuolo spent 2012 as the New Orleans' Saints defensive coordinator before joining the Ravens in 2013.
Before coming to the Giants in 2007, Spagnuolo spent eight seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles' coaching staff.
“I was hoping to take the next step, God willing, and be a coordinator again," Spagnuolo said. "I’m ecstatic that it’s with Tom Coughlin. Tom is the highest character guy I know. The feeling I have is one of excitement. We’re going to work our butts off, and hopefully we will do great things together.”
The Giants also announced Tim Walton as secondary/cornerbacks coach, replacing Peter Giunta, who was fired last week along with Fewell. Walton was the Rams' defensive coordinator in 2013.
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