Giants Head Coaching Candidate Preview: Kris Richard

Here's a more detailed look at Kris Richard, who is scheduled to interview for the Giants head coaching position Thursday, including why he would be a fit, why he wouldn't be a fit, and the top question(s) the Giants are likely to ask him.

Kris Richard, currently the Cowboys passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach who had some play-calling responsibilities, is scheduled to interview with the Giants Thursday in East Rutherford. 

Richard's contract with the Cowboys is set to expire this month, and it is anticipated that there were no plans for the team to renew Richard's deal, especially given the uncertainty surrounding head coach Jason Garrett's future with the team.

 When the Cowboys hired Richard in 2018, Rod Marinelli, their defensive coordinator, gushed about the newest addition to his staff in an interview with the Cowboys’ official web site as being good as any incoming acquisition.

“This guy’s really good, Marinelli said last year of Richard. “He did a terrific job in Seattle; the resume’s in the tape. But he brings energy, a great deal of intensity, toughness. He can relate really well to these players. That’s what I really like.”

In that same article, Richard addressed the topic of accountability by stressing the importance of dependability, noting the importance of not allowing mistakes to happen in the first place.

Why He’s an Appealing Candidate

General manager Dave Gettleman often refers to the “young puppies” on the team, and nowhere are there more “young puppies” than on the defensive side of the ball, and in particular, in the defensive backfield.

Richard, a former NFL defensive back, is said to have a pleasant, yet form personality who can also relate well to the younger generation of players.

There’s also something to be said when players have a coach who has “been there, done that” in the trenches.

Many players often believe that having a coach who, at one point, played in the NFL gives the coach a different perspective regarding the little nuances that can be easily missed.

Richard also was part of a Super Bowl-winning team (XLVIII, with Seattle), so he no doubt has some first-hand knowledge from head coach Pete Carroll about those little details necessary to build a winning football program. 

Why the Giants Should Look Elsewhere

The 41-year-old Richard’s claim to fame has been the Legion of Boom, one of the all-time great defensive backfields in league history. But this is a “what have you done for me lately?” business, and the Cowboys defense, which in 2018 finished as the NFL’s seventh-stingiest unit despite allowing the 10th-highest passer rating (95.7) to opposing quarterbacks and recording nine interceptions.

The 2019 season wasn’t much better. Dallas finished ninth in total defense and 11th in points allowed. They also recorded seven interceptions, tied for 30th in the league (with Arizona and Detroit), and allowed a passer rating of 91.9 to opposing quarterbacks.

The other factor with Richard is the lack of head coaching experience on any level. The Giants tried that route with Ben McAdoo only to learn that he was in way over his head.

That’s not to say that Richard, whom Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli compared to a young Mike Tomlin, will travel down that same road.

But if ownership is genuinely looking for things to start turning around quickly, they might not have the luxury of breaking in an up-an-coming head coach who is filling the role for the first time at any level.

Key Interview Question to Ask

How do you plan to develop the offense?

Richard might have faced NFL offenses as a player and coached against them, but the last thing the Giants need is another head coach who is so well-versed in one side of the ball that he gravitates more to that side rather than being more of an overall manager.

As part of Richard’s presentation, he’ll want to have a list of strong candidates for the roles of offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and offensive line coach, three key roles that will be filled.

With some luck, Richard, if hired, might be able to salvage receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, running backs coach Craig Johnson and tight ends coach Lunda Wells from Pat Shurmur’s staff. 

But having people in mind to fix an underperforming offensive line and to continue developing quarterback Daniel Jones and the offense is going to be an important factor for any coach who doesn’t have a strong enough background on the offensive side of the ball.

On the Beat

Hear what Mike Fisher, Cowboys Maven and the Cowboys Insider for 105.3 The Fan in the Dallas -Fort Worth area, had to say about Kris Richard.