The New York Giants hired Pat Shurmur to be the 18th head coach in franchise history Monday.
Shurmur takes over for Ben McAdoo, who was fired Dec. 4 with four games remaining in the regular season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Shurmur will receive a five-year deal.
Shurmur, the former Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, did not want to talk about his future after the Vikings’ 38-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game. He said when asked there was “another time and place for that”.
Shurmur did, however, release a statement on Monday.
“I want to thank [co-owners] John Mara and Steve Tisch for giving me the opportunity to be the head coach of the New York Giants,” Shurmur said in the statement. “I am looking forward to getting to work with [general manager] Dave Gettleman and [assistant general manager] Kevin Abrams and starting the process to once again build a championship team. I have been fortunate to work with many great coaches and players, and I am thankful for those relationships. I would like to thank my family and friends for their tremendous support.”
Gettleman participated in the interview process but ultimately the decision to hire Shurmur was made by Mara and Tisch.
“I can’t wait to start working with Pat,” Gettleman said in the news release. “I know he will provide the type of leadership we need to take our team back to where it belongs. I have followed Pat’s career for many years, and he has had great success wherever he has been. What struck me during our conversation is that being the head coach of the New York Giants is not too big for him. He is made for this moment and this opportunity.”
Shurmur takes over a team that went 3-13 in 2017 but is one year removed from an 11-5 season and a playoff berth. The Giants own the second overall pick in April’s NFL Draft and may use that high pick to select a quarterback who could succeed Eli Manning.
Manning turned 37 on Jan. 3, entering his 15th NFL season, and has two years remaining on his current contract. Gettleman and the team have said they want Manning to be their starting quarterback in 2018. Manning would have the chance to work with Shurmur, who is renowned in NFL circles as a quarterback guru.
The Giants offense has struggled for the past two seasons. The defense, historically the landmark of the team, was near the bottom in 2017. In addition, three defensive players were suspended during the regular season for conduct. Shurmur will be tasked with upgrading the offense and getting the locker room in order.
“We are pleased to welcome Pat to our organization and look forward to the leadership he will provide for our team,” Mara and Tisch said in the news release. “He has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction. We interviewed six talented and qualified candidates, and we feel like Pat, with his vision and experience, is the right person to lead our team.”
The Giants also interviewed New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, interim head coach/defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and former Denver Broncos running backs coach/interim head coach Eric Studesville.
Patricia, the Giants’ target early in the coaching search, will reportedly fill the Detroit Lions’ head coaching vacancy because of his desire to coach in a smaller media market and relationship with general manager Bob Quinn. McDaniels is expected to be named Indianapolis Colts head coach. Shurmur became the Giants’ target after Patricia and McDaniels were seemingly unavailable.
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Shurmur also interviewed with the Lions, Arizona Cardinals (who hired Wilks Monday), and Chicago Bears (who hired Matt Nagy Jan. 8).
Shurmur was an Eagles assistant coach under Andy Reid (1999-2008). He was offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams under Spagnuolo (2009-10) and head coach of the Cleveland Browns (2011-12), going 9-23.
Shumur returned to the Eagles as offensive coordinator under Chip Kelly (2013-15), named interim head coach for the 2015 regular season finale after Kelly was fired. He joined the Vikings as a tight ends coach in 2016. He was named interim offensive coordinator after Norv Turner resigned eight games into the season. The interim tag was removed for the 2017 season.
The Vikings had the league’s 10th ranked offense in the regular season, scoring 23.9 points a game.
McAdoo was fired after 29 games (28 regular season and one postseason). After McAdoo’s dismissal, Mara said the next coach needed to have extensive experience as either a head coach or coordinator. McAdoo was Giants offensive coordinator for only two seasons before he was tapped to succeed Tom Coughlin while Shurmur has both coordinator and head coaching experience.
ESPN’s Chris Mortenson is reporting Shumur is looking to tap former Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio to be his defensive coordinator.
Shurmur has worked with Donovan McNabb, Nick Foles, Sam Bradford, and Case Keenum. Foles, Bradford, and Keenum had their best seasons with Shurmur. Foles threw for 2,891 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2013. Bradford completed 71.6 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,877 yards in 2016. In 2017, Keenum threw for 3,547 yards and 22 touchdowns with an 11-3 record as the Vikings’ starter and the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever played for,” Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said. “He’s a guy I had the pleasure of working with in the tight end room before he took over as offensive coordinator halfway through the year, and then working with him day in and day out this year, the way he’s led the offense and took us — even though we faced the adversity [of] losing another starting quarterback, another starting running back — he carried us all the way to a top-10 offense. They are getting a really special coach, and as good a coach he is, he is an even better human being.”
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer also sang Shurmur’s praises.
“I think if he gets the opportunity, he’ll be successful,” Zimmer said. “I was able to compete against Pat a few times when he was a head coach in Cleveland. I always thought his schemes did a good job. And then we brought him in here as one of the assistants. He’s a smart guy, good relationship with the players. He’s done an outstanding job this year and I do believe he’s earned the right [to be a head coach].”
Shurmur’s introductory press conference will not be held until Friday because of weather-related travel issues to and from Minnesota. He will be with Gettleman in Mobile, Ala. at the Senior Bowl from Tuesday until Friday.
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL and the New York Giants. Please like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
