Tom Coughlin talks new book, Super Bowl XLII in 1-on-1 with Giants Wire
Legendary New York Giants head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Coughlin, is releasing his newest book next week. And t former Giants head coach sat down with Giants Wire to talk about it — and many other things..
The book, titled “A Giant Win: Inside the New York Giants’ Historic Upset over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII,” breaks down Super Bowl XLII and parts of the season that led up what Coughlin calls “the greatest underdog Super Bowl victory in history.”
The book gives Giants fans the angle from the coach’s point of view and goes through some details that most Big Blue fans don’t know and other facts that fans may have forgotten about.
Coughlin is also very proud of his work done through his foundation “The Jay Fund” which he also reflected on during the interview.
The book will be released on December 6 and it is one any Giants fan will want to pickup.
How the book came to be
Coughlin: “The book came about because as we reflected back; it’s almost 15 years now. In my opinion, this is the greatest Super Bowl Game of all-time and certainly the greatest underdog Super Bowl victory in history.
“Reflecting on that and thinking about the circumstances within our country today — coming off COVID-19, coming into inflation and depression and setbacks. Everyone in our country can relate to when you’re down, when things are not going your way and what choice do you have but to stand up and take it head on. And that’s exactly what this book is about. This book is about everyone who’s been knocked on their rear-end that has never been given a chance or told that they can’t succeed. This book is for all of those. This book is for those who have been challenged to be the best that they can be, to come back from adversity.
“Again, as I said, the greatest thing in the world is when you tell me I can’t do something. That’s the greatest motivation for me. If you look at the ’07 team, for example, I hire Steve Spanuolo as the defensive coordinator and we give up 80 points in the first two games. We’re 0-2 and we go to Washington and it goes on and on and on.
“We’re trying to win it down the stretch and we’re one win away and we get beat at home against Washington with a backup quarterback, so we kept coming back. We kept getting up off the floor. Week 17, we get beat 38-35 but it’s a great game; much different than what’s to come in the Super Bowl.
“In the Super Bowl, we faced the greatest quarterback of all-time, the greatest offensive team in the history of the National Football League, a defense that is ranked 4th in the league and were going head-to-head with the greatest quarterback in the league with Eli Manning (under center for us). All of these things are contributors to why I think this is a great story and the timeliness of this story is most effective in my opinion.”
On choosing the Giants over the Steelers when he was hired by Bill Parcells
“What was important to me then was, I happened to be in a situation where I had now been in the league for four years and I was the wide receivers coach with the Green Bay Packers and the passing game coach. And so I was in a situation where I had a little more of my feet on the ground, if you will. I had two opportunities that were incredible opportunities — two Hall of Fame coaches were interested.
“I am from upstate New York. I could remember the time where the black and white television was delivered to our home for the first time. And I would watch the New York Giants; basically the Giants and the Browns compete from that point on. I’m a New York State kid, infatuated by the New York Giants, the Yankees, all of New York, that type of thing. So, when the opportunity came, I was first of all, humbled by the fact that I had two Hall of Fame coaches interested in my services, but I (thought) back to the days of watching the Giants and the Browns and wanting to be a part of Wellington Mara and the New York Giants organization.”
On every part of the team -- both player and staff -- having to work together
“I’ve always implemented that, no matter where I’ve been because there’s nothing more important than that. You have to understand, this is in Parcell’s way — he’s not patting you on the rear-end. He sits in a meeting and he’s telling you, ‘yeah, we have to have coordinators. Yes, we have to have chain of command, but in order for us to succeed every man in this room has to do his job to the best of his ability. And if one man doesn’t, we’re going to pay the price.’
“I’ve always tried to understand and emulate that. For example, I was the wide receivers coach and if my guys don’t play well we don’t win. We don’t win Super Bowl XXV, for example, and that’s the way I always looked at it.”
How the leadership council came to be
“In earlier years, I would come into my team meetings (and) I would lecture. I’d stand outside the door and I’d watch the guys go by and there might be three of four interpretations of what I said. So, my idea with the leadership council was communication. I wanted my players who were in the council and we had players from each position. I wanted them to carry forth the message that I was sharing with the council. Carry forth the message so there was no misunderstanding about what was being said or when it was being said.
“I would give them information. For example, I would give them notice on what the Thanksgiving holiday would be all about — how much family time they would get, when we would work and when they wouldn’t work. That way I would squash all the undermining questions — what’s he going to do? How’s he going to handle this vacation time or holiday time? So, that was the purpose and to that end, it was very successful because the guys would come together, we would share information, they would carry back the message, the message would be well heard and the players in the individual meeting rooms would know exactly what I had in mind.”
On his pregame tradition of shaking players' hands during stretches
“That was mine. That was my way of going to each one of our players and wishing them the very best, to have their best game, enjoy yourself. Whatever the specifics were that I wanted to leave each individual with. It might just be a quick ‘good luck.’ It might be a pat on the back. It might be, ‘we’re going to need to be able to do this today, have a great one.’ Whatever it was, I was going to extend and shake their hand to tell them I wish them the best in the game this afternoon, so that was just something that I believed.”
Plaxico Burress fighting through injuries
“Plaxico is a great athlete; no one should ever make a mistake about that. His accomplishments in high school are legendary. He’s a guy that, you know, he and I locked horns on a lot of different things. The one thing that I saw — and believe me the book points out very pointedly — I didn’t know if Plaxico was going to play in the Super Bowl and it was right up until the last second. I was turning in who was available, who wasn’t available. I had to turn my list in within probably 15 minutes of Ronnie Barnes giving me the signal that Plaxico would be active and he would play, so that he would not appear on the inactive list. And that was as true a story as can be.
“So, not only does he have the ankle but he also has a knee. He has a knee injury that he picked up during the week which, that was very hard for me to swallow. But it happened and there he was. But he did play and because he did play in the game, he had a great influence on the game from the stand point of the Patriots had to defend a great player. A guy who had just — I mean Eli and Plaxico in Green Bay (NFC Championship) were incredible in -24 degree weather, throwing and catching the ball like they did, so they (the Patriots) had to defend him.
“He scored the winning touchdown but he was an injured player who played through everything and because he did that, he gained the respect of everyone.”
On how Week 17 prepared them for the rematch in Super Bowl XLII
“The greatest thing it did was told us that we could play with them. We didn’t necessarily expect it to be 38-35, (but) I don’t think Bill Belichick did, either.
“The idea that we were the New York Giants and, you know, circumstances around that week. The media immediately jumps out, ‘Are you going to play your players? You’re in the playoffs, you going to play them?’ We are the New York Giants. We’re a very proud proud franchise in the National Football League; a flagship franchise in New York. We are going to play our starters because never let it be said that we didn’t put our best foot forward in a circumstance such as that. A team going for an undefeated season.
“So, that was our whole point in all that. It was a great football game that we led in the fourth quarter. They came back and beat us but when we left the field, we knew we could play with them.”
On Eli Manning being a prankster
“What’s important about that is that when he gets in the locker-room, Eli’s just like everyone else. I mean, his relationship with the offensive line is legendary. If you can imagine (Shaun) O’Hara and (Rich) Seubert trying to compete with Eli in the bust your you know what category — it went on and on and it was all in good nature. It was never anything more than that but you could have written a sitcom based on what went on in that situation, so that was Eli.
“Eli was a prankster and was a behind-the-scenes guy. You never knew when it was going to happen or where. But he had fun and that was part of the way in which a professional athlete enjoys being with his teammates. I think you can look at the way (Michael) Strahan operated, the way Eli operated. That was just a part of being a pro.”
Was Justin Tuck a more deserving Super Bowl XLII MVP than Eli Manning?
“Well, I don’t vote but I will tell you nobody has playoff and Super Bowl games like Justin Tuck.
“Justin Tuck did it twice, just like Eli did it twice. (Justin) was an incredible player throughout the playoffs and in ’07 when the NASCAR package was developed, which basically meant we had the great pass rushers on the outside, Strahan and Osi (Umenyiora), and now Tuck comes in and plays over a guard. Guards haven’t seen anybody as athletic as this guy. He’s powerful, he’s big, he’s strong. And yet, he’s got great athleticism, quickness and ability to set people up and counter move. His impact on the playoffs and on the Super Bowl games is the stuff of legends. So, certainly Eli deserved the MVP, but that’s taking absolutely nothing away from the contributions Justin Tuck made.”
On being able to appreciate the Tyree catch in the moment
“You can’t. You’re running down there taking a timeout so we don’t waste time getting organized 25-30 yards away. So, you’re on to the very next thing.
“But the idea of what happened; it was almost right in front of me when Eli escaped and it’s incredible to think he got out of that. I mean, he’s got three guys that have a piece of him and he just keeps fighting. And then he throws the ball down the middle of the field and you go, ‘oh no.’ Usually when you overthrow somebody or throw a pass that’s not totally accurate down the middle of the field, it goes the other way. But David had worked his way back and in working his way back, he was in position to go up with Rodney Harrison being the All-Pro safety that he is — a big strong guy that probably weighs maybe 25 pounds more than David Tyree did. And yet, David was able to leap up and be in position and even to hold onto the ball when Harrison came down across the back of his legs, which you don’t do that on the playground.
“On the playground, you get hit in the legs like that, all you’re thinking about is taking care of the legs. The play itself was just an incredible play and a great performance. And I take great offense to people — that wasn’t luck. That was a great football play made by two guys. I think as you relate to it and you look at it and those that felt that (it was lucky)… What are you going to say about (Julian) Edelman’s catch? That was a great catch, too. Are we going to belittle something that dynamic and the way the outcome of the game was thrown into the balance based on that play? So there you go.”
Reflecting on the contributions of the Jay Fund
“Extremely proud because when you start something you never know how it’s going to be received. But I think the thing you have to understand is the compassion and empathy that comes forth from people when you understand our vision is why the Jay Fund has been able to help over 5,000 families; over $16 million in grants to families. The reason is because of the direct nature in what we do.
“I understand research but for us, it’s practical. We’re going keep a roof over the head of families who have a child with cancer. We’re going to put food on their table. We’re going to put gas in their tank. We’re going to get them to the hospital and back. We’re going to make sure that their bills are paid. We’re going to do that so the parents can devote their energy to helping the child overcome cancer.
“That is why we’ve been able to be successful. That’s why my entire family is so involved. That’s what has been humbling — all we’ve been able to accomplish in humility, utilizing the notoriety of what I do for a living. But for the good of mankind. That’s what we are all about.”
The future of the Jay Fund
“We’re going to help as many people as we can, for as long as we can. We’re going to work our tails off. We’re going to do exactly what we say we are going to do, which is something that is not always the case. And, hopefully, let’s take the 5,000 families helped and make it 10,000.”
