Tom Coughlin on Jaguars, Jay Fund and Giants Super Bowl ceremony
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone, left, talks with Tom Coughlin, executive vice president of football operations, during training camp on July 28, 2017. Credit: AP / John Raoux
Tom Coughlin was asked if it feels different watching football from the front office as opposed to the sideline.
“Yeah, it really does,” he said. “But that doesn’t make it bad.”
The two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Giants is in his first season as executive vice president of football operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Many have wondered how he would handle ceding in-game control to someone else, in this case head coach Doug Marrone. So far, he seems to be acclimating well.
Coughlin was in New York on Friday for the 13th annual Champions for Children Gala to support his Jay Fund. The event raised more than $1.2 million on Friday to help families struggling with pediatric cancer.
“We’re trying to establish the Jay Fund in perpetuity,” Coughlin said. “We’ve had great success at these nights of raising a lot of money to help our families in the New York and New Jersey area. It’s not about me, it’s about what we do to help those families. That’s what makes it so special.”
At the time, the Jaguars were 1-0 having beaten the Texas in their opener, 29-7.
“It was a solid, well-played game,” Coughlin said. “It was played the way we wanted it to be played. Outstanding defense, ran the ball, took care of the ball. We had no turnovers. It was a very good start for us. But the challenge goes on.”
Indeed it did. The Jaguars lost their home opener on Sunday, 37-16, to the Titans.
Coughlin is expected to be at MetLife Stadium on Monday night as part of the halftime ceremony honoring the 2007 Super Bowl champions.
“It’s only right,” he said of his presence.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
