Football
Former Jaguars, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin passed over for Pro Football Hall of Fame
Tom Coughlin inducted into Pride of Jaguars at halftime, honored
Jaguars inaugural head coach and general manager Tom Coughlin was full of emotions after the halftime induction ceremony into the Pride of the Jaguars.
Tom Coughlin’s bid to gain entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame fell short Tuesday when former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was named as the coach nominee for the HOF Class of 2025.
Holmgren was selected over Coughlin, who guided the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002) to two AFC Championship games and won two Super Bowls as the New York Giants head coach (2004-15), and seven other candidates.
It marked the second year of eligibility for the 78-year-old Coughlin, an Atlantic Beach resident, who was inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars in October.
Holmgren will join senior player nominees Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer, along with contributor Ralph Hay, as nominees that will be voted on separately for the Hall of Fame from a group of 15 modern-era player finalists.
A maximum three nominees can be selected from the first group and five from the still-to-be-determined 15 finalists. Former Jaguars running back Fred Taylor is among 25 players who reached the semifinals, and the HOF will announce the 15 finalists on Dec. 28.
During his 20 seasons (1995-2015) as an NFL head coach, Coughlin compiled a regular-season record of 170-150 (.531) and 12-7 in the playoffs, which includes two Super Bowl victories over the New England Patriots’ dynasty of Bill Belichick in 2007 and 2011.
Holmgren, who had a 161-111 (.592) record and 13-11 in the postseason, rose to prominence during seven seasons (1992-98) with the Packers. He won a Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots in 1996, and lost to the Denver Broncos and quarterback John Elway the following year.
During Holmgren’s 10 seasons in Seattle, he won four NFC West division titles and reached the Super Bowl in 2005, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is the first time Holmgren will be voted on for HOF induction after 11 years of eligibility.
Coughlin, Holmgren and two-time Super Bowl champion Mike Shanahan were considered the frontrunners to be the coach nominee, along with Marty Schottenheimer and Dan Reeves.
The path for Coughlin to get in next year could be more challenging because Belichick and Pete Carroll, who won a Super Bowl with Seattle, will be eligible for the first time if they don’t return to coaching in 2025.
Coughlin lost out last year as the coach nominee to Buddy Parker, who led the Detroit Lions to two NFL championships in 1952 and ‘53. Parker fell short in his bid to get into the HOF during the final voting process.
Gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540; Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @genefrenette
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