Tom Coughlin moves closer to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Tom Coughlin, the former Giants coach who led the franchise to its two most recent Super Bowl victories, today moved another step closer to potential enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Coughlin, the Gants’ coach from 2004-15, was today named one of 12 individuals in the Coach category eligible for Hall’s Class of 2025 presented by Visual Edge IT.

Dan Reeves and Bill Arnsparger, two other former Giants head coaches, and Marty Schottenheimer, who was a Giants assistant coach, are also among the final 12.

The Hall’s nine-member Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee narrowed its original list of 14 nominees to 12 coaches: In addition to Coughlin, Reeves, Arnsparger, and Schottenheimer, they are Jeff Fisher, Alex Gibbs, Mike Holmgren, Chuck Knox, Richie Petitbon, George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, and Clark Shaughnessy.

Hall of Fame bylaws stipulate that each Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee member votes for 12 individuals at this stage of the selection process. Each will cast an additional ballot later this month to reduce the list to nine semifinalists, with those results announced in about two weeks.

Through a sequence of reduction votes over several weeks, the Blue-Ribbon Committee will select one Finalist for the Class of 2025.

Earlier this year, the Hall of Fame revised its bylaws beginning with the Class of 2025. Among the changes: a split of the Coach/Contributor category, which had been combined over the past few election cycles. Both categories now will send nominees through respective Blue-Ribbon Committees before candidates are considered by the full Selection Committee. The Blue-Ribbon Committees are comprised of nine individuals: seven who also are members of the full Selection Committee and two others who hold full voting rights for this subcommittee only.

The new bylaws also reduced the waiting period for Coach candidates from five seasons out of the game to one season out of the game. Individuals who last coached in the 2023 season or earlier are eligible for the Class of 2025.

His signature achievements were the Giants’ victories against the New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. Coughlin was just the second man to coach the Giants for at least 12 seasons. Only Hall of Famer Steve Owen, who reigned for 23 full seasons from 1931-53, led the team longer. With the Giants, Coughlin was 102-90 in the regular season, and 8-3 in the postseason. The 102 victories are second in franchise history to Owen’s 151. Coughlin led the Giants to three NFC East titles and five playoff berths. His eight postseason triumphs tie him with Bill Parcells for the most ever by a Giants coach. Coughlin was the team’s wide receivers coach from 1988-90, a tenure that ended with the team’s victory in Super Bowl XXV.

In addition, Coughlin was the first coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who began play in 1995. Under Coughlin, the Jaguars were the most successful expansion team in NFL history. Coughlin compiled a 68-60 regular season record (.531), plus a 4-4 mark in the playoffs, including those two trips to the AFC Championship Game. The Jaguars made the playoffs every year from 1996-99, the only expansion team in history to earn four postseason berths in its first five seasons.

Coughlin’s 20-year record was 182-157 (.537). The 182 victories are the 12^th-highest total in NFL history.

Reeves was the head coach of the Denver Broncos (1981-1992), Giants (1993-96) and Atlanta Falcons (1997-2003). His overall record was 201-174-2 (.536) and he ranks ninth among NFL coaches in career victories.

Reeves won four conference championships in 23 seasons and was a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, including in 1993 with the Giants.

In four Giants seasons, Reeves was 31-33 in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason.

Reeves died on Jan. 1, 2022.

Arnsparger was just 7-28 as the Giants’ coach from 1974 through the first seven games of the 1976 season. He had his greatest success as an innovative defensive coordinator, winning two Super Bowl titles with the Miami Dolphins and appeared in two other Super Bowls (Miami and San Diego).

Arnsparger passed away on July 17, 2015.

Schottenheimer was a Giants assistant coach from 1975-77. He is best known for converting Harry Carson from a defensive end at South Carolina State to linebacker in the NFL. Carson played there for 13 seasons and was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Schottenheimer was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1984-88, Kansas City Chiefs from 1989-1998, Washington Redskins in 2001, and San Diego Chargers from 2002-06. His record was 205-139-1, which leaves him eighth all-time in victories.

Schottenheimer died on Feb. 8, 2021.