Tom Coughlin is set to meet with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday about the team's coaching vacancy, but it's more of a "feeling-out" between the two parties than an actual interview, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. However, the Eagles did request and were granted an interview with the former New York Giants head coach.
Eagles will meet with Tom Coughlin about coaching vacancy
Coughlin and the Eagles will meet on Monday as more of a “feeling-out” than an interview.
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Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports first reported the Eagles’ interest, but noted that the team’s impatience with Chip Kelly could hurt their chances of hiring Coughlin.
Coughlin, 69, said in his exit press conference with the team that he was “not necessarily” done with coaching and that he’d be open to taking over for another team. However, he praised the Giants during the press conference for the team’s patience with him early in his tenure, just days after he said he was surprised Kelly was fired in the first place.
"Quite frankly, I'm not surprised by anything in this business," Coughlin said of Kelly's firing, via the New York Daily News. "But that one was close."
After firing Kelly, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie spoke about finding a coach that has “emotional intelligence” and can connect with players in a way that Kelly never did,
“You’ve got to open your heart to players ... I would call it a style of leadership that values information, all the resources that are provided and, at the same time, values emotional intelligence,” Lurie said.
Coughlin, while developing a reputation as being a disciplinarian, made deep connections with many players on the Giants and his departure from the team was an emotional event for several players, including quarterback Eli Manning.
The Giants still have rights to Coughlin because he technically was not fired and instead stepped down from the position. Therefore, teams that hope to interview Coughlin must first request permission from the Giants, as the Eagles did.
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