Coughlin Is Hired as Coach of Giants

Tom Coughlin didn’t say no to the New York Giants this time around.

The former coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday signed a four-year contract worth about $12 million to coach the Giants.

Coughlin, 57, succeeds Jim Fassel, who was fired following a 4-12 season in which the Giants lost their last eight games.

“It is a tremendous challenge, and I am looking forward to working with these players and re-establishing the New York Giants’ tradition of physically controlling the line of scrimmage,” Coughlin said.

General Manager Ernie Accorsi said Coughlin was the man the Giants had wanted 11 years ago and was the man they wanted now.

A former Giant assistant, Coughlin was 72-64 in eight seasons with the Jaguars, twice leading them to the AFC title game. He was fired after 2002, his third consecutive losing season.

The Giants offered Coughlin the coaching job in 1993 after firing Ray Handley. Coughlin turned it down, saying he wanted to complete a rebuilding program he had started at Boston College.

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As the only coach to meet with the Oakland Raiders, Dennis Green appears to be the leading candidate to succeed the fired Bill Callahan.

Green, 54, spent Monday afternoon with team owner Al Davis. Green also has interviewed with the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins. He has coached the Minnesota Vikings -- where he was 101-70 in 10 seasons -- and Stanford.

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Buffalo Bill President Tom Donahoe has at least one more candidate to interview for the team’s coaching job after spending most of Tuesday with Fassel.

The Bills would not identify the remaining candidate or provide details of Donahoe’s meeting with Fassel.

Fassel is the sixth candidate the Bills have interviewed since not rehiring Gregg Williams, who completed the third and final year of his contract.

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Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is staying with the Dallas Cowboys, Coach Bill Parcells said.

Zimmer, who has been with the Cowboys for nine seasons, had interviewed for the vacant coaching job at Nebraska.

The Cowboys gave Zimmer a big raise from the $500,000 he was scheduled to make the next two seasons under a deal he signed last year. Parcells said Zimmer would not comment.

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Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs could return to the Redskins.

The Washington Post, citing sources connected to Gibbs, reported on its Web site that Gibbs was in serious discussions about returning to the team he led to three Super Bowl titles.

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Phil Savage, director of player personnel for the Baltimore Ravens, interviewed for the general manager job with the Miami Dolphins, who said they are interested in two minority candidates.

Jerry Reese, director of player personnel for the Giants, is scheduled to interview Friday, and the Dolphins have requested permission to interview Bobby Grier, assistant director of pro scouting with the Houston Texans. Reese and Grier are black.

Team owner Wayne Huizenga last week stripped Coach Dave Wannstedt of his authority over personnel decisions.

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Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis and receivers coach Ken Jackson were fired by the Pittsburgh Steelers.