Jim Fassel, Former Giants Coach, Dies at 71

Fassel led the Giants from 1997–2003, winning coaching of the year in 1997 and helping New York reach Super Bowl XXXV.

Former Giants head coach Jim Fassel has died, according to his son, John, who told the Los Angeles Times' Sam Farmer. 

He was 71.

His son, John, who is the special teams coordinator for the Cowboys, told the Times that Jim suffered chest pain on Monday afternoon and was taken to a local hospital. He later died of a heart attack while under sedation. 

The Giants later confirmed news of Fassel's death.

Before coming to the NFL, Fassel was a longtime college coach, working as an offensive assistant (mostly as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator) at Utah, Weber State and Stanford. He later returned to the University of Utah, where he served as the head coach of the Utes from 1985–89.

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Fassel moved to the NFL for the 1991 season, and worked his way through the assist ranks before becoming a head coach in '97.

He led the Giants from 1997–2003, winning coaching of the year in '97 and helping New York reach Super Bowl XXXV. 

Fassel finished his NFL heading coaching career with a 58-53-1 record. Following his stint with the Giants, he briefly worked as an assistant coach with the Ravens and as the head coach of the United Football League's Las Vegas Locomotives.