Four Former Giants Coaches Advance Toward Hall of Fame in 12-Man Cut

Here's some background on the four coaches with ties to the Giants franchise.

Dec 20, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin coaches against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. The Panthers defeated the Giants 38-35. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Retired head coach Tom Coughlin and three other former NFL head coaches with ties to the New York Giants took a step closer toward induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025.

Coughlin, Bill Arnsparger, Dan Reeves, and Marty Schottenheimer are four of the 12 former head coaches chosen by a Blue Ribbon Committee overseeing the selection process.

Here is a little bit about the four men with Giants connections.

Bill Arnsparger

Jan 13, 1974; Houston, TX, USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti (85) talking with assistant coach Bill Arnsparger (white hat) and coach Don Shula (right) against the Minnesota Vikings during Super Bowl VIII at Rice Stadium. Miami defeated Minnesota 24-7. / Dick Raphael-Imagn Images

Arnsparger's lengthy career began as a defensive assistant coach with the (then) Baltimore Colts. After several years, he fulfilled several coaching roles for the Miami Dolphins. During this time, he won two Super Bowls (VI and VII) and helped lead them to the only perfect season in NFL history.

He served as the head coach for New York from 1974-1975 and again for the second half of the 1976 season. Arnsparger didn’t see much success with the Giants, ending with a 10-32-0 record.

He spent the rest of his career between the Dolphins, Chargers, and (then) Redskins fulfilling several defensive and head coaching roles. He coached Miami to Super Bowl XVII but ultimately lost to Washington 27-17.

During his 26 years of coaching, his teams achieved a win/loss record of 250-139-6. He passed away in 2015 but will forever be known for directing Miami’s "No Name Defense" and the "Killer B's."

Tom Coughlin

Jan 5, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants former head coach Tom Coughlin addresses the media during a press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. / Jim O'Connor-Imagn Images

Coughlin’s stay with New York was considerably longer than Arnsparger’s. He started with Big Blue in 1988 as a wide receiver coach and stayed for three years, each of which the Giants accumulated winning records. 

He went on to serve as Jacksonville’s head coach from 1995 to 2002 before returning to New York from 2004 to 2015. He led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles (XLII and XLVI), beating the New England Patriots both times, the first time of which his Giants spoiled the Patriots’ quest for a perfect season.

Overall, Coughlin totaled 170 wins with the Giants. He was voted NFL Coach of the Year in 1996 and inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor in 2016.

Dan Reeves

Jan 2, 1994; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Dan Reeves and quarterback Phil Simms (11) on the sideline against the Dallas Cowboys at Giants Stadium. / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

Similar to Arnsparger, Reeves spent only a brief period with the Giants. Nevertheless, he boasts a lengthy coaching career in the NFL, spanning 33 years. 

From 1981 to 2003, he was the head coach of the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Atlanta Falcons. During this period, more than half of his seasons were winning seasons.

Reeves was the Giants' head coach from 1993 to 1996, replacing Ray Handley. In his first season, he led the team to an 11-5 record and secured a playoff berth, an achievement that stands as the best for a first-year head coach. 

He won NFL Coach of the Year in 1993 and again in 1998 after leading the Falcons to a 14-2 record and a Super Bowl XXIII appearance.

Reeves passed away in 2022, leaving behind a legacy of nine Super Bowl appearances, including one win as a player and one as an assistant coach, both while with the Dallas Cowboys.

Marty Schottenheimer

Sept. 17, 2006; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer against the Tennessee Titans at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images © 2006 Mark J. Rebilas / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Marty Schottenheimer is only one of the four coaches with ties to the Giants who didn’t serve as head coach for Big Blue, but that doesn’t make his contributions to the franchise any less important.

Schottenheimer served as the New York Giants' linebackers coach from 1975 to 1976 and then as the team’s defensive coordinator in 1977. During that time, he was largely responsible for developing Harry Carson, the team’s fourth-round draft pick in 1976 and a future Hall of Famer himself, into one of the best inside linebackers in the game.

Schottenheimer, a former NFL linebacker who played for the Bills, Boston Patriots, Steelers, and Colts, got his first chance to become an NFL head coach in 1984 with the Cleveland Browns. He also served as the head coach for the Chiefs, Commanders, and Chargers.  

Throughout his 30+ years of coaching, Schottenheimer accumulated a cumulative win/loss record of 252-213-1. He is a two-time AFC Coach of the Year winner (1986 and 2004), and coached eight players to award-winning seasons.

Schottenheimer also led the league in wins during the 1995, 1997, and 2006 seasons, and ranks second in winning percentage for both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Each member of The Hall’s nine-person Coach Blue-Ribbon Committee will continue to narrow down the finalists every few weeks. The 12 finalists will be reduced to nine later this month, and the results will be announced in about two weeks.

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