Giants Country

Giants Complete Second Head Coaching Interview with Bills DC Leslie Frazier

Frazier is believed to be the last of the head coaching candidates to interview for the head coaching vacancy, as a decision could be coming as soon as Friday night.

Patricia Traina

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On Friday, the New York Giants completed their second interview with Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. The interview was conducted at the team's East Rutherford, New Jersey headquarters by general manager Joe Schoen, team ownership John and Chris Mara and Steve Tisch, and other front office members.

The 62-year-old Frazier, who is also the Bills defensive coordinator, is also the Bills assistant head coach. 

Frazier's Bills defense finished at the top of the 2021 season in several categories. They allowed the fewest points-per-game (17.0), fewest total yards (272.8), and passing yards (163.0) a game, fewest yards-per-play (4.6), and first downs a game (16.8) and the lowest opposing third-down conversion percentage (30.8 on 66 successes in 214 attempts).

Buffalo also tied for third with 30 takeaways and has finished in the top 10 in that category in each of Frazier's five seasons as defensive coordinator.

Frazier is also a former NFL defensive back who was a member of the Chicago Bears 1985 Super Bowl championship team. 

As an NFL defensive back out of Alcorn State, Frazier amassed 20 interceptions for 343 return yards and two touchdowns over a five-year playing career that began in 1981. He also led Chicago in interceptions in three consecutive seasons. Frazier tore his ACL during Super Bowl XX and never played again.

Since retiring from an active playing career, he's been in the NFL coaching circles for the last 23 years, his prior positions including stints with the Vikings, for whom he was the head coach, and the Eagles, Bengals, Colts, Bucs, Ravens, and Bills as either a position coach or as a coordinator.

At Minnesota, Frazier was the interim head coach for the final six games of the 2010 season. He led the team to three victories in six games and was named the full-time head coach. 

In his second full season in 2012, running back Adrian Peterson was the NFL's most valuable player, and the Vikings earned a playoff berth with a 10-6 record but lost a wild card game to division rival Green Bay. Frazier's last season with the Vikings was in 2013 when they finished 5-10-1.

Frazier is the fifth candidate to interview in person with the Giants' front office, joining Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn (who has since withdrawn from consideration), Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former Miami head coach Brian Flores. Cincinnati defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was interviewed by video conference last Sunday.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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