NY Giants head coach Tom Coughlin played for the Orange and coached at his alma mater.
Super Sized: Three Former Orange Players Going To The Super Bowl
1/21/2008 12:16:11 PM | Football
The New York Giants needed just a little more time and a 47-yard field goal in Sunday's NFC Championship game to send former Orange student-athletes Tom Coughlin '68, David Tyree '03 and Markus Paul '89 to Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz. The Giants walked away from the frigged Lambeau Field with a 23-30 victory. They will face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Coughlin, the Giants head coach who coached at Syracuse in addition to playing for the Orange, is making his first appearance in the big game as a head coach after coming up short with losses in the 1996 and 1999 AFC title games with Jacksonville. He joins Bill Parcells and Jim Fassel as the only coaches to lead the Giants to the Super Bowl.
With three victories this month, Coughlin is now second among Giants head coaches in postseason wins – Parcells has eight.
Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers was a nail biter with the scored 20-17 in favor of the Giants heading in to the fourth quarter. A field goal by the Packers pulled the score even (20-20) with just over 11 minutes remaining. Both teams were unable to add to the scoreboard in regulation. New York lost the coin toss, but got the ball after registering an interception. A field goal only 1:39 into the extra period sealed the win.
“Well, that was some game,” Coughlin said in his post game press conference. “I think the thing that I'm most proud of about this team is the way they hang together, the way they played hard. They never say die. It doesn't matter what the odds are. They just keep scrapping and believing and working to find a way to win."
Coughlin's defense limited the Packers to only 264 yards for the game, while his offense posted 380 yards.
Helping the Giants pick up some yards was Tyree, who had one catch in the game. Tyree, a wide receiver and special teams ace, was selected by the Giants in 2003 and was a Pro Bowler in 2005. He is also playing in his first Super Bowl.
Paul, a 10-year NFL coaching veteran, is in his first season as the Giants assistant strength and conditioning coach. He worked with the Jets in 2005 and 2006 and was the New England Patriots assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2000 through 2004, where he won three Super Bowl rings. His first NFL coaching position was with the New Orleans Saints in 1998 and 1999. Paul played for six years in the NFL, with the Chicago Bears for five seasons and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one.
Paul, a 10-year NFL coaching veteran, is in his first season as the Giants assistant strength and conditioning coach. He worked with the Jets in 2005 and 2006 and was the New England Patriots assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2000 through 2004, where he won three Super Bowl rings. His first NFL coaching position was with the New Orleans Saints in 1998 and 1999. Paul played for six years in the NFL, with the Chicago Bears for five seasons and with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for one.
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