Jaguars interested in talking with Tom Coughlin for head coaching position

A few weeks after parting ways with the Giants in January following 12 seasons and two Super Bowl championships, Tom Coughlin told Newsday that coaching wasn't out of his system and that he still had what he called "the old fire in the belly."

It turns out he may get the chance to revive his career once again.

Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said Monday that the team wants to speak with Coughlin about their vacant head coaching position. The Jaguars fired Gus Bradley after Sunday's loss to the Texans and named offensive line coach Doug Marrone as the interim coach for the final two games of the season.

"Tom is somebody we'll be interested in talking to," Caldwell told reporters at a news conference. "Tom's a great man, a great person, and we'll see how it goes. There'll be a lot of people we'll be interested in talking to."

Coughlin was the Jaguars' first head coach when the team joined the NFL as an expansion franchise in 1995. He led the team to two AFC Championship Game appearances and four playoff berths before being fired in 2002. He was 68-60 with the Jaguars and was 102-90 with the Giants from 2004 to 2012. He presided over Super Bowl championships in the 2007 and 2011 seasons but missed the playoffs four straight years before being ousted.

Coughlin, who turned 70 in August, would have preferred continuing as the Giants' coach but was nudged out by team president and co-owner John Mara, who indicated the organization needed a change. The Giants hired Coughlin's offensive coordinator, Ben McAdoo, as head coach. The team is 10-4 and closing in on a playoff berth under the rookie coach.

Coughlin has since taken a job in the NFL operations department and coordinates with various levels of the league, including the competition committee and the officiating department.

Coughlin interviewed with the Eagles and 49ers last year and appeared close to taking the job before the team decided to hire former quarterback and Chiefs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. The Eagles' first choice was McAdoo, but the Giants edged out their NFC East rivals.