The New York Giants officially hired Pat Shurmur as head coach on Monday.
Shurmur had been rumoured as the club’s top choice but was unable to accept the position until the Minnesota Vikings’ season ended. Shurmur was offensive coordinator for the Vikings, who lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
Shurmur, 52, has a 10-23 record as an NFL head coach. He went 9-23 as coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2011-12 and also won a game as interim coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015.
“We are pleased to welcome Pat to our organisation and look forward to the leadership he will provide for our team,” team president John Mara and chairman Steve Tisch said in a statement.
“He has an outstanding track record in developing young players, and it is clear his players respond to his guidance and direction. We interviewed six talented and qualified candidates, and we feel like Pat, with his vision and experience, is the right person to lead our team.”
Shurmur reportedly received a five-year contract. He replaces Ben McAdoo, who was fired on Dec. 4.
New York reportedly also interviewed both New England Patriots’ coordinators – Matt Patricia (defensive) and Josh McDaniels (offensive) – as well as Carolina Panthers defensive co-ordinator Steve Wilks, former Denver Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville and Steve Spagnuolo, the defensive coordinator who finished the season as Giants’ interim head coach.
Fired Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio is the leading candidate to serve as defensive coordinator under Shurmur.
Shurmur was recently named NFL Assistant Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association due to his work with the Vikings. The team lost starting quarterback Sam Bradford to a knee injury and the offense thrived behind journeyman Case Keenum.
Minnesota went 13-3 in the regular season and finished 10th in the NFL in scoring offense (23.9 points per game) and 11th in total offense (356.9). The Vikings were third in third-down conversion rate (43.5 percent).
His work with the Vikings and the totality of his 19-year NFL coaching resume led the Giants to appoint him as the new coach.
“I can’t wait to start working with Pat,” general manager Dave Gettleman said in a statement.
“I know he will provide the type of leadership we need to take our team back to where it belongs. I have followed Pat’s career for many years, and he has had great success wherever he has been.
“What struck me during our conversation is that being the head coach of the New York Giants is not too big for him. He is made for this moment and this opportunity.”
Shurmur is equally pleased to be given the chance to turn around the fortunes of a team that went 3-13 this season and has missed the playoffs in five of the past six years.
“I want to thank John Mara and Steve Tisch for giving me the opportunity to be the head coach of the New York Giants,” Shurmur said in a statement.
