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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants interviewed a pair of defensive coordinators for their vacant head coaching job.
The Giants confirmed Thursday that they interviewed defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo early on Thursday morning and talked with Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin in the afternoon.
New York talked with offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo on Tuesday, the day Tom Coughlin said goodbye to the team.
Austin met with team president John Mara and general manager Jerry Reese at the team's headquarters. The 50-year-old has been the Lions coordinator the past two years. The unit finished second in the league in 2014, but slipped to 18th this past season.
Prior to joining the Lions, he spent three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens' secondary coach. He also coached defensive backs for the Seattle Seahawks from 2003-06 and the Arizona Cardinals from 2007-09. He has coached in college at Penn State, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Michigan and Florida, where he was the defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach in 2010.
Spagnuolo, 56, returned to the Giants this past season for a second stint as defensive coordinator. His unit ranked last in the league this past season, giving up nearly an average of 300 yards passing. His defense lacked a pass rush most of the season, had little talent at linebacker and no depth in the secondary, especially at safety.
Spagnuolo, who was the Giants defensive coordinator when they beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl in February 2008, was the head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11. He was 10-38, but inherited a 2-14 team and had them within one game of the playoffs in his second season.
McAdoo joined the Giants in 2014 after they finished 28th in offense. In his two seasons, the offense has ranked 10th and eighth. Quarterback Eli Manning has had two of his most productive seasons under McAdoo.
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