Tribune News Services
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Buffalo Bills interim coach Perry Fewell has been hired as the New York Giants' defensive coordinator.
Coach Tom Coughlin announced the move late Thursday evening after Fewell spent the past few days weighing offers from the Giants and the Bears.
"I am ecstatic to come to work for the New York Giants," Fewell said. "It's a good football team with good defensive players, and it is a franchise known for defense."
Fewell interviewed for the vacant Bills coaching job but he has said for a while that he felt he was a longshot for that position.
Photo: Perry Fewell during a Bills practice. (AP / David Duprey)
"I expect Perry to bring the same qualities that I expect from myself," Coughlin said. "I want him to be firm, fair, honest and demanding. My expectation is that he will solidify and unify our defense and be an outstanding teacher. I want energy, enthusiasm, toughness and to make the necessary corrections and game adjustments. Perry is a teacher and a leader and I thought he did an outstanding job of displaying great leadership as the interim head coach of Buffalo this season."
The Giants and the Bills both use a 4-3 defensive scheme.
Fewell coached Chicago defensive backs in 2005, when the Bears led the NFC with 24 interceptions and cornerback Nathan Vasher and safety Mike Brown were selected to the Pro Bowl. It's one of the reasons Lovie Smith wanted him back as coordinator.
"His defenses have consistently done a good job taking the ball away," Coughlin said.
Fewell was the secondary coach of the St. Louis Rams in 2003-04. He entered the NFL as the defensive backs coach for Coughlin in 1998 and stayed there through 2002. Jacksonville's pass defense ranked third in the NFL in 1999 and two years later the Jaguars gave up only 13 touchdown passes.
"We brought Perry into the league in Jacksonville," said Coughlin, "and I was impressed with his thoroughness, his ability to work with the players and his absolute intent on learning all he could about his profession. He was hired as the secondary coach and he has had great experiences in St. Louis and Chicago with Lovie Smith and that system and in Buffalo with Dick Jauron, who was my original defensive coordinator in Jacksonville."
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Hahahaha! Just as I predicted. Marinelli will probably get the job.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Just wait, sports fans. In the ongoing saga of "As the Bears' World Turns," the team will now have to extend Lovie's contract to get any quality talent to coach alongside him. Few, but the desperate (aka, Martz, Tice, Shoop), are interested in a one-and-done deal.
Or, in a compelling sub-plot, are OCs less than enamored with the thought of working with Jackass Jay Cutler, he of the $10M arm and the ten-cent brain?
Stay tuned, Bears Fans.
Face it people. No one in their right mind would take these two coordinator positions unless they were desperate. The DC will be promoted from within, most likely Marinelli. And the OC position will be filled out of desperation on both sides, everyone please welcome Mike Martz into the fold.
Does anyone else see where this is heading? Think about this for a minute. Our organization is basically filled with retreads from the Rams and Bucs organizations. Both of these organizations at the time were on the top of their game, making a few Super Bowl appearances with two Lombardi trophies to show for it. Soon thereafter, both organizations imploded and are arguably the two worst teams in the league. These people that now comprise our organization got their Super Bowl appearance and are now running our franchise into the ground just like they did the Rams and the Bucs. Get use to it people, the Bears are going to suck for a loooooong time to come. lrn2footballnubs
VaCubFan is absolutely right. Bears are trying to put together a staff piecemeal. The Seahawks and Redskins had no problem making bold moves. Why are we subjected to the pennypinching Bears year after year, decade after decade. Bears need to dump Lovie (call a timeout to review a play and still lose the review and another timeout) Smith and his band of underachievers and excusemakers and get on the phone to Cowher.
What a dumb headline! The other posters have got it exactly correct - why would anyone take a job with the Bears as DC or OC when everyone in the NFL knows Smith (and probably Angelo too) is a lame duck who should have been fired already. Time for the Bears to rethink this brilliant idea and dump Smith and Angelo and find Bill Cowher's phone number.
Great comments by passionate Bear fans. If Fewell doesn't want to work for the Bears, then, Like Da coach said in his recent interview, the hell with them. Hire me, I'd love to part of the Bears organization in some fashion, even if it were water boy. Find people who want to be in Chicago!
F the Bears. Who cares anymore about them anymore. Let the McCaskey's have their money and their mess.
Paul, Pompei would say something like that, as if thats the reason the Colts got to the Super Bowl, their defense??? Pompei and Haugh are making every excuse in the world for Lovie and Company, every sad sack excuse they can think of. "They had injuries" As if no other team in the NFL has injuries. "Bad Luck" That and the tooth fairy will get you a quarter. They never bring up his coaching mistakes, his poor clock managment. In fact how often have they talked about the job Lovie did this year as DC. They have not said a damn thing about it and what little they have said has been like "He is doing two jobs, and thats not easy" "The defense has played well at times"
Remember that Fewell was in the habit (ala Ron Rivera) of doing a little free lancing with the cover 2. He was probably told that THAT wouldn't be tolerated and so he's off to the Giants. The changes he DID make in the cover 2 as DC of the Bills worked real well - as Denver and Cutler would attest to. But the bears and Smith? Forget it. I think it was Dan Pompei via a phone conversation on Comcast Sports with Kaplan tonight made the stupid statement that the Colts won a Super Bowl with the cover 2. Hey Dan, the Colts won the Super Bowl because of a few guys named Manning, Harrison, Clark, Wayne, some all pros on the O Line and some good players on D. The Bears will sink with this mentality and honor Smiths contract and until then, we're stuck with the backward philosophy and Angelo.
If defense is your specialty, why would you want to go to the Bears as DC when
1) Bob Babich is still there, collecting a paycheck and, presumably, doing something with the defense,
2) Marinelli is still there, collecting a paycheck and, presumably, also doing something with the defense, and
3) Lovie claims to be done directing the defense (though we didn't see much evidence that his direction did any good this season) but you KNOW he'll meddle in the DC's business.
The reason the fans would take umbrage to a hire goes directly to the fact that they're sick and tired of seeing Lovie hire his friends and not holding them accountable (like any other employee would be held accountable). Because of his underperformance, Lovie has lost the privilege of hiring people he likes.
Creighton, not exactly a committee acting as the DC, but a one-at-a-time tryout basis among a number of existing Bears in-house candidates throughout the year. No need to go outside to hire the DC so this budget-efficient system would go over well with the McCaskeys.
There could be a prize for any DC who wins more than one game. Or if the season is really bad, a prize for any DC who wins even a single game. It seems like this is a year that requires thinking outside the box.
Instead of looking at the lame duck lovie as a detriment to getting a new OC and DC, maybe they should look at it as a bonus. If you do well and the team loses, and Lovie finally gets the boot, the co-ordinator would be first in line for the job. Maybe we should all petition Lovie to please take the tennessee job
Oh and by the way the rumor is the Bears offered more money on a two year deal. He turned down more money to go someplace else. Hahahah I thought Lovie and Angie said this would be easy, I thought everyone wanted to come here. Oh man, what a bunch of clowns. Can't wait ot see who they pawn off on us.
Evert did you just suggest a coordinator by committee? Hahahaha classic, that fits this group.
Hire some high school coaches, finish 2-14 (beat Detroit twice), and get rid of everyone. Please!
No self-respecting coach wants to get smothered in Chicago's pile of hot, steaming garbage. Angelo's brainless move of extending the Village Idiot's contract is now coming back to haunt him, the org and every Barez fan. Hey Ginny! Hope that $11 million pays off for you and your boy-toys.
No top name coordinators are going to come to the Bears this offseason with Lovie and Cutler here. Top name coordinators by definition have other options, and they know it will be a one-year job here because the Bears are going to stink again next year and then everyone will get fired. Even the Chiefs are considered a better franchise right now.
Sickning, Perry just told us the state of the Chicago Bears tonight. He chose the Giants over the Historic Bears franchise thats known for Defense. The Bears had only the Giants to beat out for this guy and they let him slip away. Too cheap? Or is it something we already know..Lovie is done and if not, 2010 coaches will be scabs that nobody else wanted. I'm a Bears fan but also a realist.
With the lockout surely coming after next season, the McCaskeys would be idiots to spend money on anything now, including expensive coaching. The whole league is going to be blown up and reconstructed, with a vastly different economic structure. Better to wait it out than commit to big bucks now.
Time for another search committee, somebody ask Phillips who he used for that great GM they found for him? Maybe St. Rita or Mt. Carmel will allow the Bears to interview one of their coaches?
Giants hire Perry Farrell away from Bears?!?!?! LOL
Look at the bright side ..... We can STILL "rehire" Babich as the DC.
Or, how 'bout OC? ..... He'll be just as inept there as he was at DC!
Man, he just keeps on collecting a paycheck! ..... Not an ounce of self respect at all! ... Because if he did, he'd resign!
Lovie; is OK if he hires the proper Coaching Staff & tries to be the Head Coach & not do it all himself (like the micro-managers in the real business world, as if incompetent types are not in the business world ((cut me a break)) yet the TEAM excels despite the incompetence). Such a shame to see a great team with a "commitment to Mediocrity" & we pay to see it. But who cares; as it gives us something to complain about; something to talk about and when they WIN it is still Great to See, alomst like playing Golf for that one Good Shot of the day. Still Love the Dah-Bears and the fans that write about them as well.
It looks like the board is getting restless, LOL, so let’s take a look at some options for Defensive Coordinator, just for fun.
a) The Bears can’t find a decent Defensive Coordinator so they hire a DC in name only but Lovie Smith continues to call the plays behind the scenes. The upside here is the potential for more losses to accelerate change next year.
b) The Bears institute a rotating system of volunteer Defensive Coordinators from their existing staff (much like the Cubs’ rotating coaches some years back). The upside here is it will drive opponents crazy because of the unpredictability.
c) The Bears, in desperation, have a chance to make history and become the first NFL team to hire a female Defensive Coordinator. The upside here is it will make the season really interesting.
Damn. ... These Bears' gaggle of turkeys can't do ANYTHING right.
Now we're down to the "scrubs" of the coaching ranks.
Oh boy, 2010 is gonna be a GREAT season. ..... For the other NFC teams!
When I first saw this headline, I thought...Perry Farrell plays football? Now that would be something to see...
Ha,ha,ha you losers got what you wanted. The worthless wannabe Bear fans scare the potential coaches away. I am a die hard 45 year Bear fan,most of you that post make me sick!! You losers have the hearts of a Lions fan,lol. I feel better knowing that most of us true die hard Bear fans,dont post on these blogs that draw haters and wannabe fans for the most part,lol.. Bear Down! Go Bears, your true fans will always support you!!
Hey Angelo and Lovie,
They sure are knocking down the door to come and coach here in Chicago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lovie should just quit. this Is already getting off to a bad start. First. Ted Phillips says that they want to fill those 2 position as quickley as possible. shame on me for beieving him. I understand that Lovie knows how Important these hires are to his Job as Bears Coach. but they may have waited too long to fill those spots. now. If they're taking their time In signing coaches. we can forget about Free-Agency. their approach Is raggedy and weak. and this kind of hesitation Is whats going to cost him his Job. HOW STUPID!
Can anyone tell me: precisely WHO could accept the DC or OC position with the Bears and be approved by fans?
Yeah, that's what I thought: NOBODY.
Either Lovie hires one of his buddies and gets ripped for it, or he hires an unproven guy and gets ripped for it. The great, proven coaches already have jobs, duh.
No big loss, the Bills finished 19th in the league in defense and the Bears finished 17th, so why would anybody want to bring in someone worse than what you had?
Can anyone tell me: precisely for WHOM would accepting the DC or OC position with the Bears be a good career move?
Yeah, that's what I thought: NOBODY.
And that's why the Bears will end up with someone who's desperate to have a shot in the NFL, who sees this lame job as an opportunity. Pretty sad, really...because if the McCaskeys had done the smart thing and released Phillips, Angelo and Smith, at least the field of candidates would have been robust.
There is still time for this organization to realize that it's just not going to work out. Lovie, if Tennessee offers you the job, TAKE IT. You aren't welcome here as our head coach anymore. I think you're probably one of the more stand up guys in the league, but you suck as a head coach. As for the McCaskey family, shame on you for pulling this on the fans who put money in your greedy pockets. You have embarrassed your father/grandfather. At least your last name isn't Halas. You are greedy pigs and until you make an effort to REALLY change things I have no reason to believe you care at all for our actual football team. If you don't care SELL THE DAMN TEAM!!!
Lovie, Jerry need to be fired. Period! Ted Phillips, how does it feel every time the McCaskey's shove their hand up your you know what you puppet!
What a Joke this whole organization is.
"It's a good football team with good defensive players, and it is a franchise known for defense."
There was a time you could have said that about the Bears.
It's going to be tough to fill these positions. Everyone knows Lovie has one year left on his contract.
Great. Is it just me or does it sound like the lead candidates have no desire to take a job with the Bears? How many Offensive Coordinaters have already been hired away or said no? We are down to who now? Tice and Zampese? And for Defensive Coordinater? We are going to have everyone's leftovers served cold for a while Bear fans. You may want to consider hibernating for two straight years this time; it could be ugly.
Lovie is now, and has been for quite some time, a huge detriment to his own team. If he had self-respect and respect for the Chicago Bears, he would quit.
Coiises, foiled again!
Lovie, please look into that opening at U. of Tennessee. It would be good for you and good for us.
what did you think was going to happen...this team never had any intention on hiring a new coach. They're going to sit pat and let the Lovie / Angelo train crash and burn.