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Sad News, former NYG HC Jim Fassel passes away


Jim Fassel, former Giants coach, dies at 71​

By Joseph Staszewski

Former Giants coach Jim Fassel died Monday night at the age of 71, his son, John, confirmed to the Los Angeles Times.

Fassel suffered a heart attack and died while under sedation at a local hospital near where he lived in Las Vegas, according to the LA Times report. He had been experiencing chest pains Monday and was taken to the hospital by a friend.

Fassel coached the Giants from 1997-2003, winning NFL Coach of the Year in 1997 and leading the team to Super Bowl XXXV three years later where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens.

He reached the playoffs three times with Big Blue and compiled a 58-53-1 record, but never got another opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL after being fired by the Giants. He was also an assistant with the team from 1991-92.
 
Sad news may he RIP. Good guy and I know he did a lot of charity work outside of football.
 
Very sad to hear. I always thought he should have gotten another NFL HC shot also.
 
Very sad to hear. I always thought he should have gotten another NFL HC shot also.
There must've been some perception of him, idk. His last year really hurt too when they went 4-12 and basically quit on him.

But he had a good run with the Giants considering he had a revolving door of QB's (Brown, Kanell, Graham) until Collins took over from 1999-2003.
 
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He was a solid coach. Both as a coordinator, helping revitalize Boomer with the Cardinals I believe, and the Giants HC. He won early with his defense and ultimately the offense got much better when he helped reshape Collins career. Also gets credit for hiring two coordinators to run his offense and defense who became excellent (Payton) to very solid (Fox) NFL coaches, although I believe he took the playcalling from Payton at one point. He had some gut wrenching playoff losses - the Vikings game early in his tenure and the 49ers debacle later - which are two of the worst losses I’ve experienced as a Giant fan. But the 2000 SB run was a fun ride, even if the actual game is one I would like to forget (I don’t put that on him really, because the Ravens were a historic defense, Collins no-showed, and I will go to my deathbed thinking that if Hammer doesn’t get called on that BS defensive holding, it is a very different game).
 
That was a bogus call for sure and Jessie Armstead might have taken that INT to the house. That was Strahan with the pressure on Dilfer that play. The Viking playoff loss was an epic collapse as was the 49ers game. He did take the play calling away from Payton. Not sure if his teams ever quit on him, but Shockey, Tiki, Tito Wooten etc. got away with everything and that is when Wellington Mara said enough and wanted the discipline of Tom Coughlin. The 5 minutes early for meetings didn't work out so well at first though. The lack of team discipline the last couple of years really hurt his chances for another NFL job. Great points by you and Piratz.
 
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He was a solid coach. Both as a coordinator, helping revitalize Boomer with the Cardinals I believe, and the Giants HC. He won early with his defense and ultimately the offense got much better when he helped reshape Collins career. Also gets credit for hiring two coordinators to run his offense and defense who became excellent (Payton) to very solid (Fox) NFL coaches, although I believe he took the playcalling from Payton at one point. He had some gut wrenching playoff losses - the Vikings game early in his tenure and the 49ers debacle later - which are two of the worst losses I’ve experienced as a Giant fan. But the 2000 SB run was a fun ride, even if the actual game is one I would like to forget (I don’t put that on him really, because the Ravens were a historic defense, Collins no-showed, and I will go to my deathbed thinking that if Hammer doesn’t get called on that BS defensive holding, it is a very different game).

The two playoff losses were just beyond the pale. Heartbreaking is putting it lightly. Those are all-timers on the list of worst losses ever by the Giants.

The '97 team led the Vikings by 9 at the 2-minute warning. The '02 team led the 49ers by 24 points with a few minutes left in the 3rd Q. Blew both in the final seconds.

Incredible. Agony.
 
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