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Giants' Mara: Coughlin Deal 'Will Get Done'

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Tom Coughlin will enjoy an extended stay with the Giants, even though months have passed since ownership first promised an extension for their head coach.

"I just haven't had the time to do that," said Giants co-owner John Mara Thursday. "But I expect to happen sooner rather than later."

Coughlin has one year remaining on a $21 million contract that he signed after the Giants won the Super Bowl in 2008.

"That will get done, so that's not an issue," Mara added.

Mara also said the Giants likely won't impose salary cuts or layoffs if a lockout can't be avoided by next week's deadline.

"That'll be revisited at a later date, and we'll see where we are a few months from now," said Mara. "For now, that's what our intention is, not to make any drastic changes."

This isn't the first time the Giants have commented on Coughlin's contract.

A day after the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight year, co-owner Steve Tisch said that the team planned to sit down with the 64-year-old coach and work out a new deal.

Coughlin has been the Giants' coach since 2004 and led them to the Super Bowl title at the end of the 2007 season. But he also oversaw late swoons the past two seasons.

The Giants started 2009 at 5-0 before dropping eight of 11 down the stretch, including poor efforts in their final two games to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

In 2010, New York had a 9-4 record going into an NFC East showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago — then led that game 31-10 with 8 minutes left. But Michael Vick and the Eagles came all the way back to beat the Giants 38-31, with DeSean Jackson scoring a touchdown on a 65-yard punt return on the final play.

Coughlin joked last year when asked how long he might coach, saying he was considering going until he was 70 or 72-years-old.

"I do one year at a time," he said with a smile.

Do you like Tom Coughlin, or is Big Blue ready for a change? Let us know what you think in the comments below...

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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