Watch CBS News

Giants Bring Back Mike Sullivan As Quarterbacks Coach

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Mike Sullivan is returning to his old job as the New York Giants' quarterbacks coach.

Coach Tom Coughlin announced the hiring on Wednesday, a day after the team confirmed that Danny Langsdorf was leaving to become the offensive coordinator at Nebraska.

Sullivan worked with Coughlin from 2004 to 2011, serving as the wide receivers coach from 2004-09 and the quarterbacks coach for the last two years. He left after the Giants won their second Super Bowl under Coughlin to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator in 2012-13. After leaving the Bucs, he stayed in Tampa and worked this year as a consultant.

Sullivan spoke with Coughlin and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo on Tuesday. He has worked with most of the assistant offensive coaches on the staff.

Sullivan's first job in the NFL was Jacksonville's defensive quality control coach in 2002, Coughlin's final season as the Jaguars' coach. When Coughlin joined the Giants in 2004, he hired Sullivan.

"Mike Sullivan is a quality football coach and is an outstanding positional coach and did a great job for us as a receiver coach and as a quarterbacks coach," Coughlin said. "He was the first thought that I had and we were fortunate in that the timing was right to get him back here. We're very pleased to be able to bring him back home."

In Sullivan's two seasons as the Giants' quarterbacks coach, Eli Manning completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 8,935 yards, 60 touchdowns, 41 interceptions and a passer rating of 89.2. He had career-high totals of 31 touchdown passes in 2010 and 4,933 yards the following season.

"Mike worked very well with Eli when he was the quarterbacks coach," Coughlin said. "We all wished him well when he went off to be an offensive coordinator, but we were sorry to see him go."

Sullivan also will work with backup Ryan Nassib, who is entering his third season.

"It's great to be back," said Sullivan, who will have to adjust to a new West Coast offense that McAdoo installed this season. "I can't wait to get started."

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.