On the heels of frustrated Giants co-owner Steve Tisch telling The Post, “The next five games are important for everybody,” a well-placed source familiar with the club’s thinking said it’s Tom Coughlin who is most on the hot seat.
As for general manager Jerry Reese, the source said he will be spared even if the Giants miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season.
“He’s safe,” the source said.
After several down drafts, Reese has rebounded recently (Justin Pugh, Johnathan Hankins, Odell Beckham Jr., Weston Richburg, Devon Kennard, Ereck Flowers and Landon Collins, most notably), and the organization has a history of erring on the side of stability and continuity.
It means Reese — who won a Super Bowl in 2007 as a rookie general manager when he succeeded Ernie Accorsi, who was the GM when Wellington Mara hired Coughlin — would be entrusted with hiring a head coach for the first time should owners John Mara and Steve Tisch feel the necessity to pull the plug on the Coughlin Era after 12 seasons.
No decisions have been reached on Coughlin, and will not be until immediately after the season, which is the Giants’ M.O.
On Thursday, Coughlin would not comment on remarks made in that day’s Post by Tisch. “It’s been a very frustrating season,” Tisch said.
“Well, I’m not responding to any of that,” Coughlin said.
Asked if he feels any more pressure to make the playoffs, Coughlin said: “The whole reason for being in it is to get to the playoffs and get a chance to compete in the tournament. I don’t know how you could feel any more pressure. Do I? No. That was the objective all along.”
Reese and Coughlin have enjoyed a solid working relationship and have celebrated those two Super Bowl championships together. Reese has had some painful high-draft pick misses (Clint Sintim, Travis Beckum, Marvin Austin, Jerrel Jernigan) and free-agent misses (David Baas, Brandon Myers, Geoff Schwartz) that have caused disenchantment among the restless faithful.
He was late rebuilding the offensive line. The trade for injury-plagued middle linebacker Jon Beason brought only fleeting success. David Wilson, the 2012 No. 1 pick, saw his career end prematurely due to a neck injury. The $116 million doled out in 2014 free-agent contracts didn’t get the Giants back to the playoffs.
But since George Young arrived in 1979, the Giants have had only three GMs. And won’t be looking anytime soon for a fourth.