Former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel passed away at 71 years old on Monday due to a heart attack, according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. The news was confirmed by Fassel's son, John, who used to be a coach for the Los Angeles Rams and is currently with the Dallas Cowboys.
Jim Fassel coached the Giants from 1997-2003. He took New York to the Super Bowl in the 2000 season, ultimately losing to the Baltimore Ravens. He's just one of three coaches to lead the Giants to a Super Bowl appearance.
Fassel went 58-53-1 during his time in New York and also won NFL Coach of the Year in his first season with the club after winning the NFC East. The Giants made the playoffs three times with Fassel as the head coach.
Fassel's death is drawing plenty of reaction from around the NFL world. It's clear he was revered by many in the media and viewed as a truly good man:
A really good person. So sad. https://t.co/wKAUz7rdlg
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) June 8, 2021
RIP Coach Jim Fassel. pic.twitter.com/RmPASkLXZ0
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) June 8, 2021
Prayers and thoughts to the Fassel family on the passing of Jim. Always liked him. RIP.
— Mike Francesa (@MikeFrancesa) June 8, 2021
Former Giants coach Jim Fassel dies at 71. RIP to the man who led the team to a Super Bowl in 2000 and helped heal New York in 2001. https://t.co/93TFZ37bUN
— Bob Glauber (@BobGlauber) June 8, 2021
Awful, sad news: Jim Fassel, who coached the Giants from 1997 to 2003 and led them to a Super Bowl, has died at age 71. https://t.co/hj1JdxhD4X
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) June 8, 2021
Very sad. https://t.co/GaDvv90x70
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 8, 2021
I started covering the #Giants in 2004, just as Jim Fassel was giving way to Tom Coughlin, but I did have a few chances to interact with him over the years. Always a pleasure to speak to him. RIP to a really good head coach. https://t.co/uUI84Ws22d
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 8, 2021
Jim Fassel had a short playing career in the NFL before turning to coaching, with his first professional coaching gig coming with The Hawaiians of the World Football League in 1974. He then spent a long time at the college level and even coached in the USFL before finally getting his NFL break with the Giants as a quarterbacks coach under Bill Parcells. He was soon promoted to offensive coordinator.
Fassel then was an assistant for the Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals before becoming head coach of the Giants in 1997. After getting fired in 2003, he spent time with the Baltimore Ravens.
Jim Fassel's last football coaching job came with the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He last coached in 2012 and also spent time as a broadcaster after leaving Baltimore.
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