Jim Fassel, New York Giants. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel passed away at the age of 71 on Monday night.
New York Giants fans are in mourning after the passing of their former head coach Jim Fassel.
Fassel was experiencing chest pains in Las Vegas on Monday night. He died from a heart attack while under sedation. He was 71 years old. Fassel was best known for being the head coach of the Giants from 1997-2003. He went 58-53-1 over those seven seasons. New York made the NFC playoffs three times, including the 2000 campaign that saw the Giants reach the Super Bowl.
Fassel leaves behind a tremendous football legacy after coaching at multiple levels and leagues, including his son in noted Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel.
New York Giants former head coach Jim Fassel passed away at the age of 71
While the Giants had greater team success under his successor Tom Coughlin, you could argue Fassel helped set the tone for many of those great Giants teams to follow. This was an organization still trying to find its footing after legendary head coach Bill Parcells left the team in the early 1990s. The 2000 team greatly overachieved and really embodied New York as a whole.
Fassel had three winning seasons in New York, winning two NFC East division titles in 1997 and 2000. He won at least 10 games in all three playoff years. While a disastrous 4-12 mark in 2003 led to his departure, Fassel continued to coach in the NFL for three years, first as a consultant with the 2004 Baltimore Ravens before becoming their offensive coordinator in 2005 for two seasons.
Fassell will always be remembered for guiding the underdog 2000 Giants team to the Super Bowl.