The New York Giants on Monday added another name to their list of head coach candidates, requesting permission to interview Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. The interview has not yet been scheduled, though, and this week's calendar plus the interest other teams already have in Jackson are making things a bit complicated.
The Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers both were in Cincinnati on Sunday and interviewed Jackson in back-to-back sessions. A source close to the situation said that Cleveland was making a strong push but that Jackson was interested in talking to the Giants if they could work out the schedules.
The problem is, the early part of the Giants' week is full. The team was scheduled to interview former Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith for the job on Monday, and co-owner John Mara (who's handling the interviews along with GM Jerry Reese) has to be in Houston on Tuesday and Wednesday for the special owners meetings on Los Angeles relocation. Mara is on the L.A. committee and is an important figure for that meeting, which likely will be an intense two-day session culminating in a vote on which team or teams get to move to L.A.
So if the Giants are to bring Jackson to New Jersey for an interview, the earliest that could happen would be Thursday, by which time it's possible the Browns or some other team interested in Jackson would want an answer.
One of the options being discussed is flying Jackson to Houston so he could meet with Mara at some point during or right after the owners meetings. Both sides are interested in making the meeting happen and were continuing to discuss it throughout the day on Monday.
The Giants already have interviewed offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, former Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone and former Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase, who has since been hired to coach the Miami Dolphins. Assuming they can get together with Jackson on the timing, the search for Tom Coughlin's replacement will now likely last until the latter part of this week and into next.