Giants Expected To Offer Pat Shurmur HC Job

A day after Pat Shurmur‘s Vikings offense orchestrated one of the most improbable plays in NFL history, he’s in line to become the next Giants head coach.

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link) report the Giants are expected to offer Shurmur their HC position. He plans to accept once offered, Rapoport reports. La Canfora also reports this hire is expected to happen.

The 52-year-old Shurmur has been in contention for the Cardinals’ top coaching job, with SNY.tv’s Ralph Vacchiano reporting he was viewed as the favorite for that position. Should Shurmur be on his way to New York once the Vikings’ season concludes, the Cardinals will have to move on to their second choice.

Shurmur and Josh McDaniels were the finalists for Big Blue’s HC gig as of Monday morning, but with McDaniels remaining pointed toward the Colts, Shurmur rose to the forefront.

This would be Shurmur’s second head-coaching role. He coached the Browns from 2011-12, and although he won just nine games in Cleveland, the infrastructure he’d be walking into with the Giants would be better than the one he encountered with the Browns.

The Vikings have rocketed to the NFC championship game after missing the playoffs last season, landing in the NFL’s final four for the first time since the 2009 season. And unlike the Eagles, who have only had to rely on a backup quarterback since December, the Vikings have needed Case Keenum to come through for most of the season. The Vikings’ defense has powered this Super Bowl opportunity, but Keenum has taken a major step forward under Shurmur. Minnesota’s offense finished the regular season as the No. 5 DVOA attack.

The Giants had Shurmur, McDaniels and Matt Patricia in their final three. But the Patriots coordinators are set to land in Indianapolis and Detroit, respectively, in all likelihood.

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