Pepper Johnson Will Interview for Giants Defensive Coordinator Position Next Week

Pepper Johnson and Bill Belichick – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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Pepper Johnson Will Interview for Giants Defensive Coordinator Position Next Week: According to multiple press reports, Thomas “Pepper” Johnson will interview for the vacant New York Giants defensive coordinator position sometime next week. The 50-year old Johnson is currently the defensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills. He was a linebacker for the Giants from 1986-1992, earning two Super Bowl rings under then Head Coach Bill Parcells and then Defensive Coordinator Bill Belichick. For 14 seasons, Johnson was on Belichick’s coaching staff in New England.

Johnson’s complete coaching bio:

• 2014: Defensive Line Coach, Buffalo Bills
• 2012-2013: Linebackers Coach, New England Patriots
• 2004-2011: Defensive Line Coach, New England Patriots
• 2001-2003: Inside Linebackers Coach, New England Patriots
• 2000: Assistant Linebackers Coach, New England Patriots

Since Johnson is still under contract with the Bills, the Giants had to request permission to speak with him. According to press reports, the Bills have done so.

The Giants have already interviewed Washington Redskins Defensive Backs Coach Raheem Morris for the position on Friday. For more information on Morris, see One Barber is a big fan of Giants D-coordinator candidate Morris by Paul Schwartz of The New York Post.

RB Rashad Jennings on WFAN Radio: The audio of New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings interview on WFAN Radio on Friday is available at CBS New York.

Article on Head Coach Tom Coughlin: You can trust Tom Coughlin not to make a selfish hire by Dan Graziano of ESPN.com

Article on Former Giants Safety Will Hill: Giants ‘party‘ casualty Will Hill: I would’ve cut me, too by Steve Serby of The New York Post

Article on Possible New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Candidate Steve Spagnuolo: Former NY Giants give Steve Spagnuolo endorsement on potential return to Big Blue by Ralph Vacchiano of The New York Daily News

Notes: The Giants finished 10th in the NFL in total offense with an average of 367.2 yards a game.

The Giants scored at least 24 points in each of their final six games, their longest such streak in 51 years. They scored 24 or more points in eight consecutive in 1963.

In 2014, the Giants outscored their opponents by 41 points in the first half (211-170) but were outscored by 61 points in the second half (230-169).

The Giants were 1-8 when they rushed for less than 100 yards.

QB Eli Manning completed a career-high 379 passes in 2014 and is one of five quarterbacks with at least 300 completions in each of the last six seasons. The others are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Joe Flacco, and Philip Rivers.

Manning completed a career-high and franchise-record 63.1 percent of his passes this season (379 of 601).

Manning has completed 3,308 passes in his career, moving him into 13th place in NFL history.

PK Josh Brown now owns the Giants records for both single season and career field goal percentage. In 2014, Brown hit 24-of-26 attempts (one of the misses was a block). In his two seasons with the Giants, Brown has succeeded on 47-of-52 field goal attempts, a 90.4 percentage.

In the Giants’ last four games, WR Odell Beckham totaled 130, 143, 148 and 185 yards to become the first player in franchise history with four consecutive 100-yard games.

The Giants had at least one sack in all 16 games for the first time since 2007.