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Ray Handley, Former Giants Head Coach and Two-Time Super Bowl Assistant, Dies at 81

The Giants announced his passing with confirmation from his nephew Rob Handley.

Overview

  • Handley died last week at 81, the team said Monday, and no cause of death was disclosed.
  • He joined Bill Parcells’ staff in 1984 as offensive backfield coach and contributed to two Giants Super Bowl titles.
  • He became head coach in 1991 after Parcells retired, went 14–18 over two seasons, was replaced by Dan Reeves, and did not return to NFL coaching.
  • His tenure included choosing Jeff Hostetler over Phil Simms at quarterback and strife tied to Rod Rust’s defensive approach, leading to eroded support from veterans, fans, and media.
  • He previously coached at Army, Air Force, and Stanford, played running back at Stanford with 1,768 yards and 11 touchdowns, and later kept a low public profile.