Tom Coughlin Biography - The Pride of the Jaguars

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"The story of the Jaguars cannot be told without Tom Coughlin and the influence he had on our expansion team and new fan base here in North Florida," said Tony Boselli, who anchored Coughlin's offensive line for seven seasons and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2022. "He is our foundational figure and the initial architect. He built our football operation and set it up for sustained success. Beyond all the remarkable on-field achievements, he also showed everyone how an NFL team could win off the field by positively impacting the communities surrounding us. Speaking for the PRIDE and the entire Jaguars organization, we are collectively excited to celebrate Coach and thank him for positive impact his NFL legacy will forever have on the Jaguars and throughout Jacksonville."

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Named the first head coach of the Jaguars on February 21, 1994, Coughlin, constructed the team from scratch, unabashedly implementing a football operation predicated on hard work and discipline. Eight seasons later, Coughlin would became the franchise's all-time winningest coach. During his time as Jaguars head coach, Coughlin's teams posted 68 victories (72 including the playoffs), three of which were double-digit win campaigns (1997-99). Along the way, two division titles (1998, '99) and four postseason berths (1996-99) were secured, including a pair of AFC Championship Games appearances (1996, '99).

Throughout his tenure, Coughlin drafted, developed, coached and showcased the talents of franchise greats like Boselli (tapped by Coughlin as the first draft selection in franchise history), Fred Taylor, Mark Brunell and Jimmy Smith, along with defensive mainstays like Tony Brackens, Kevin Hardy and Donovin Darius.

Coughlin joins Boselli (inducted 2006), Wayne and Delores Weaver (2012), Taylor (2012), Brunell (2013) and Smith (2016) in the PRIDE, which honors the key figures and legends that shaped the Jaguars franchise.

Coughlin later coached the New York Giants for 12 years, winning Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, with both victories coming at the expense of the New England Patriots. In 2017, Coughlin returned to the Jaguars for a three-season stint as Executive Vice President of Football Operations and his first team reached the AFC Championship Game.

COMMUNITY LEGACY: THE JAY FUND FOUNDATION

Shortly after being named head coach of the Jaguars, Coughlin established the Jay Fund in honor of Jay McGillis, a member of Coughlin's team at Boston College who lost his eight-month battle with leukemia. Headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., the Jay Fund seeks to provide financial, emotional and practical support to parents of children with cancer, allowing them to focus solely on their child's well-being.

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Since its establishment in 1996, the Jay Fund has provided $28 million of financial assistance to more than 5,800 families in Northeast Florida and the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area.

The Jay Fund hosts three annual signature fundraising events in Jacksonville and New York – the Celebrity Golf Classic, Wine Tasting Gala and Champions for Children Gala – as well as a variety of local events, campaigns and educational programming in support of the foundation's mission to "BE THERE" for parents, so they can be there for their families.