Giants grant 49ers permission to interview Tom Coughlin

According to FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo, the New York Giants have granted the San Francisco 49ers permission to interview their former head coach, Tom Coughlin.

Since Coughlin resigned as the Giants head coach, New York still holds his rights. The Philadelphia Eagles interviewed Coughlin for their head coaching vacancy today.

No interview is currently set between the 49ers and Coughlin, but Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee theorized that a meeting could possibly take place in Houston since NFL owners will be there tomorrow to discuss a return to Los Angeles for the NFL.

The 69-year old Coughlin had been the Giants head coach since 2004. Before that, he was the first head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has a career coaching record of 181-153 and has two Super Bowl championships (XLII, XLVI) as a head coach and another as an assistant on his resume.

The 49ers are one of three teams that are interested in Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. They, along with the Cleveland Browns, interviewed him on Sunday. The New York Giants have also requested to interview Jackson. He was considered the front-runner for the head coaching vacancy in San Francisco. While he is still likely to be the 49ers' top choice, it is unknown if New York coming into play has changed things for Jackson.

Coughlin would be the oldest of the 49ers candidates thus far. Prior to this, other than some conversations with Mike Shanahan, the team was giving the impression that they were simply interested in younger coaches.

The 49ers have already met with former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly, Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and running backs coach Anthony Lynn, Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, and even had discussions with former Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan.