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Coughlin inherited a team that finished 4 – 12 in 2003, but led the Giants to a surprising 5 – 2 start in his first season as head coach.

After back-to-back losses, in which veteran quarterback Kurt Warner struggled, left the Giants at 5 – 4, Coughlin made the decision to bench Warner and start New York's highly touted rookie quarterback, Eli Manning.

Coughlin received criticism from some who felt the move amounted to a surrender of the 2004 season when the Giants were still in playoff contention.

The Giants would go on to lose six of the seven games started by Manning, who struggled in his rookie season.

In 2005, Kurt Warner left the New York Giants.