Super Bowl champion Giants extend coach Coughlin's contract

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tom Coughlin was rewarded for coaching the New York Giants to the Super Bowl title last month with a new four-year contract, the Giants announced on Saturday.

Coughlin, whose contract with the NFL club in 2004 was $12 million over four years, will receive about $21 million over the course of the new deal, according to local media reports.

The contract puts Coughlin among the top paid head coaches in the NFL. Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren is the highest paid at $8 million a year.

"Tom Coughlin has done a great job for us and we think this contract recognizes his outstanding achievements here," Giants president and CEO John Mara said in a statement.

"This is a message to him and to our fans that we want him to be our coach for many years to come."

Coughlin steered the Giants to a 10-6 regular season record and a wild card berth in the playoffs that led to their improbable run to the championship.

New York went on to post road victories over Tampa Bay, Dallas Cowboys and in overtime against the Packers in Green Bay to reach the Super Bowl, where they claimed a 17-14 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

"I was thrilled to become the head coach of the New York Giants in 2004," said Coughlin, who was an assistant coach under Bill Parcells on New York's 1991 Super Bowl title team.

"And now to be able to continue in that capacity -- with this organization, with this leadership, with this football team and with my coaching staff in place -- is something my family and I are extremely excited about."