Former New York Giants head coach and two-time Super Bowl champion Ray Handley has died at 81, his family confirmed this week. His nephew, Rob Handley, shared the news in a heartfelt LinkedIn tribute, calling his uncle’s life a story of intensity, ambition, competition, and a deep bond with the game he loved.
Handley, a key figure during the Giants’ glory years, spent nearly a decade with the franchise and collected two Super Bowl rings as the team’s running backs coach under Bill Parcells in 1986 and 1990. When Parcells stunned the NFL by stepping down after Super Bowl XXV, Handley was chosen to take over as head coach.
His tenure began with fireworks in 1991, thanks to a headline-making quarterback showdown between Phil Simms and Jeff Hostetler. Handley managed to steer the team to an 8–8 season, just shy of the playoffs. But the following year’s slump to 6–10 ultimately ended his time in New York.
Even so, his earlier role on the coaching staff left a lasting mark. He worked alongside future legends like Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin and helped build a dominant Giants run game featuring stars like Ottis Anderson.
Before his NFL rise, Handley was a standout athlete at Stanford, earning first-team All-PCC honors in 1964 before returning to the school as a coach. He joined the Giants’ staff in 1984, beginning the chapter that would cement his place in team history.
The Giants are expected to release an official statement honoring Handley later today. Fans have already flooded social media with memories of the tough, old-school coach who helped shape one of the franchise’s golden eras.
Handley is survived by his extended family, who have asked for privacy as they grieve.
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