Reports: Strahan, Giants open to return; Kiwanuka moved to DE

Reports: Strahan, Giants open to return; Kiwanuka moved to DE
ESPN.com news services
Updated: August 25, 2008, 2:49 PM ET


Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan would consider returning to the team in the wake of Osi Umenyiora's season-ending knee injury, the New York Daily News has reported, citing an unnamed source.

According to the paper, Strahan, 36, who retired in the offseason after helping lead the Giants to a Super Bowl championship, would come back with the Giants if offered an $8 million contract for this season, according to a source close to the seven-time Pro Bowler.

"If the Giants make a sincere overture, it's a good chance that Strahan would consider coming back," the source said, according to the Daily News. "There are other things he has to take into consideration: the money and his contract with Fox."

Strahan currently holds a position at Fox Sports as an NFL studio analyst.

"But if the Giants really want him, they have a shot," the source said. "It's not out of the question."

The Giants appear open to the idea.

Co-owner Steve Tisch told the New York Post the Giants have warmed to Strahan returning.


Mosley: Strahan Sitting Pretty

Michael Strahan has relaxed in retirement. And as speculation churns that he soon could be back with the Giants, he's offering little concrete evidence a return is imminent. Matt Mosley

• Blog network: NFL Nation

"Would I like Michael to be a New York Giant this season? Absolutely. Absolutely," Tisch told the Post. "Will he be? I have no idea. I don't even want to put a percentage on it but things changed very quickly [Saturday] night and if one of the potential solutions is to reach out to Michael, worst-case, it's certainly worth a phone call.''
Coach Tom Coughlin addressed the Strahan reports Monday and the Giants' void at defensive end.

"There hasn't been any discussion that I have been involved in there," Coughlin said. "We are going to explore every option that is available. And the last time that I talked with Michael he had accepted his new challenge and was very happy about that. And I have not spoken with him at all since the other night's game."

Coughlin said the Giants would move strongside linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end.

Kiwanuka was shifted to linebacker last year so the team could put its best 11 players on the field.

"The move was always to get the best, most quality people on the field," Coughlin said. "And Mathias accepted every job that we have offered and every task we have presented him with. I talked with him yesterday and he was more than ready to do whatever we wanted him to do that was in the best interest of the team."

Strahan, who is vacationing in Greece, turned down a $6 million contract offer in the offseason. He has since signed to work on Fox Sports NFL pregame shows on Sunday.

"There is no clock running," Coughlin said. "Obviously, whatever we can do that is in the best interest of our team, we will do it. I don't know that there is any sense of real --- we have people here that can play the positions. Obviously when you take Mathias and put him down, that gives more opportunity at the linebacker spot."


A Giant Hole?

Michael Strahan's retirement has proved part and parcel of the Giants' struggle this offseason to maintain a Super Bowl-caliber defense. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora was the latest loss.

Strahan wouldn't confirm the possibility of returning in an interview with the NFL Network.
"I haven't heard from anybody else, so to say if I would or wouldn't is premature," Strahan said. "So I'm enjoying my retired life right now."

Strahan retired in June, ending a 15-year career highlighted by the Giants' stunning Super Bowl victory over the unbeaten New England Patriots.

Coughlin recently talked with Strahan about his TV career.

"The only thing I talked with Michael about was his new challenge, moving forward in his new assignment and he was very excited about that," Coughlin said, according to The Associated Press.

Agent Tony Agnone said the Giants have not contacted him to ask about Strahan.

"Obviously, he loves the Giants and obviously he is working for Fox," Agnone said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Right now he is relaxing and getting ready for his Fox gig."

Strahan missed all of training camp last season while mulling retirement. He reported to the team a little more than a week before the season opener and played well.

However, he trained while thinking about retirement last year and was in good shape.

The Giants open the season on Sept. 4 against the Washington Redskins.

Teammates tended to doubt that Strahan would return.

"As I know it, he is probably on a beach somewhere sipping on some pina coladas, so I doubt football is the first thing on his mind today," said defensive end Justin Tuck, who replaced Strahan at left end.

Defensive tackle Barry Cofield said Strahan gave no indication that he wanted to play again when he visited the Giants at training camp in Albany, N.Y., less than two weeks ago.

"He has not been bouncing back and forth like [Brett] Favre," Cofield said. "He has been pretty happy. We saw him up here and he said he missed it but he was content. He has decided to go on to the next phase of his life so I don't look too strongly into that [him playing again.]"

Danny Clark, a nine-year veteran who was signed as a free agent in the offseason, will move from weakside linebacker to the strong side to replace Kiwanuka. Gerris Wilkinson will start at weakside linebacker.




http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3552159