Giants to fire Fassel after season concludes

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003 | 10:55 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Coach Jim Fassel will be fired by the New York Giants at the end of a disappointing season, the Associated Press reported today.

The report said Fassel would coach the team's remaining two games. A Super Bowl team three seasons ago and expected to contend again, the Giants (4-10) have lost six consecutive games and are last in the NFC East.

Fassel's firing was first reported by SportsLine.com, which said its information came from Giants players.

The Giants scheduled a news conference for later today, but the team wouldn't say why.

General manager Ernie Accorsi did not immediately return a phone message.

Portis, dressed in a Santa hat and a throwback San Francisco 49ers jersey, was walking without crutches and without a limp, but he's listed as questionable for Sunday's critical game against the Indianapolis Colts.

After his 10-yard touchdown reception on the Bengals' first possession Sunday against San Francisco, Johnson ran out of the end zone and retrieved a sign stored behind a snow drift. Johnson, who has repeatedly been fined by the league for uniform violations and touchdown celebrations, held up the sign that read: "Dear NFL: Please don't fine me again."