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Giants' Tom Coughlin 'doesn't believe in the modern medicine,' says Eagles' Walter Thurmond

Tommy Gilligan / USA TODAY Sports

At 68, Tom Coughlin is the oldest head coach in the NFL. His longevity has earned him plenty of respect around the league, but it could also be the reason why some players choose not to sign with Coughlin's New York Giants.

Cornerback Walter Thurmond, who spent 2014 with the Giants before departing for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, says Coughlin's old-fashioned way of running the team is a competitive disadvantage because it prevents players from achieving peak physical fitness.

In an interview with Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report, Thurmond accused Coughlin of getting left behind in the area of sports science:

He doesn't believe in the sport-science aspect like Coach Carroll or Coach Kelly and the newfound technology for the players. His style takes a hit, because he doesn't believe in this aspect. He believes in winning, but he doesn't believe in the modern medicine to progress the players to that next level.

Thurmond, who previously played under Chip Kelly at Oregon, said the Eagles coach's cutting-edge training techniques give players extra stamina and allow them to recover faster.

Kelly's approach has clearly won over Thurmond, but some Eagles players have complained in the past about being overworked and exhausted by Kelly's practice regimen.

The jury is still out on how to best apply sports science to cultivate a roster of players that's healthy and energized, not only on Sundays, but all week long. The NFL schedule is grueling, so there will probably never be a shortage of players quick to complain about feeling tired and overworked.

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