The New York Giants have done a lot of losing in recent years, but this season apparently felt even worse to longtime owner John Mara.
Mara spoke with the media on Tuesday about the departure of head coach Joe Judge and general manager Dave Gettleman. He was asked at one point if this is the most embarrassed he has ever been about the state of the Giants, and he did not mince words.
Asked if this is the most embarrassed he's ever been about the state of the Giants' franchise, John Mara said: "Honestly, I would have to say yes. Yes it is. I kept thinking during the season we had hit rock bottom, then each week it got a little worse."
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 12, 2022
That’s significant, as Mara’s family has owned the Giants since they were founded in 1925. He has had an active role with the team since 1991. Mara has seen plenty of great seasons and awful seasons from the team. The Giants have posted a losing record in all but one of their last nine seasons. It says a lot if Mara feels 2021 was the most embarrassing.
This offseason, the Giants will hire their fourth different head coach since Tom Coughlin stepped down after 2015. That is remarkable for that short of a timeframe. Mara was asked if he thinks that instability will make head coach and GM candidates hesitant. He admitted it could be a factor.
John Mara understands that the franchise instability will be a concern for GM and head coach candidates with the Giants.
"I certainly think it will be a factor that some of these candidates will consider," he said. "That’s something we’ll have to overcome in these interviews."
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 12, 2022
As for whether he needs to show more patience with his GMs and head coaches this time around, John Mara said "I very badly wanted to do that this year, but I just didn’t see any end in sight."
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) January 12, 2022
Even if you believe Joe Judge deserved to be fired, it is fair to question how the Giants have not been able to keep a head coach for more than two seasons since Coughlin left. Judge and his predecessor Pat Shurmur were each given two full years on the job. Ben McAdoo was fired midway through his second season in 2017.
The Giants job will always have appeal, as the team plays in one of the biggest markets in sports and has a rich franchise history. However, potential coaches have no reason to think they’ll be given a lengthy timeframe to turn things around. They know they can help themselves by not making abysmal decisions like some of the recent ones we saw from Judge, but the instability will likely be a huge topic of conversation in New York this offseason.
Photo: Dec 29, 2017; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants president and chief executive officer John Mara holds a press conference introducing New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman (not pictured) at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
