Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Giants GM candidates wanted say in head coach decision

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 1/11/22

It was known before the end of "Black Monday" the New York Giants would need a new general manager once they allowed Dave Gettleman to enter into retirement after his rosters went 19-46, overall, during a tenure that won't be remembered fondly by most Big Blue supporters.

At that time, head coach Joe Judge remained employed by the organization despite his 10-23 record, and reports surfaced that Judge could potentially have a "hand" in the search for Gettleman's replacement. That changed Tuesday, however, when Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch announced via a statement they were moving on from Judge.

There's now more information about that decision.

SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reports that "most" general manager candidates contacted by the Giants asked if they were going to "have a chance to make a head coach decision" or if they would be married to Judge by ownership:

"Most of the candidates asked 'are we going to have a chance to make a head coach decision?'"@RVacchianoSNY & @john_jastremski on the Giants firing Joe Judge and how this bodes for the prospective GM candidates pic.twitter.com/wUb6EnvTnI
— SNY (@SNYtv) January 11, 2022

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post added:

#Giants team source on Joe Judge firing: "The coaching staff walked on egg shells. Players didn't believe in the system. Everyone liked him as a person, but when you hear the same repetitive stuff without changes it becomes a broken record."
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) January 11, 2022

This is why players pledging support for a hot-seat coach at podium will always be hard to believe. @JayGlazer alluded to an unhappy locker room.
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) January 11, 2022

Mara directly said in Tuesday's release the to-be-named general manager "will lead the effort to hire a new head coach," and Tisch remarked the two "are united in our commitment to find a general manager who will provide the direction necessary for us to achieve the on-field performance and results we all expect."

Outsiders may never fully know all that was said between Judge and ownership during meetings held on Monday and Tuesday, but this complete housecleaning suggests the Giants aren't promoting from within for GM, aren't hiring anybody linked with Judge, and potentially didn't hear from a single worthwhile candidate willing to work alongside the coach with a .303 winning percentage who often seemed overwhelmed on the job, particularly over the last four weeks of the season as New York fell to 4-13.

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