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John Mara on Giants' 2021 Season Under Joe Judge: Each Week Things Got Worse
January 12, 2022
One day after Joe Judge was relieved of his duties as head coach, New York Giants CEO John Mara didn't mince words about how bad things got during the 2021 season.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mara had an honest response when asked if this was as bad as things have gotten during his tenure with the Giants.
"Honestly, I would have to say yes," he said. "I kept thinking during the season we had hit rock-bottom—and each week, it got worse."
While there were few highlights from Judge's tenure, he provided multiple new low points over the past two weeks.
Speaking to reporters after New York's 29-3 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 17, Judge went on an almost 12-minute rant during his postgame press conference in which he claimed the New England Patriots coaching staff that he was part of thought it would get fired midway through the 2018 season before the team won a Super Bowl; said he talks to former Giants players about "how much they wish they were still here and they’re getting paid more somewhere else"; and how current Giants players set to become free agents are "in my office every day begging to come back."
In the second quarter of New York's 22-7 loss to the Washington Football Team in the season finale, Judge called back-to-back quarterback sneaks on second and third down from inside the Giants' own 5-yard line.
Judge told reporters after the game those plays were called in order to give the punter more room so that the team "played the field-position situation I wanted to play."
The Giants went 10-23 during Judge's two seasons as head coach. Their 13 losses in 2021 tied a franchise record for most in a single season (3-13 in 2017).
New York's offense ranked 31st in scoring average (15.2 points per game) and passing (188.0 yards per game) this season.