This season may not only be a make or break one for New York Giants QB Daniel Jones, but also Dave Gettleman. After all, Gettleman constructed this current team as the general manager and can no longer point to problems such as the previous GM’s players or a lack of cap space to make moves with. For better or worse, Gettleman will likely be judged based on how the Giants perform during these next couple of seasons.
That might lead some to believe that Gettleman is on the hot seat and that he’ll quickly be out the door if the Giants don’t make a significant jump in performance. Gettleman, after all, was seemingly close to getting fired along with Pat Shurmur when the previous coaching staff was removed. For some, it’s hard to imagine the Giants continuing to give Gettleman chances even after keeping him around following that.
But there’s a different tune from co-owner John Mara, who claims that Gettleman is far from being on the hot seat. In an interview with the New York Post, he defended Gettleman and denied the hot seat rumors very directly.
What John Mara had to say
“Listen, I was frustrated the first couple of years the way the [seasons] ended. But the combination of Dave and Joe has produced very good personnel decisions, be it in free agency and in the draft. It’s a very good combination. We’ve made a lot of changes to our football operations staff, added some talented new people. I just feel like we’re moving in the right direction,” Mara said.
If that’s not enough to convince you, the fact that Mara denied the rumors straight up should be.
“No, you’re on the hot seat if you write any more stupid comments like that,” Mara said after being asked directly. He’d repeat the denial again for added measure, too.
For better or worse, it seems like Giants fans are stuck with Dave Gettleman for the forseeable future. At least, unless things take a drastically bad turn this season. But with the roster improving and the Giants bringing back a more experienced coaching staff after Joe Judge’s first season, that looks unlikely.
Whether or not Mara’s stance is a good thing or bad thing is up for debate – but there’s no mystery about what that stance is.