Giants HC Joe Judge expected to be back in 2022 (Report)

The reported belief is the Giants will not fire Joe Judge after the season.

Wholesale changes are needed in East Rutherford. The 4-9 Giants are in an abysmal state and, following Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, have solidified another losing season — the organization’s fifth consecutive.

But one of the significant alterations many would like to see might not come to fruition.

According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, the belief is the Giants will not be firing head coach Joe Judge at the end of the year. Despite the widespread issues Judge has been at the forefront of since joining the team in 2020, co-owner John Mara may be providing him with a third season.

“A few weeks ago I would’ve told you no chance he gets fired,” a league source reportedly told Vacchiano. “Now? Even after (the team’s recent loss to drop to 4-9), I’d probably still say ‘No chance.’ [Mara] loves Judge. He thinks he’s found his [Bill] Belichick or [Bill] Parcells. And there’s just no way he gives up on another coach this soon.”

I’m sorry…he thinks he’s found his what? Judge has gone 10-19 through his first 29 games, and he’s being compared to two of the greatest head coaches in the 102-year history of the league? Is this because Judge was a disciple of Belichick, who was a disciple of Parcells? Is that the standard at this point?

When the source concludes their quote with “gives up on another coach this soon,” they’re comparing the length of Judge’s current tenure with those of Ben McAdoo and Pat Shurmur. The former was fired after fewer than two full seasons (he only made it through 12 games in 2017) and the latter was sent packing after unsuccessful 2018 and 2019 campaigns.

Mara seemingly doesn’t want to keep initiating turnover while the organization attempts to dig itself out of this deep, dark, ugly hole. He wishes to remain patient, but why? The league is changing, and amid that change, patience has become an outdated trait.

Just take a look around the NFL — the teams who make changes and upgrades when absolutely needed are generally finding success quicker than some of the organizations remaining patient.

The Cardinals, in 2018, used the No. 10 overall pick on quarterback Josh Rosen and parted ways with him after a single season to draft Kyler Murray. Rosen is now a backup and on his fifth different team while the Cardinals are one of the best teams in football.

The Browns, after one six-win 2019 season with then-head coach Freddie Kitchens, realized they made a crucial mistake, fired him, moved on to Kevin Stefanski, and were in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 the following year.

Then, you have the Giants, who feel one or two seasons is too small of a sample size for a legitimate evaluation; who value continuity in the building more than getting the right people in East Rutherford to do their jobs correctly.

Judge has been the head coach for 29 total games. That’s 29 weeks of practice, game planning, film study, installs, and long nights at the office, all of which have amounted to 10 victories.

He hasn’t fulfilled the promises he made at his introductory press conference 23 months ago. Will he ever?

Also, if the Giants wish to put themselves on the right path, there must be a clean sweep. General manager Dave Gettleman‘s departure — whether that be via retirement or ownership firing him — is imminent. This is another reason why Judge must go after 2021.

The Giants made a mistake following 2019 when they fired Shurmur, retained Gettleman, and subsequently tried to make it work with Gettleman and Judge.

Ownership must find a new general manager (preferably someone outside the organization) and have that GM pick his own head coach and quarterback (if they additionally decide Daniel Jones isn’t the answer moving forward).

You can’t keep overlapping general managers and head coaches — it didn’t work after 2019 and the same disastrous story will repeat itself if John Mara decides to take that route again.

Gettleman is nearly out of the building — Judge must follow.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY

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