HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — New York Giants co-owner John Mara and his family have been around the NFL long enough to know not to label an upcoming season make-or-break for the front office and coaching staff.
The Giants’ 100th season in the league is still more than a month away and everyone involved knows he and the fans are not happy with the 6-11 record in 2023.
It was disappointing, especially coming off the unexpected success coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen had in their first season when New York went 9-7-1 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
“I obviously want to show significant improvement over last year, but I’m not going to make any specific guarantees or demands or anything like that,” Mara said Thursday after a joint news conference with Hackensack Meridian Health.
“They know what I want to see,” Mara said 100 years to the day his grandfather, Tim, founded the Giants for a $500 investment.
“I have a lot of confidence in this particular team (Daboll and Schoen). Their communication is great. I think we’ve added some good pieces. Now it’s time to show everybody.”
There is a lot of optimism heading into this season. The Giants have revamped an offensive line that allowed a franchise-record 85 sacks last season and hired a new line coach in Carmen Bricillo. The receiving group is deep and talented, especially with first-round draft pick Malik Nabers and second-year pro Jalin Hyatt making big plays every practice.
Quarterback Daniel Jones has recovered quickly from an ACL injury in November. Running back Devin Singletary has looked good taking over for Saquon Barkley, who signed with the Eagles as a free agent.
There are more questions on the defense but the front seven looks good with Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence in the middle with bookend edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns. Leading tackler and inside linebacker Bobby Okereke is back.
Mara has a competitive side. He’s like the fans of his team. They want a title and so does he. The Giants won their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history in February 2012.
It’s difficult to say how he will react if the Giants make the playoffs, but they still seem far away from a title.
“I don’t know how to quantify that,” Mara said of that possibility. “I want to walk off the field at the end of the season feeling like we are moving in the right direction, (like) we’ve got a great foundation here and there’s every reason to be optimistic moving forward.”
Mara spoke on a number of topics after a team mural commemorating the 100th season was unveiled on a wall outside the hospital. He said he had no regrets giving Jones a $160 million deal after the 2022 season.
“I thought he played really well for us in ’22,” Mara said of Jones. “Last year he got hurt. Now, let’s be honest, when he was playing we weren’t blocking anybody. So let’s give him a chance with a better offensive line with some weapons.”
Mara said he thought the team’s recent appearance on “Hard Knocks” went as well as could be expected. He added he was reluctant to appear on the show but eventually gave in.
He also said he left the decision on whether to re-sign Barkley up to Schoen, although he had long said the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft was one of his favorite players, as well as a fan favorite.
Looking around the league, Mara said he was a bit surprised Bill Belichick was not hired after his run with the Patriots ended.
“I was very surprised, very surprised by that,” Mara said of the Giants defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells during the ’86 Super Bowl season. “You’re surprised every year by things that happen in the National Football League.”
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