The New York Giants face the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium and on the opposing sideline will be their former head coach, Joe Judge.
Judge was fired after compiling a 4-13 record during the 2021 regular season, which featured a wild 11-minute rant following a Week 17 loss to the Chicago Bears and controversial back-to-back quarterback sneaks in a Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders.
While fans were happy to see Judge get shown the door, his players weren’t nearly as enthusiastic. Despite the team’s struggles and Judge’s unorthodox coaching style, he had earned the respect of the men he commanded.
Running back Saquon Barkley was one of those men, who to this day appreciates Judge for his calming presence after the running back tore his ACL.
“With Judge, obviously the biggest thing was focus on the little things and the details. That’s something that I’ll always take,” Barkley told reporters this week. “He’s the one where, the first thing that goes in my mind, I was sitting there after I tore my knee, I’m sitting there bawling and I look up and he’s the one that told me it’s going to be a hell of a story.
“From that moment, that kind of my whole mantra was like this is not over. I’m going to be okay. I’m going to find a way. I’m going to work my butt off and I’m going to get back to the player that I’m known to be and the player that I know that I am. So, I’ve got nothing but tremendous respect for Joe and obviously, the two years here didn’t go the way we would’ve liked, but I’m really thankful for him.”
Barkley wasn’t alone in those sentiments. Wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton also have an admiration for Judge and they’re excited to talk to him on Sunday.
“He hasn’t done anything but treat me with respect,” Shepard said, via the New York Post. “Was he a tough coach and his practice style different than I’ve seen before? Yes, but that’s who he is. And he’s a great dude.”
Current Giants head coach, Brian Daboll, also has a close relationship with Judge. In fact, Judge had wanted Daboll to be his offensive coordinator after being hired by the Giants but the Buffalo Bills, Daboll’s then-employer, denied Judge’s request for an interview.
“I’d say when I see those guys, we say hello, but during the season you’re not talking to a lot of coaches on other staffs. You’re really focused on your staff,” Daboll said this week. “But got a lot of respect for Joe, too. I know him, his wife, his children. I’d say (our relationship) is good.”
Sunday won’t mark the first time Judge has returned to MetLife Stadium, but it will mark the first time he’s faced his former team since that ugly divorce.
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