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Once upon a time, New York Giants head coach Joe Judge and Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski were high school football teammates at St. Joseph’s Prep in North Philadelphia.
Stefanski actually beat out Judge for the starting job at quarterback, but the pairing was short-lived anyway. Because Judge’s father had recently lost his employment, the then-freshman was forced to transfer to Lansdale Catholic.
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“I was torn apart when I had to leave,” Judge told the New York Daily News last year.
There was never any doubt that Judge’s football career would continue, however. Whether that came on the field itself or the sidelines, Stefanski always knew Judge would make it to the NFL.
“I know his dad played football. It is important to Joe’s family. I played with Joe’s older brother Jim, [too]. Definitely a football family,” Stefanski told reporters on Wednesday.
Judge and Stefanski will reunite this week when the Giants and Browns conduct joint practices — something Stefanski says came together thanks to their familiarity with each other.
“It is a huge deal. I know what Joe is about. I know what he believes in. There is that relationship there where we know our two teams and then I think you can get good productive work when you have that,” Stefanski said.
“Joe is a good coach, a good man. Excited that he is going to be out here. Cannot wait to catch up with him.”
Stefanski also revealed that the joint practices were first discussed way back in spring, about the same time the NFL released the 2021 schedule.
“Joe and I spoke way back when in the spring and talked about doing this, and very open at with, ‘What do you need to see? What do we need to see? Here is what we have done.’ Share some schedules together and then modify it with the coaches as the coaches talk to each other,” Stefanski said.
“I think it is going to be about two hours long both days. The second day, we will have some red zone work with them. We will get two-minute drills on both days. It will be good practice for us.”
The practices will be full speed but not live. Tackling to the ground will not be permitted in hopes of keeping heads cool. There will also be one-on-ones, which present some very interesting matchup opportunities.
“Full speed,” Stefanski said. “Not live, but full speed.”
Two players unlikely to participate in one-on-one and full-team drills are wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and running back Saquon Barkley, each of whom are returning from a torn ACL.
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