Tag: joe judge

Golden Tate explains what went wrong during his time with the Giants

Former New York Giants WR Golden Tate explains what went wrong — cough, Joe Judge, cough — during his time with the organization.

Since the departure of Tom Coughlin, the New York Giants have sought to find the next coach who will last more than a couple of years.

Brian Daboll marks the fifth head coach the Giants have had in the almost 10 years since Coughlin was shown the door, and if he doesn’t make the playoffs this season, the seat is going to get warm.

One of the coaches the Giants brought in over that span was Joe Judge, who had zero head coaching experience when hired. He spent 2012-2019 with the New England Patriots under Bill Belichick and had been a special teams coordinator but had no inkling of what being a head coach meant.

Former Giants wide receiver Golden Tate says this is where the Giants went wrong.

“My time with the Giants was interesting. My last year was during the COVID year and that just sucked because we had to play just about every single game with no fans in the stadium, so it felt like a scrimmage. It sucked,” Tate said.

“And on top of that, I had one of the Patriots’ descendants come on over, Joseph Judge, who thought he could remake the wheel by trying to do everything like Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and it did not fly.”

After Coughlin, the Giants kept taking steps backward with coaches under Dave Gettleman. Bed McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, Steve Spagnuolo (interim), and Judge.

Judge was the final straw that led to the firing of Gettleman when he won just 10 games of the 33 he coached.

The days of Gettleman are over, though, and the Joe Schoen era is upon us. Daboll has a lot to prove this season, both inside the locker room and on the field.

But Dabs has already won more games than his four predecessors, so if the Giants bounce back this season, maybe things start to really turn around for the franchise going forward.

[lawrence-related id=729978,729963,729940]

Ex-Giant recalls stunned reaction to Joe Judge’s back-to-back QB sneak calls

A former New York Giants wide receiver recalls his on-field reaction to Joe Judge’s consecutive QB sneaks calls: “Thought I was concussed.”

In the final week of the 2021 regular season, the New York Giants closed out an ugly campaign with a 22-7 loss to the Washington Commanders.

That game was the last for head coach Joe Judge, who was fired shortly thereafter.

The final nail in the coffin likely came during the second quarter when, trailing 3-0, Judge called back-to-back quarterback sneaks from inside the five-yard line.

“I wasn’t going to live through what happened last week in Chicago,” Judge told reporters after the game, referring to a Week 17 safety. “We’re going to give ourselves room for the punt. We did that. We played the field-position situation I wanted to play.”

The calls were widely panned on social media and rightfully so. It was an embarrassing moment for one of the NFL’s great franchises and it left a stain that lingers to this day.

Earlier this week, former Giants wideout Alex Bachman recalled receiving word of the second consecutive sneak while in the huddle.

“I thought I was concussed when I heard this play call in the huddle,” Bachman wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I came off on the sideline looking around. I thought for sure I was trippin.”

Earlier in the game, the Giants also called an end-around for Bachman but left the defensive end unblocked, allowing for an easy tackle three yards behind the line of scrimmage.

“With no one covering their DE rushing straight up the field,” Bachman wrote. “I got an apology on the sideline for that one.”

What an ugly time in Giants history.

[lawrence-related id=729755,729766,729757]

Giants’ hiring of Joe Judge ranked among worst in NFL history

The New York Giants’ decision to have Joe Judge lead their team has been ranked as one of the worst coaching hires in NFL history.

It’s nearing the end of June and team minicamps are winding down. The pace is slower, which means there’s more time for different types of stories, like Pro Football Network ranking the worst coaching hires in NFL history.

It should come as no surprise that the New York Giants have a mistake bad enough to land them on this list. It’s really more of a, “which coach would they pick” rather than if they would make the list at all.

That said, the Giants landed with the sixth worst coaching hire in NFL history when they inked Joe Judge in 2020.

In the ranking, PFN cites Judge as “another former Patriots assistant who unraveled after leaving Belichick’s side.” The other assistant they refer is Matt Patricia, who landed at seven on the list.

The article also references how everyone thought Judge’s job was safe until the final game of the season when the game ended with two quarterback sneak play calls on second-and-11 and third-and-9 while backed up against their own goal line.

A 10-23 overall record tells the story of Judge’s tenure with the Giants, but so does one specific play from the end of his stint with Big Blue.

In what ended up being Judge’s final game as New York’s head coach (the 2021 regular-season finale), Judge called for consecutive quarterback sneaks on 2nd-and-11 and 3rd-and-9 while the Giants were backed up against their own goal line. New York had no faith it could execute even a basic offensive play, a terrible reflection on its head coach.

Although every pre-Week 17 report had suggested Judge’s job was safe, the Giants fired him after that cowardly display. Belichick then shockingly tasked Judge and Patricia with overhauling the Patriots’ 2022 offense, and we know how that went.

Those two play calls reflected so poorly on Judge (along with his viral postgame meltdown in Week 17) that the Giants decided to fire him even though there were no previous indications that would happen.

Even when Judge was hired in 2020, many questioned the decision and none were surprised by his firing. But now the question remains: Will Brian Daboll meet this same fate as a former Belichick assistant?

[lawrence-related id=728543,728535,728524]

Ole Miss hiring ex-Giants head coach Joe Judge

Former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge is joining Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss.

Following a regime change in New England, former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge recently found himself without a job.

However, Judge’s stint on unemployment didn’t last long.

OMSpirit’s Chuck Rounsaville (via on3) reports that Judge will be joining Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss. He will handle multiple roles.

Ole Miss has done it again with the hiring of former New York Giants head coach and longtime NFL assistant Joe Judge.

Judge, who spent the past 12 years in the NFL, is reportedly being hired as a senior analyst. OMSpirit’s Chuck Rounsaville is also hearing the newest staffer will work with special teams at Ole Miss.

Judge was hired by the Giants in 2020 but the union only lasted two seasons. He was fired after compiling a 10-23 record and going on a wild 11-minute rant following the 2021 regular season.

The end of Judge’s tenure in East Rutherford was ugly and embarrassing for the organization but after a year away from the game, he found himself back on Bill Belichick’s staff.

Judge now returns to the college ranks where he last coached in 2011 as a member of Nick Saban’s Alabama staff.

[lawrence-related id=725802,725797,725790]

Report: Former Patriots assistant joining Ole Miss coaching staff

Joe Judge is returning to college football

After being elevated to assistant head coach under former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Joe Judge will reportedly be moving on to a new opportunity in 2024.

Per OMSpirit’s Zach Berry, Judge is returning to college football to join Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin’s staff.

Kiffin and Judge have both worked under legendary coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama. So there’s a clear connection between the two. Judge worked as a special teams assistant and coordinator with the Patriots for eight seasons, before accepting a head coaching job with the New York Giants in 2020.

His run in New York didn’t last very long, as he was ultimately ousted the following year after a 4-13 finish to the season.

A return to the collegiate level feels like a much-needed fresh start for Judge, who should be looking to put a disappointing second run in New England in the distant review.

Would Brian Daboll benefit from adding these two ex-Giants to his staff?

There New York Giants are in a chaotic state but Brian Daboll could provide some calm by hiring these 2 former Giants to the coaching staff.

Has New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll lost some of his locker room this week by parting ways with two of his top assistants?

Possibly. Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey has been one of the NFL’s most experienced and successful assistants over the past decade and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was beloved by his troops.

But in a down season, heads have a tendency to roll. Ironically, the coordinator of the team’s most troubled unit — the offense (Mike Kafka) — is coming back in 2024.

Daboll came out of Monday’s bloodbath looking like a coach who is scapegoating the people who contradict his initiatives, whatever they are.

He looks weak right now and if the players were polled anonymously, he would likely not come through with glowing reviews.

Daboll can, however, save some face by bringing back two coaches whom the players do respect – Joe Judge and Antonio Pierce.

Judge was recently lauded by some Giants players who played for him during his head coaching stint here and Pierce is a Giants legend who defensive players throughout the league hold in high regard.

Will he be willing to do that? Would the Giants? We’ll see.

[lawrence-related id=722916,722914,722911]

Giants’ biggest needs headed into the offseason

The New York Giants are headed into a potentially turbulent offseason and these are their biggest needs — yes, including a QB decision.

The New York Giants finished 6-11 on the season and failed to follow up on their 2022 playoff performance leaving behind questions of whether or not they are headed in the right direction.

The Giants had breakdowns and failures in just about every unit and now must seriously evaluate what needs to be addressed and in what order.

Here are the Giants’ five biggest needs heading into the offseason.

8 special teams coordinator candidates Giants could consider

The New York Giants are on the hunt for a new special teams coordinator and these are 8 potential candidates they could consider.

The New York Giants are in need of a new special teams coordinator after firing long-time assistant Thomas McGaughey on Monday.

Here are eight quick names the team might look at.

Note: Some of these candidates may currently be employed with other teams and would require termination (or resignation) before joining the Giants.

Giants players have ‘tremendous respect’ for ex-coach Joe Judge

New York Giants players expressed a “tremendous respect” for their former head coach, Joe Judge, ahead of Sunday’s game against New England.

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.

[lawrence-related id=720110,720057,720054]

Follow the Giants Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Giants vs. Patriots: 5 things to know about Week 12

The New York Giants and New England Patriots square off on Sunday afternoon in Week 12, so here are five things fans should know.

The New York Giants (3-8) play host to the New England Patriots (2-8) this Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in a Week 12 matchup between two of the league’s most storied franchises.

Here are five things to know before kickoff on Sunday.