If it wasn't clear already that general manager Dave Gettleman's job was safe, Giants owner John Mara put the question to bed Wednesday.
"He is coming back," Mara told reporters, via NFL Network's Kim Jones.
New York retaining its GM had become obvious after Big Blue didn't make a move immediately after the season. Despite a 15-33 record over three seasons, Gettleman will get at least one more year in New York.
"There's no defending the record. There's no defending that at all. We haven't won enough games," Mara said, per Art Stapleton of The Record.
So, why retain a GM who has won five games, four games, and six games, respectively, in the past three years?
Mara cited the promising relationship between new coach Joe Judge and Gettleman, noting the duo worked well together.
"I think we've established a basis for a foundation for success going forward," Mara said, via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. "There's a different feeling in the building now than there has been in a number of years. That's why I'm optimistic."
When the Giants fired Pat Shurmur last year and allowed Gettleman to hire Judge, it signaled the GM's leash would be longer. Essentially, Big Blue gave the general manager a mulligan for mistakes made in 2018 and 2019.
"To break that up now, to bring in someone else from the outside is not going to be beneficial," Mara noted.
Even with several moves that paid off in 2020, the Giants still won just six games and missed out on winning a lousy division. However, the owner believes his club isn't far off from taking another step forward under the current brass.
"Hopefully not too much longer, because I can't wait too much longer, quite frankly," he said. "I'm tired of sitting up here explaining why I'm optimistic about the future. I want to do it after a winning season."
Gettleman will get another offseason to put his stamp on the franchise. Mara couldn't promise more than that.
"Everything in this business is year to year. I'm not going to speculate on that," he said.
