John Mara did the right thing by making a strong statement for franchise stability.
The Giants president, CEO and co-owner made it clear he has no plans to make a change at head coach and general manager, despite his team’s 2-5 record entering its game Monday night in Pittsburgh — where the Giants are underdogs for the 23rd consecutive game dating back to last year.
Mara’s message was premeditated, knowing he was making himself available to a handful of reporters after Wednesday night’s advance screening of “The Duke: Wellington Mara’s Giant Life’’ and knowing he was going to be asked about head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
Among a number of powerfully moving moments on display during the screening, one that resonated most, was the beaming look of pride and joy on the face of Wellington Mara, the Giants patriarch, when the team he owned was doing well, winning big games, playoff games, Super Bowls.
Wellington’s son, John, was a youngster during those glory days when his beloved dad was overseeing the team. He fondly recalls the good times … times that seem like they took place light years ago with his franchise in free-fall for the past decade-plus.
When I brought up to John Mara the look of joy on his father’s face from the movie footage and asked him how much he craves to have that feeling back for himself and the current generation of Giants, he politely interrupted the question and said, “More than you could ever know, believe me.’’
Asked what he took away from his father that he needs to employ in difficult times like the present, Mara said, “Try to be more patient than maybe I’ve been in recent years, because he was patient, he preached that all the time.’’
Mara’s patience has been tested since he moved on from Tom Coughlin as his head coach after 12 seasons in 2015. Coughlin’s successor, Ben McAdoo, didn’t make it through two full seasons. Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge followed, each getting two seasons before Daboll and Schoen were hired before the 2022 season.
“I’ve probably been guilty of not being patient enough in recent years,’’ Mara said. “And that’s one of the reasons I’m committed to Joe and Brian Daboll and giving them a chance to turn this thing around.’’
Those words and the clear message they conveyed were welcomed by Mara’s players — particularly the small group remaining on the roster who’ve endured the regime changes.
“I respect Mr. Mara for saying that because they’ve got the right people in here,’’ defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, in his sixth season with the team, said Thursday. “It’s hard to build a culture if you keep recycling and you’ve got to keep starting over.
“They’re doing a good job getting the right people in here. This is the best team I’ve probably been a part of since I’ve been here. We’ve just got to find a way to get it done on Sunday.’’
Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor told The Post: “I think Daboll is a hell of a freaking coach and a hell of a game planner.’’
Receiver Darius Slayton, in his sixth season with the team, on Thursday called Mara’s public message “smart.’’
“Having had three full regimes in my time here, the first five years, is not what you need in a franchise,’’ Slayton told The Post. “So, I definitely understand where [Mara’s message] is coming from. I feel like nowadays, there’s so much, ‘Oh, these guys aren’t getting it done, so get them out of here.’ ’’
John Mara, in an era of sports rant radio, social media and all the basement blog experts inciting the fan base, finding the strength to be as patient as his father was in a different time era is a much more difficult task.
There’s irony to this Monday matchup because the Steelers might be the most consistently stable franchise in NFL history with their current coach of 18 seasons, Mike Tomlin, just the third coach for the team since 1969, following Bill Cowher, who followed Chuck Noll.
The Steelers and their culture are the very example of what Mara is trying to build.
Daboll on Thursday called the Steelers franchise “a model of consistency.’’
“From the outside looking in, it’s very impressive how they do things,’’ Daboll said. “The culture that they’ve had for a long time, obviously that’s what you would love to have, and that’s why you have such great appreciation when you get ready to play this team.’’
Daboll wouldn’t come out and say it, but Mara’s words of confidence in him and Schoen surely were welcomed.
“We have a very good communication process, a good relationship,’’ Daboll said of himself and ownership. “Nobody’s happy about the results or the record, but the communication and the process and the people, I believe in them.’’
Every Giants fan hopes that mutual belief between Mara and Daboll will lead to better results than they’ve endured. And that begins Monday night in Pittsburgh, where the Giants will try to save their season.
