He wouldn’t say players’ names for months. He taped tennis balls to defensive backs’ hands if they held. We’ve seen many former Bill Belichick assistants do weird things that turned bad when they didn’t win, and Judge was heading down that path. Judge also had a light resume for a head coach, which drew extra attention at a time when Black assistant coaches are struggling to get opportunities. There were questions.
A year later, Judge seems like the right hire. The Giants played hard despite a roster that was lacking. Players seemed to like and respect him. Maybe things go bad after a promising first season, but after one year the Giants must be optimistic. Judge was happy, despite a 6-10 record.
“I’m a process guy. I’m a steps along the ladder guy of what you have to accomplish,” Judge said after the season, via Giants.com. “My No. 1 goal as a coach this year was the foundation and the culture. The reality in this league is, every team, all 32 teams, have to start over to start the next season. You can’t carry anything over. However, you can build a foundation to build on the next season. You can build a culture in the locker room with the players and coaches that you’re working with.
