Joe Judge has hooked his first really big fish as the Giants try to get out from under the deep end of the sea and start swimming closer to playoff waters.
The hope within Giants ownership as soon as Judge was hired as head coach was that the 39-year-old could attract and assemble a big-time staff — something Pat Shurmur could not do two years ago. Judge got the chance to sit down last Wednesday with Jason Garrett, and on Friday Garrett signed off to become the Giants’ new offensive coordinator.
Just like that, someone who spent the past decade trying (and often succeeding) to beat the Giants as the Cowboys’ head coach now joins forces with his former NFC East rival.
Judge, a special teams coordinator for the Patriots, was a gamble at head coach the Giants were willing to take after he blew them away in an interview. Adding a former NFL coach was not a prerequisite, but it was a desire. Co-owner John Mara said, “That would be great if he could find the right person.’’ Judge’s selection for his defensive coordinator — 40-year-old Patrick Graham — does not meet that description.
Garrett, the Cowboys’ head coach for nearly 10 years, certainly does.
In some ways, this is a homecoming for Garrett. He went to college at Princeton, and he played for the Giants from 2000-2003, backing up Kerry Collins, though not throwing a single pass in those four seasons. He did, however, make a positive impression in the building as a class act and studious player.
Garrett’s ties to the Giants run deep. His father, Jim, was a Giants assistant from 1969-73.
Now comes the key question: How good of an offensive coordinator is Garrett?
A Cowboys quarterback from 1993-99, Garrett ran the offense in Dallas for four years before his promotion to head coach. He continued to call the plays until 2013, when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones insisted Garrett concentrate on coaching the entire team.
Garrett, 53, helped in the development of Tony Romo and guided Dak Prescott through his nascent NFL days. This should greatly benefit Daniel Jones, coming off a promising rookie year.
The Cowboys beat the Giants twice this past season, and Garrett had plenty of positive things to say about Jones.
“It’s not surprising to us that he was drafted as high as he was,’’ Garrett said. “Just a really talented guy. He’s big, he’s athletic, he can throw the ball, he can make plays in the pocket, he can make plays out in space with his feet. He keeps his eyes up, makes a lot of plays when he’s on the move throwing the ball down the field, plays with a competitive spirit. He’s someone who seems calm and poised and handling it all really well and getting better and better every week.’’
Garrett also knows how to build a running game featuring a star running back. As a head coach, his offense produced three rushing champions — DeMarco Murray in 2014 and Ezekiel Elliott in 2016 and 2018. That should make Saquon Barkley’s ears perk up.
Judge and Garrett did not previously cross paths in the NFL, but they both worked for Nick Saban — Judge for three years at Alabama, Garrett for two years with the Dolphins.
“There were guys I worked with that I came across in my career at both Alabama and at the New England Patriots that worked with Jason through their time in Miami with him,’’ Judge said. “They consistently all reflected on how smart he is, how great a teacher he is and how his perspective of the game was through a different lens than most coaches. And when he sees it, he’s able to communicate it and paint that mental image to the players. And he does a fantastic job of making in-game adjustments.”
As a head coach, Garrett went 85-67, but won only two playoff games. Jones is a huge fan of Garrett’s, and it was difficult for him to part ways with him, but he did, hiring Mike McCarthy as the new head coach in Dallas.
Judge also found a running backs coach, hiring Burton Burns, a longtime assistant at Alabama. Judge and Burns worked together for three years in Tuscaloosa.
Judge already has his quarterbacks coach after hiring Jerry Schuplinski. The two worked together for six years with the Patriots.
The Giants made official the hiring of Garrett and Graham, as well as Thomas McGaughey’s return as the special teams coordinator. Judge also mentioned longtime special teams assistant Tom Quinn will retain his job.
“All these guys were priorities to add to our staff,’’ Judge said of the three coordinators. “You have a short list when you come into this and you make sure you go ahead and take your time and get those guys in with whatever it takes.’’
For more on the Giants, listen to the latest episode of the “Blue Rush” podcast: