Dave Gettleman’s reign of terror is over as the New York Giants’ general manager and senior vice president announced his retirement on Monday.
“It was a privilege to serve as the general manager of the New York Giants the last four years and to have spent so many years of my career with this franchise,” Gettleman said. “We obviously have not had the on-the-field success I expected, and that is disappointing. However, I have many fond memories here, including two Super Bowl victories, and I wish the team and organization only the best moving forward. There are many good people here who pour their souls into this organization. I am proud to have worked alongside them.”
Gettleman, who spent 13 years as the Giants’ director of pro personnel from 1999-2012, returned to the organization as GM ahead of the 2018 season following a four-year stint as the GM of the Carolina Panthers.
Taking over a team that finished 3-13 in 2017, Gettleman somehow managed to put the Giants in an even worse position upon his exit.
He failed to build the offensive line into a dependable unit, which was one of his very first promises during his introductory press conference four years ago.
He made questionable draft picks with valuable assets — taking running back Saquon Barkley No. 2 overall in 2018 before the shocking decision to select Daniel Jones at No. 6 a year later.
He whiffed on signings like Kareem Martin, Patrick Omameh, and Nate Solder.
He signed Odell Beckham Jr. — a generational wide-receiver talent — to a massive extension only to trade him away to the Cleveland Browns.
Almost everything he touched turned rotten in the Meadowlands and the record justifiably reflects that. The Giants were 19-46 in the Gettleman era, which is the most losses over any four-year stretch in the franchise’s 97-year history.
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The Giants will begin the search for a new general manager immediately, according to co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch.
“This will be a comprehensive search for our next general manager,” Mara said. “We are looking for a person who demonstrates exceptional leadership and communication abilities, somebody who will oversee all aspects of our football operations, including player personnel, college scouting, and coaching.”
“It is an understatement to say John and I are disappointed by the lack of success we have had on the field,” Tisch added. “We are united in our commitment to find a general manager who will provide the direction necessary for us to achieve the on-field performance and results we all expect.”
