Giants head coach Joe Judge's headline-making 11-plus minute response to a question about why fans should have faith in his program raised more than a few eyebrows not just because of the length or the tone behind it, but because of what was said.
In trying to answer a question about why people should not lose faith in what he's been trying to build with the Giants, Judge never came out and mentioned any team or individual by name. However, it wasn't hard to figure out who or what might have been behind some of Judge's critical words.
As part of Judge's passionate defense of his program, he said, "This ain’t a team that’s having fistfights on the sidelines," a reference that draws a little too close to comfort to an ugly sideline blowup between Washington Football Team defenders Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, who exchanged punches in the bench area during a 56-14 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
"Honestly, I just find it interesting and, I have no response to that," Rivera told Giants reporters during a conference call Wednesday. "To me, the important thing is we play on Sunday more so than anything else, you know? I'm more concerned with getting ready to play a football game as opposed to anything else."
Rivera was asked if he resented another coach talking about his team without knowing the whole story.
"No. As far as I'm concerned, what people don't know, that's just the fact that they're not paying attention or enough attention to understand what's going on. So I'm not gonna worry about it. I'm just gonna go forward.
"I have enough respect for the the Giants organization, you know, for, for what Mr. (John) Mara and Mr. (Steve) Tisch have done there. You know, this is one of the staples of the NFL as far as I'm concerned."
Out in Denver, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who was fired after two losing seasons in New York and replaced by Judge, was asked about Judge's assertion that players told him "everybody quit,” and “everybody tapped” and “stopped showing up to captain’s meetings” before Judge's arrival.
"Obviously – that’s not an accurate assessment. But beyond that, I have no comment,” Shurmur said, according to Denver Post Broncos beat writer Ryan O'Halloran.
Judge has defended his response and has continued to insist that the Giants, who are well on their way to finishing with a worse record than last year, are on the right track.
The Giants wrap up their 2021 season Sunday against Washington in what will be New York's fifth straight season without a playoff berth.
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