Editor’s note: In the coming weeks our Patriots insiders will be speaking with beat writers from around the NFL to get an outside view on what the future holds for the Patriots. Today’s team: the New York Giants with Bob Glauber of Newsday.
Joe Judge left the New England Patriots this offseason to become the head coach of a marquee NFL franchise in the nation's largest city, so the pressure on him to succeed will be felt right from the start.
The New York Giants haven't reached the playoffs since 2016, and they are hoping Judge will lead them back soon. Judge was the Patriots' special teams coordinator for several years and added wide receivers coach to his duties in 2019.
Download the MyTeams app for the latest Patriots news and analysis
Newsday's Bob Glauber recently talked with our Patriots insider Tom E. Curran for some perspective on Judge and how his tenure in New York has gone so far. Will Judge, who has no prior head coaching experience at the pro level, be successful in one of the league's most high-profile jobs?
"I think that's a question in two or three years we'll know the answer to, truly," Glauber said. "I will say I have been impressed with the way Joe has handled himself. Pre-pandemic, he was out there at the combine -- his introductory news conference was impressive. I kinda wanted to play after that one, and some former players wanted to play, and his current players are going like, 'all right, I'm going to have to work.' He's going to be a tough-minded coach. I did have a chance to cover Eric Mangini, and I know the Bill Belichick coaching tree has been mixed, and Joe is mindful of that. He's addressed that many times. You can't be Bill Belichick, and he's aware of that and I think he'll be OK with that."
Listen and subscribe to the Next Pats Podcast:
New England Patriots
In New England, Judge worked alongside one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time in Tom Brady. Brady had loads of experience, more Super Bowl rings than any player in league history, and two decades of knowledge on opposing defenses and what to look for in certain situations. Judge's new quarterback, Daniel Jones, is in a totally different situation.
Jones is coming off his rookie season, and it was a good one. He completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,027 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 13 games. Working with Jones and helping him reach his full potential will be a major factor in whether Judge succeeds as Giants head coach.
"Daniel Jones is a very coachable player," Glauber said. "If you coach him tough, he'll respond. I think it will be a good match. We just talked to Daniel Jones today, and Daniel is a very low-key guy, kind of like an Eli Manning clone in terms of his disposition and his mentality. So, I think that will help. Jason Garrett will have a firm hand with him, but Garrett has been a players' coach before, he's the offensive coordinator now. His offense has been productive. It hasn't been championship-caliber, but it's been productive. He knows what he's doing, he's been a quarterback, he knows the position. I think it will be a good match, and I think Daniel Jones will take to any type of coaching that you want. (Former Giants head coach) Pat Shurmur led with -- he was patient. I think Judge is a little more maniacal, urgent, and Daniel will play with a sense of urgency but also a sense of calmness, which he does have."
The Giants play in a tough NFC East division, and getting New York back to the top of that group will be a difficult challenge. Judge does have a ton of talent, however, and his many years working under Bill Belichick in New England surely will be a huge help as he prepares for his first season as an NFL head coach.