Whether with Giants or Elsewhere, Joe Judge’s Biggest Lesson is in Accountability
Column - January 7, 2022
“What makes some of the greatest head coaches who they are?
New York Giants head coach Joe Judge learned the varying answers to that question during his time as an understudy to Bill Belichick in New England. Serving as the Patriots’ special teams coordinator from 2015-2019, Judge had a front row seat to arguably the greatest dynasty in sports history. He had the privilege of riding on the coattails of four Super Bowl runs in that span, three of which ended in titles for the franchise.
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Like Judge, many of Belichick’s former assistants have tried to take the tutelage gained from their teacher to other organizations who’ve hired them in recent years, often ending up with negative results. When the Giants hired Judge back in January 2020, they fell in love with his identity as a Belichick student and were impressed by the then 38-year-old’s demeanor–the way he talked and acted like a coach who’s built programs from the ground up–and the vision he had for the franchise.
John Mara and Steve Tisch boldly believed they had found their own Belichick, or even another Bill Parcells. Even to this day that is reportedly their belief. Too bad in the record books, the similarities just aren’t there yet.
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However, while those are all critical components to becoming a coach and team with sustained success, there is a larger aspect of Belichick’s career that Judge is severely missing.
Wins on his resume.”