John Mara: Steve Tisch and I didn’t ask Ben McAdoo to stop calling plays
Giants coach Ben McAdoo looks on during the second half of game against the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
A day after Giants co-owner Steve Tisch hinted that he and fellow owner John Mara had suggested it would be a good idea for Ben McAdoo to give up play-calling duties, Mara said the two did not bring that up to the coach.
McAdoo handed off play-calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan for Sunday night’s game against the Broncos in Denver. The Giants won, 23-10, for their first victory of the season.
“Steve and I have talked about that,” Mara said, referring to private conversations the owners have had about McAdoo’s play-calling situation. “We talk about the games and what goes on. We [complain] to one another, but neither one of us spoke to the coach about giving up the play-calling.”
When asked Tuesday if he or Mara spoke to McAdoo about letting Sullivan call plays, Tisch replied, “It was discussed last week.” He did not elaborate. Tisch said he thought “it was a very good adjustment that the coach made.”
McAdoo said Wednesday that giving up play-calling was his decision and his alone.
“Early last week, I made a decision that I wasn’t going to call it,” he said. “So, the office next to mine is Mike Sullivan’s. I walked into Mike Sullivan’s office, I said, ‘You’re calling it this week.’ Jerry (Reese) is down the hall. I walked down to Jerry’s office. I said, ‘Jerry, I’m not calling it this week. Sully is calling it.’ Then I walked down to the quarterback room. I said, ‘Hey, Eli, Sully is calling it this week.’ And, that was it.”
Mara said it’s not his place to address whether McAdoo should call the plays or not.
“I think (general manager) Jerry (Reese) has probably had that discussion with him,” Mara said. “But even Jerry would not, and did not, tell him that he had to give up the play-calling duties. That has to be the head coach’s decision.”
Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”
