Giants' Gettleman On WFAN: 'Can't Be Afraid' To Make Tough Personnel Decisions
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Dave Gettleman hasn't made up his mind yet about which quarterbacks will be on the Giants' roster in 2018. But he did indicate Tuesday that he's not afraid to make a tough decision about Eli Manning's future, should it come to that.
"At the end of the day, it's about winning," the new Giants general manager told WFAN's "The Afternoon Drive With Carlin, Bart and Maggie." "That's what it's about. That's why I'm here."
Gettleman reiterated that he wants to evaluate Manning's 2017 game film before making a decision about the two-time Super Bowl MVP's future. With the Giants holding the second-overall draft pick in April, Gettleman has a lot to consider.
"I'm going to study the tape on Eli," said Gettleman, a former Panthers GM who also spent 15 years working in the Giants' front office. "I'm going to look at it chronologically. I was only able to watch a couple of Giant games front to back, and one of them happened to be Philadelphia -- the second Philly game. The guy that I saw that day was the guy that helped put two rings on my fingers."
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Giants coach Ben McAdoo's decision to bench Manning in November was met by a swift backlash from fans. But Gettleman said he won't allow outside pressure to impact his decision making.
"This job is not for the faint of heart," he said. "Like I said, you've got to put your big-boy pants on. You can't be afraid of it. My gosh, I'm so excited I can't see straight. Wherever you go, there's challenges."
Gettleman said he plans to speak with Manning soon.
COACHING SEARCH
Meanwhile, Gettleman is searching for a coach to replace McAdoo, who was fired in December. The Giants' GM said experience is important, but it's not a deal breaker.
Some names the Giants have been linked to in media reports include Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Vikings defensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and former Broncos assistant head coach Eric Studesville. McDaniels, Shurmur and Schwartz have been NFL head coaches before. Studesville was the Broncos' interim head coach for four games in 2010. Patricia and Wilks have never been head coaches.
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"One of the first things you're looking for is intelligence and vision, because you can't have a guy who's sitting down in the weeds," Gettleman explained. "He's got to get up on top, he's got to see the big picture, and he's got to proactively see issues that are coming down the road, instead of being reactive in putting out fires.
"You're looking for leadership. You've got to have someone who has that quality about him that makes people really believe in him and want to go play for. ... And then the other thing you need is you need toughness."
BECKHAM'S CONTRACT
Another matter Gettleman is facing is Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract situation. The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is under contract for 2018, but he's said he wants to be the NFL's highest-paid player.
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Gettleman said he won't discuss any contract negotiations but mentioned that he and Beckham had a "nice conversation" Saturday.
"He's a very gifted player for his position," Gettleman said. "And there's no doubting the talent."
To listen to the full interview with Gettleman, click on the audio player above.
