Joe Judge was fired as head coach of the New York Giants after a tough two-year tenure that saw the team finish the 2021 season with just four wins. Despite Judge being out of the picture for two NFL seasons, former Giants wide receiver Golden Tate still seems to have some resentment towards him. Tate recently slammed Judge in response to a question about his time with the Giants, criticizing him for trying to emulate Tom Brady and Bill Belichick as a “Patriot descendant.”
Tate’s time with the Giants was marked by challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced games to be played without fans in the stadium. He also touched on the struggles he faced playing under Judge, who was one of several coaches who tried to replicate the success of the Patriots’ dynasty under Belichick in New England. Tate’s comments shed light on some underlying issues that the team faced during Judge’s tenure, suggesting that his coaching style did not resonate well with the players.
Having only spent one season with Judge in 2019, Tate’s productivity on the field dipped during the 2020 season under Judge’s leadership. He finished the season with 388 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 12 games, a decline from his 2019 stats of 676 yards and six touchdowns. Despite the initial praise for the Giants’ decision to hire Judge as a former special teams coordinator, Tate’s comments indicate that there were internal struggles and tensions during Judge’s time as head coach.
Judge’s struggles with the Giants are part of a larger pattern seen with coaches who have worked under Belichick in New England. Coaches like Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and Charlie Weis have all faced challenges achieving success as head coaches after leaving the Patriots. While the Giants’ decision to hire Judge was initially met with praise, the reality of his tenure was marked by dissatisfaction from players like Tate.
After being fired by the Giants, Judge joined the coaching staff at Ole Miss as an analyst earlier this year. Despite his departure from the team, the fallout from his time as head coach continues to be felt by former players like Tate, who remain critical of his coaching style and decisions. The comments made by Tate shed light on the challenges and tensions that existed within the Giants organization during Judge’s tenure, highlighting a rocky period for the team.
