The Giants selected one of their own to be the new general manager.
Dave Gettleman, a 30-year veteran of NFL personnel who spent the majority of his career _ and his most successful seasons _ with the organization, was named to the position that was vacated when Jerry Reese was fired earlier this month. He becomes the team's fourth general manager since 1979 and, in a way, keeps the chain of succession relatively unbroken if not a bit tangled from George Young through Ernie Accorsi and Reese. It was Accorsi who advised the Giants during their search process in recent weeks.
"Given where we are as a team, we thought it was important to bring in someone with experience as a general manager and a proven track record," co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in a statement announcing the appointment. "Dave's experience is unparalleled. He did an outstanding job as general manager in Carolina, and he was vital to our success during his tenure here. Dave is going to bring his own approach to our organization in how we draft and acquire players through free agency."
Gettleman, 66, was considered the favorite for the job as soon as it became available. His relationship with the team and the franchise's tendency to rely on familiarity when hiring made him the most Giants-y candidate available. He served as the GM for the Panthers from 2013-16, but was dismissed by the organization this summer. That made him free to interview with the Giants last week.
The Giants interviewed four potential general managers, three of whom have deep roots with the organization. Besides Gettleman were current interim general manager Kevin Abrams and current vice president of player evaluation Marc Ross. Former NFL personnel executive and current ESPN analyst Louis Riddick was the only outside candidate to interview.
According to a source, Abrams will stay on as assistant general manager to Gettleman, a role he filled under Reese.
The team will formally introduce Gettleman in a news conference at 11:15 a.m. Friday at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
