Giants owner Mara accepts honor for late father

John Mara, president, CEO and co-owner of the Giants, will accept the Hometown Hall of Famers award on behalf of his late father, Wellington Mara, on Friday.

He spoke with amNewYork about the award and the Giants' up-and-down season.

I think it's certainly something he would have been quite honored to be a part of. Especially [with] the ceremony being at the Loyola School, which is where he went to high school and where he had a lot of great memories.

You're on top of the world one week and you're at the bottom of the world, the depths of despair the next week. Unfortunately, the depths of despair for us lasted for six weeks, which ... none of us expected. Now, we seem to be playing a little bit better.

It would be a great accomplishment, but I can't even think about that now. I think this coaching staff and these players have been very focused about just the next game and taking it week by week, and that's the way we look at it around here.

I think we've all realized here that he didn't all of a sudden forget how to coach. I'm proud of the fact that the team has held together. I think a lot of teams would have showed signs of cracking when you go through a six-game losing streak and I don't think we ever did that.

I think he has to make it this year, I really do. ... He was as good a defensive end who's ever played this game. Not only was he a great pass-rusher, but he was as good against the run as any defensive end.