Cheer up, Giants fans. Gettleman isn't the worst GM in franchise history.
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman speaks to the media before training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
It’s become nearly impossible to envision a scenario in which Dave Gettleman remains general manager of the Giants beyond this season. Gettleman does have one thing going for him as his tenure likely comes to an end in the coming weeks, though.
He almost certainly will not be the worst general manager in franchise history, if by no other measure than a few percentage points.
Throw away the final two games of the 2017 season, when Gettleman technically had been hired but could do little to impact the team. That saddles him with a 19-43 record in the nearly four full seasons in which he has been in control of the organization. If the Giants lose their last three games this season — and what have we seen to argue otherwise? - that record would be 19-46, a winning percentage of .292.
Yuck.
Enter Andy Robustelli. He was a Hall of Fame player for the Giants and Rams — and a total flop as an executive. He was general manager of the Giants through some of their darkest days (although recent times are certainly dim enough to compete with that era for disappointment and failure). Ol’ Andy served as general manager of the Giants from 1974 to 1978, and in those five seasons, the team went 21-51, a winning percentage of .292.
Same as Gettleman.
Until you parse the numbers a few more decimal places.
Gettleman’s non-rounded winning percentage — and again we are assuming the worst-case scenario with three more losses this season — is .29230769. Robustelli’s is .29166667.
So even if the Giants never win another game with Gettleman as their general manager, he will not be the worst to ever hold that title with the franchise… by .00064102 percentage points.
GIANTS GENERAL MANAGERS
Ray Walsh*
1947-73
180-158-12 (.514)
Andy Robustelli
1974-78
21-51 (.292)
George Young
1979-97
155-139-2 (.524)
Ernie Accorsi
1998-2006
73-71 (.507)
Jerry Reese
2007-17
90-82 (.523)**
Dave Gettleman
2018-present (three games left in 2021 season)
19-43 (.306)
*While Walsh is listed as general manager for a span of 2 1/2 decades, he actually was more of a scout and adviser to his Fordham University buddy Wellington Mara, who owned and ran the team.
**Does not include the final four games of 2017 after Reese was fired. (The Giants were 1-3 in those games.)
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
