Former New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese is drawing consideration from the Arizona Cardinals for their vacant GM job. The 59-year-old was officially interviewed on Tuesday.
Buy Giants TicketsIt appears @AZCardinals owner Michael Bidwill will focus on GM candidates before coaching candidates. He already has interviewed internal candidates Quentin Harris and Adrian Wilson, and today is interviewing former Giants GM Jerry Reese.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) January 10, 2023
Reese served as an assistant coach at UT-Martin for eight years before he broke into the NFL with the New York Giants in 1994. He spent his first four years with the team as a college scout before becoming a pro scout. In 2004, Reese was promoted to director of player personnel and in 2007, was hired as the team’s general manager.
At the time of his hiring, Reese became just the third Black GM in NFL history. That same year, he became the first Black GM to win a Super Bowl.
Four years later, as Giants fans likely recall, Reese won a second Super Bowl title when New York again defeated the New England Patriots.
Things began to sour after that, however. The Giants’ downfall was swift and Reese got caught up in the current. He, alongside then-head coach Ben McAdoo, were fired midway through the 2017 season. There was no goodbye, no farewell party, or anything to acknowledge Reese’s tenure — just an adios and good luck.
Since being fired by the Giants, Reese, who was groomed under Ernie Accorsi, has rarely resurfaced for air. He interviewed for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ vacant GM position in 2021 and drew brief interest from the Atlanta Falcons. He also interviewed for the Pittsburgh Steelers GM last March.
Reese has spent the past six years quietly living on a farm in rural Tennessee, but perhaps a return is imminent. Reese is both a qualified and deserving executive. It’s well past time he received a second chance.
