Chris Mara spoke on behalf of Giants ownership Tuesday after John Harbaugh’s introductory press conference, confirming Mara’s rise to a more prominent role and influence in the organization as his brother, co-owner John Mara, battles cancer.
“I’m just helping him anyway I can,” Chris Mara said of how he has assisted John recently. “He’s here every day pretty much. We talk all the time. No one has a better idea about the league than him. I’ve learned a lot from it, and I’ve kind of taken the reins when he’s not able to.”
This is a difficult time for the Mara family.
John Mara attended Harbaugh’s press conference and happily sought a conversation with the players who attended, a group led by backup quarterback Jameis Winston and the interior offensive line. Co-owner Steve Tisch was there in person, too.
But Chris Mara — whose official title is senior player personnel executive/ board director — sat directly in between John Mara and Steve Tisch, front and center in the first row, and made clear he is the voice of Giants ownership at this time.
Director of player personnel Tim McDonnell sat in the third row. Treasurer Jonathan Tisch sat in the first row opposite his brother, Steve.
Chris Mara said playing a bigger role during the courtship of Harbaugh “actually came pretty natural” to him and “was a great learning experience.” And he said when the Baltimore Ravens fired Harbaugh, he was the one who took action once the Giants deliberated.
“We discussed it as a group, as an ownership and as an organization, and I decided that it was time to act on it,” Chris Mara said. “And Friday night before the [Wild Card] playoff games started, I talked to John and Steve and said, ‘I’m driving to Baltimore tomorrow. I’m gonna talk to John.’”
Two-time Giants Super Bowl winning head coach Tom Coughlin set up the first meeting between Chris Mara and Harbaugh at the coach’s house in Maryland.
Coughlin told Mara to “get your ass down there.” And the former Giants coach stayed on Chris Mara’s case until the Giants finalized the contract.
“He yelled at me 15 times before it was done, and once we got it done he yelled at me again,” Chris Mara said.
John Mara, Chris said, was as high on Harbaugh as anyone. So Chris wanted to land the coach for his brother and for the franchise.
“My emotions were, ‘Let’s get it done,’” he said. “Because John [Mara], he was really high on Harbaugh. I knew that’s who he wanted.”
Chris Mara did say he thinks Harbaugh’s biggest challenge in New York compared to Baltimore will be dealing with the media.
“I’m looking at all of them right now,” Chris Mara said, pointing at the reporters surrounding him. “Two beat writers down there maybe. This is the challenging part, in my opinion.”
Fortunately for Harbaugh, then, he has an ally in Chris Mara who is stepping into that Big Apple spotlight with him.
