For decades, New York Giants co-owner John Mara has been at the forefront of league meetings, a well-respected voice on a wide range of league matters.
Mara’s streak of being that voice will continue this week when the league gathers for its annual meeting at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, which is a very encouraging sign for the 71-year-old face of the team.
Mara, as is well known by now, has been battling an undisclosed form of cancer since last fall. He has undergone a series of chemotherapy treatments, which have undoubtedly drained his energy and, because of the nature of chemotherapy in general, have compromised his immune system to the point where he ceased traveling with the team to its road games last year.
But it’s certainly a positive sign that Mara feels well enough to have made the near-cross-country trip to Phoenix, where he’ll undoubtedly tend to matters related to his place on the league’s various committees, including the Management Council, Competition Committee, Compensation, Workplace Diversity, and Health and Safety committees.
Mara is also being accompanied by his younger brother, Chris, who stepped into a larger leadership role during the elder Mara’s cancer fight.
John Mara, who has in the past spoken with reporters about team and league matters, will not speak to the media this year. The only scheduled speakers from the team are head coach John Harbaugh, who will speak on Monday during the annual NFC coaches breakfast, and general manager Joe Schoen.
Steve Tisch, the Giants’ other co-owner, is not expected to be at the league meetings, nor is anyone from his immediate family, for that matter.
Tisch has come under fire when The Athletic released a report citing Tisch's name having been mentioned over 400 times in emails related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with emails dated after Epstein’s conviction and prison sentence.
Tisch has denied any wrongdoing in a written statement released shortly after his name was found in the emails. He expressed regret for having had any association with Epstein.
Meanwhile, Tisch and his two siblings, brother Jonathan and sister Lauri, are in the process of transferring their remaining shares of ownership in the 100+-year-old franchise to their children. The move must be approved by the other NFL owners.
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