It was no surprise, then, as the NFL’s annual meetings kicked off here in Arizona on Sunday, that Mara’s presence seemed to brighten the humdrum gatherings even more than the desert sun. Wherever he went, folks were obviously overjoyed just to see him.
The future of the league’s bedrock franchise suddenly is shaky. Mara remains in charge and still works regularly from his office in East Rutherford, but his health certainly opens questions regarding the future of his family’s stake in the team. His younger brother, Chris, took on a more active role in the John Harbaugh hiring, but any succession plans beyond those two are fuzzy. What might the next generation plan to do when they inherit their pigskin birthright?
For now, things remain relatively steady. Mara, as he has always done, provides that. He may need the assistance of his daughter on his arm to help him navigate the room these days, but it is Mara himself who braces up the Giants. It remains his greatest asset.