Former New York Giants wide receiver Golden Tate recently shared his thoughts on his time playing for the team and his former head coach Joe Judge. Tate expressed some resentment towards Judge, calling him “one of the Patriots’ descendants” who tried to emulate Tom Brady and Bill Belichick without success. Judge was one of several coaches who struggled to find success after leaving the New England Patriots’ dynasty, similar to Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and Charlie Weis.
Tate only spent one season playing under Judge, arriving in East Rutherford in 2019 while Judge took over as head coach the following year. At the time of Judge’s hiring, the Giants received praise for selecting a former special teams coordinator as head coach, drawing comparisons to the successful transition John Harbaugh made from special teams coordinator to Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Baltimore Ravens. However, Tate suggested that there were underlying issues during Judge’s tenure with the team.
During the 2020 season, Tate finished with 388 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 12 games, a decline from his more productive 2019 season when he recorded 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Following his time with the Giants, Tate has not appeared in an NFL game since 2020. Despite his experiences under Judge, Tate did not elaborate on any specific incidents that led to his feelings towards his former coach but made it clear that he was not pleased with his time in New York.
Judge’s time as head coach of the Giants came to an end after two challenging seasons that saw the team finish with just four wins in 2021. The Giants ultimately decided to part ways with Judge, who has since joined the Ole Miss coaching staff as an analyst. While Judge’s tenure with the Giants did not meet expectations, Tate’s comments shed light on some of the challenges faced by players during that time, as well as the lingering resentment towards Judge.
Tate’s comments raise questions about the impact of coaching styles and philosophies on player performance and morale in the NFL. While some coaches, like Harbaugh, have found success transitioning from special teams coordinators to head coaches, others, including Judge, have faced challenges in implementing their strategies effectively. As Judge moves forward in his coaching career with Ole Miss, his time with the Giants and the feedback from former players like Tate may serve as valuable lessons for his future coaching endeavors.
In conclusion, Golden Tate’s recent comments about his time with the New York Giants under head coach Joe Judge shed light on some of the challenges faced by players during Judge’s tenure. While Tate did not elaborate on specific incidents, his comments suggest that there were underlying issues that contributed to his negative perception of Judge. As Judge moves forward in his coaching career with Ole Miss, the feedback from former players like Tate may serve as valuable lessons for his future coaching endeavors.
