Dave Gettleman facts for kids
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Gettleman in 2022
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| Born: | February 21, 1951 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Boston Latin |
| College: | Springfield |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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David Alan Gettleman (born February 21, 1951) is a former American football executive. He worked in the National Football League (NFL). He was the general manager for the Carolina Panthers from 2013 to 2017. Later, he was the general manager for the New York Giants from 2018 to 2021.
Early Life and School Days
Dave Gettleman grew up in Mattapan, a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. He went to Boston Latin School and played varsity football there. After high school, he attended Springfield College. He earned a degree in education and played offensive tackle on the freshman football team. Gettleman also earned two master's degrees. One was in physical education from Southern Connecticut State in 1978. The other was in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 1986.
Dave Gettleman's Football Career
Coaching High School Teams
Gettleman started his career as a teacher and coach. He worked at Spackenkill High School in Poughkeepsie, New York. As the head coach from 1973 to 1978 and again from 1980 to 1981, Gettleman led his teams to win two league titles. His teams often played against schools that were much larger than Spackenkill. In 1979, he spent a season as a volunteer assistant coach at Cal State Long Beach. In 1982, Gettleman joined Kingston High School. He became their head coach in 1984.
Working in the NFL Front Office
Starting Out as a Scout (1986–1997)
In 1986, Dave Gettleman joined the Buffalo Bills as a scouting intern. He was hired by Bill Polian. Gettleman spent seven years working in the Bills' scouting department. After the 1993 season, he moved to the Denver Broncos. There, he worked as a scout for four years. His job was to find talented players from the East and Southeast regions of the country.
First Time with the New York Giants (1998–2012)
In 1998, the New York Giants hired Gettleman as a scout. The next year, he was promoted to director of pro personnel. In 2012, he became a senior pro personnel analyst. During this time, Gettleman helped improve the Giants' offensive line. He also brought in key players like Mike Barrow, who led the team in tackles in 2000.
He signed Plaxico Burress before the 2005 season. Burress became a top wide receiver and a star on the Super Bowl XLII winning team. Gettleman also signed Antonio Pierce, who had over 100 tackles each year from 2005 to 2007. Kicker Lawrence Tynes was another important signing. Many of these players also helped the team win Super Bowl XLVI. New additions like Antrel Rolle, Michael Boley, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and Steve Weatherford also contributed to that Super Bowl win.
Leading the Carolina Panthers (2013–2017)
In January 2013, Gettleman became the general manager of the Carolina Panthers. In the 2015 season, the Panthers had an amazing start, winning 14 games in a row. They made it to Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016. However, they lost to the Denver Broncos 24–10. On July 17, 2017, the Panthers decided to let him go from his general manager role.
During Gettleman's time as general manager, the Panthers had a strong record of 51 wins, 28 losses, and 1 tie. They made it to the playoffs three times and won three NFC South titles.
Return to the New York Giants (2018–2021)
On December 28, 2017, Gettleman returned to the New York Giants as their new general manager. His second time with the Giants began with hiring a new head coach, Pat Shurmur. He also drafted running back Saquon Barkley as the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. In his first season back, the team finished with 5 wins and 11 losses.
The next year, Gettleman traded wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. This decision caused a lot of discussion among fans. Gettleman also drafted Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the sixth overall pick. The team finished with 4 wins and 12 losses. Shurmur was fired after the season, and Joe Judge became the new coach.
The 2020 season showed a small improvement for the team, with 6 wins and 10 losses. However, they missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row. In 2021, the Giants finished with 4 wins and 13 losses. This was their fifth losing season in a row, and they missed the playoffs again.
Gettleman retired after the 2021 season. During his four years as general manager, the Giants had a record of 19 wins and 46 losses. The team never had a winning record during his time. Gettleman faced criticism for some of his decisions, including draft picks and player signings.
Personal Life
Dave Gettleman is a Messianic Jew. On June 5, 2018, it was announced that Gettleman would undergo treatment for a health issue. By July, he was in complete remission. He and his wife, Joanne, have three children.
