Jerry Reese facts for kids
Reese (far left) with the 2007 Super Bowl champion coaching staff: defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, and head coach Tom Coughlin at Giants Stadium
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| Born: | July 22, 1963 Tiptonville, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| College: | University of Tennessee at Martin |
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Jerry Reese (born July 22, 1963) is a former American football executive, player, and coach. He spent 23 years with the New York Giants football team. From 2007 to 2017, he was their general manager. During his time as general manager, the Giants won two Super Bowl championships. In 2009, he was honored by being inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Football Career
Jerry Reese grew up in Tiptonville, Tennessee. He played high school football for the Lake County Falcons. In 1980, his team won the state championship.
After high school, he played football for the University of Tennessee at Martin. Later, he became an assistant coach there. In 1994, he joined the New York Giants as a scout. A scout's job is to find talented players for the team. From 2002 until 2007, he was the Giants' director of player personnel. This role meant he was in charge of finding and evaluating players for the team.
Leading the New York Giants
Becoming General Manager
On January 16, 2007, Jerry Reese became the general manager of the New York Giants. He took over from Ernie Accorsi. As general manager, Reese was responsible for building the team. This included choosing players in the NFL draft and making trades.
Super Bowl Victories
Reese quickly made a big impact. In the 2007 NFL draft, he helped select players like Aaron Ross, Steve Smith, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Zak DeOssie. Many of these players were very important when the Giants won Super Bowl XLII in 2008. They defeated the New England Patriots in a big upset.
After this victory, President George W. Bush invited Reese and the Giants team to the White House to celebrate their championship.
During his first five seasons as general manager (2007-2011), the Giants had a strong record. They made it to the playoffs three times. In 2012, Reese led the Giants to another Super Bowl victory. They won Super Bowl XLVI, again defeating the New England Patriots.
Later Years with the Giants
After their second Super Bowl win, the Giants faced some challenges. Over the next six seasons, the team did not perform as well. They only made the playoffs once, in 2016. They lost to the Green Bay Packers in that playoff game.
In 2015, the Giants changed their head coach. They hired Ben McAdoo, who had been their offensive coordinator. The 2017 season was difficult for the team. Many players were injured, and the team struggled.
Some people criticized Reese during his last few years. They felt the team had problems, especially with their offensive line and running game. They also pointed to some draft picks that did not work out as planned.
After a tough start to the 2017 season, Jerry Reese was fired by the Giants. This happened after he had worked for the team for 23 years. The head coach, Ben McAdoo, was also fired at the same time. During Reese's time as general manager, the Giants had a regular season record of 90 wins and 82 losses. In the playoffs, they had 8 wins and 2 losses.
Personal Life
Jerry Reese is married to Gwen Moore. They have two children, a daughter named Jasmyne Danielle and a son named Jerry II. The family lives in Jefferson Township, New Jersey. His son, J.R., played quarterback for the Jefferson Township High School football team.
