New York Giants owner John Mara saw his team close out their regular season with a victory – a welcome sight for a man who has spent the past few months battling cancer.
Mara, age 71, has been fighting an undisclosed form of cancer for most of the season.
But he was on hand to see his team pull out a 34-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys to finish the season at 4-13.
After the game, interim head coach Mike Kafka gifted Mara a game ball – which appeared to bring some emotions out of the longtime owner.
The moment was captured on a social media video, with Mara telling the team, ‘I’m gonna be jogging to my treatments now instead of walking.’
It was a touching moment for Mara and the team, with multiple players commenting on it after the game ended.
Giants fans became concerned after seeing team owner John Mara (L) after Sunday’s game
Mara, seen here in September 2023, has been battling cancer throughout this season
‘It was sweet. … Obviously, he’s going through a lot so the fact that he shows up for us, still comes to the facility to work, and he just loves ball,’ rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart said.
‘He loves this organization. He gives it everything that he has. From my perspective and everybody around here just has the utmost respect for him and is rooting for him and praying for him.
‘Giving that game ball to Mr. Mara is fine, but he deserves more,’ rookie Abdul Carter told reporters.
‘This franchise, everybody deserves more. He would be much more happy if we were in the playoffs, having a winning record, that’s what I tried to say at the end.
‘Next year, we’ve got to come with a whole different mentality, make sure that we’re never in this position again.’
Other fans were shocked by Mara’s change in appearance, with many wishing him well.
‘Looking at John Mara in this clip is heartbreaking. Let’s hope he gets better. F*** cancer,’ one user wrote. Another posted, ‘Prayers up for John Mara.’
One comment said, ‘I’ve questioned a lot about the ownership of my favorite team in sports, but never questioned how much ownership loved the team, I hope John Mara bounces back.’
The Giants won their last game of the season, denying their chance at the top pick in 2026
While the victory may have boosted Mara’s spirits, it also denied the Giants a chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.
If they had lost the game, they would have earned the top selection in the 2026 draft by virtue of the Las Vegas Raiders’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs. In fact, the only way for the Raiders not to have clinched the worst record in the league – and therefore the top selection – was if Vegas won while the Giants lost.
The Giants will hope the 2026 season brings much better fortune as the team looks for a new head coach this offseason. Other personnel changes may also be in the works as uncertainty around general manager Joe Schoen grows.
