New York Giants co-owner John Mara took quite a bit of heat this week after announcing that he was retaining both general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll after a second consecutive miserable season.

The Giants had the No. 1 pick in their grasp heading into Week 17 but then they beat the Colts, which dropped them out of the top spot, making it far more difficult to land quarterback Shedeur Sanders. There was no thought in Mara’s mind that his team should lose in order to retain that top pick.

After making the baffling decision to retain the failed third-year regime of general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll, Giants co-owner John Mara tried to explain himself. Mara — though not co-owner Steve Tisch — spoke to reporters Monday morning,