See it: New York Giants presented John Mara game ball after Week 18 win

Earlier this season, the New York Giants announced that team co-owner John Mara had been diagnosed with cancer. Given his condition, it is clear that Mara has far more significant concerns than football at present.

After the Giants’ season-ending victory on Sunday, which capped a two-game winning streak, interim head coach Mike Kafka expressed appreciation for the team’s efforts. In a postgame ceremony, Kafka distributed game balls, presenting one to Mara himself.

No one is more invested in restoring the franchise to sustained success than Mara.

Advertisement

While some fans had hoped for a loss to improve the Giants’ position in the draft -- potentially securing a selection no lower than No. 2 overall -- the NFL does not countenance tanking, and Sunday’s performance exemplified that principle.

Mara expects the team to compete to win every game, and players are obligated to give maximum effort for professional pride and personal motivation alike. On this occasion, they appeared to draw additional inspiration from the opportunity to deliver a meaningful victory for their owner.

Upon receiving the game ball, Mara’s spirits were visibly lifted.

“I’m going to be able to jog to my treatments tomorrow,” he remarked.

Advertisement

As the Giants transition into the offseason and begin the search for their next permanent head coach, Mara is expected to remain actively involved at the team facility.

The back-to-back wins provided a positive conclusion to a challenging season and, more importantly, offered a measurable boost to Mara as he continues his treatment.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: See it: New York Giants presented John Mara game ball after Week 18 win