New York Giants owner John Mara was an unexpected guest at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting on Sunday, as he continues his brutal battle with cancer.
Mara, 71, was not well enough to travel to any road games in the 2025 season but his presence in Arizona for the start of the new league year has given fans optimism in his continuing fight with the disease.
The New York Post reported on Sunday that Mara was spotted walking down a corridor at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, deep in conversation with Chiefs head coach Andy Reid as the pair headed for a meeting.
The hotel is expected to be a who’s who of big NFL names over the next few days, with multiple discussions being held by the likes of Mara, Jerry Jones and the rest of the billionaires in charge of sports’ biggest league.
One face who won’t be in town, though, is Mara’s Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, as controversy continues to swirl after he was named in the Epstein Files in January.
Tisch and his siblings are currently in the process of transferring an equity stake in the team to their children, a process that must be approved by their fellow NFL team owners – but the man himself is not on site in Arizona.
Tisch’s name appeared more than 400 times in the notorious files, which were released by the US Justice Department.
The Giants co-owner, 77, has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and released a statement expressing his remorse for their relationship. He has not been charged with any crime.
‘We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments,’ the statement read. ‘I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.’
In one email exchange revealed in the files, Tisch asked Epstein if a woman was ‘pro or civilian.’
‘[Do] you want to know if she as sweet as she seems?’ Epstein responded, adding: ‘boyfriends? trustworthy, etc. she is earnest. is a civilian, but russian, and rarely tells the full truth , but fun.’
Epstein also told Tisch to ‘send me a number to call’ because he didn’t ‘like records of these conversations.’
Another email revealed Epstein telling Tisch he ‘did very well’ with a female acquaintance, who was ‘a little freaked out by the age difference.’
The emails were primarily exchanged around 2013.
Despite Tisch’s absence and the controversy surrounding him, it is expected to be an exciting season for the New York Giants following the arrival of John Harbaugh as head coach.
Harbaugh’s first offseason voluntary workout program begins on April 7, and the team is full steam ahead with its draft preparations for next month, too.
