HACKENSACK, N.J. – John Mara didn't recite a specific number of games he expects the Giants to win, nor did he demand they make the playoffs. But the team's president and chief executive officer was still strikingly direct in discussing his hopes for the team's 2024 season.

"I expect us to take a big step forward," Mara said.

At another point in his conversation with reporters, Mara said, "It's hard to articulate my expectations. I obviously want to show significant improvement over last year. But I'm not going to make any specific guarantees or demands or anything like that. But they know what I want to see."

"They" are general manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll, who are beginning their third season atop the franchise's football hierarchy. In their 2022 debut season, the Giants finished 9-7-1 and won a playoff game, and Daboll was the NFL Coach of the Year. Last season, injuries created instability at quarterback and on the offensive line, and the team slipped to 6-11.

Daboll is the first Giants head coach to remain in the job for a third season since Tom Coughlin in 2006.

"I have a lot of confidence in this particular team," Mara said of Schoen and Daboll. "The communication is great, and I think we've added some good pieces. Now, it's time to show."

Mara made his first public comments since the NFL annual meeting in March at the Hackensack University Medical Center, a 15-minute drive from the team's headquarters. Hackensack Meridian and the Giants have a longtime partnership, and a mural celebrating the Giants' 100^th season was unveiled outside the hospital's Helena Theurer Pavilion. Following the outdoor ceremony – in which Giants greats Phil Simms and Justin Tuck also spoke – Mara met with reporters.

Mara never makes a preseason prediction regarding how many games he expects the team to win, and he doesn't demand his coaches lead the team to a postseason berth. But he has high hopes and his standards for success are never compromised.

"I want to walk off the field at the end of the season (and know) we're moving in the right direction," he said.

Is Mara okay with the Giants taking "baby steps" toward long-term improvement, or does the team need to finish with a winning record?

"I don't know how to quantify that," Mara said. "I want to walk off the field at the end of the season like we're moving in the right direction, we really are. We've got a great foundation here and there's every reason to be optimistic going forward. I guess about as simple a way as I can say it."

Mara spoke to reporters two days after the airing of the final episode of "Hard Knocks." He had long kept the Giants off the training camp version of the show, but agreed to five broadcasts that chronicled the team's offseason scouting and decision-making about free agency and the NFL Draft.

"I was certainly a little nervous about it going in, but I think all in all it worked out," Mara said. "It was a pretty honest depiction of what goes on. And I think people appreciated having that kind of access. There were some uncomfortable moments in there and I'm glad it's over."

The Giants' most significant offseason departure was running back Saquon Barkley, who signed with the rival Philadelphia Eagles. Mara wanted to keep Barkley, but ultimately supported Schoen's decision not to match Philly's financial offer.

"Every year there's going to be a personnel decision that I'm not 100 percent in favor of," Mara said. "But at the end of the day, you let the general manager and the coach, particularly if they have a unified conviction, make the decisions and then you know, (complain) about it later. But that was the decision that they made and no, I wasn't crazy about it at the time. I didn't want to lose him, but I understood what their philosophy was, and you've got to let them do their jobs."

Another recurring storyline on "Hard Knocks" was quarterback Daniel Jones, who played in only six games last year because of neck and knee injuries. One year after signing Jones to a lucrative contract, the Giants discussed on the show the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round. Schoen spoke to the New England Patriots about trading up to obtain the third choice in the draft to select a quarterback. The Patriots' demands were too exorbitant, and the Giants selected wide receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6.

"I'm still happy we gave (Jones) that contract because I thought he played really well for us in '22," Mara said. "Last year, he got hurt and let's be honest, when he was playing, we weren't blocking anybody. So, let's give him a chance with a better offensive line with some weapons around him to see what he can do."

Regarding the possibility of a trade, Mara said, "I was nervous about giving up too much to go and get a quarterback, but I was prepared to let (Schoen) do that if that's what they wanted to do. We made a decision to stay with Daniel and get a weapon for him (Nabers) and I think that's going to work out."

Mara said he spoke to Jones during the period of uncertainty.

"I check in with him from time to time," Mara said. "He's a real professional, he understands this business and if anything, I'm sure it probably motivates him, and he doesn't need to be motivated. There's no harder worker in that building. I think he handled it like the professional that he is, and I expect him to have a great season."

Mara spoke on several other subjects.

*On what he sees in the partnership of Schoen and Daboll that makes him believe they will have long-term success.

"I would say there's several things," Mara said. "One, the communication between the two of them. They seem to be always on the same page and when there's any kind of disagreement, they talk it out. Two is that Joe's process is so thorough. I think we saw a little bit of that in the show. The amount of work that they do in evaluating players, the discussions that they have, it's a very hard-working group. I just have a lot of confidence in them. They've both been a part of successful organizations. They know what it looks like."

*On his level of concern in the Giants' offensive line early in training camp.

"It's way too early," Mara said. "I've been to training camps all my life and ever since I can remember, the offense is always behind the defense at this stage of the game. I think the pieces that we added to the offensive line will help us eventually. And I know it looks a little shaky right now, but I have a lot of confidence in this coach, and I think we'll be just fine there."

*At the news conference, the Giants gave season tickets to the Liranzo Diaz family, who attended the event with their newborn triplets.

"It's been a great partnership with them," Mara said of the Giants' connection with Hackensack Meridian Health. "The things we've been able to do in this community here, between the Tackle Kids Cancer, between the hospital visits, between front line workers, that's very meaningful to us, and it's what our organization tries to do."