The NFL says it has no problem with Steve Tisch remaining chairman of the New York Giants’ board, even after Justice Department-released emails showed convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein connecting Tisch with numerous women.
Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the league’s position Wednesday at the fall league meeting in Manhattan. “Everything we’ve looked at we understand,” Goodell said. “I think we’re comfortable with him participating as the Giants suggest.”
Back in January, Goodell had said the NFL would “look at all the facts” before deciding whether to launch a deeper investigation into Tisch’s relationship with Epstein. Nearly a year later, no such investigation appears to have changed anything. Tisch has remained visible in the Giants’ draft-day war room in April, at games throughout the season, and walking the halls of the Manhattan hotel hosting this week’s owners’ meetings alongside Giants president and CEO John Mara.
Goodell left the door open to revisiting the matter if more information surfaces. “I think always we’ll look to see if there’s any new information, we’ll look at it and we’ll evaluate that,” he said.
An Ownership Shuffle That Didn’t Actually Remove Him
In March, Tisch and his siblings, Laurie and Jonathan Tisch, moved to transfer their remaining 23.1% direct ownership stake in the Giants into trusts for their children. That followed earlier partial trust transfers in 2023 and 2024, and the final transfer was completed by September.
At the time, Goodell framed the move as Tisch stepping away from ownership. “Steve, and John, and Laurie actually did some transactions as part of their estate planning and are no longer owners,” Goodell said in March.
But Tisch never left. He is still chairman of the board and still a fixture at league business, as his presence at this week’s meetings makes clear.
Tisch’s Own Words
In January, Tisch issued a statement addressing his past contact with Epstein.
“We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments,” Tisch said. “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.”
With the league now publicly declaring itself “comfortable” having him continue in his role, that statement of regret carries less weight than it did when he issued it.
No new emails or additional Epstein connections involving Tisch have surfaced beyond what the Justice Department already released. The NFL’s position, for now, is that the matter is settled.
