#Freddie Kitchens glad to be reunited with Giants’ Joe Judge

“#Freddie Kitchens glad to be reunited with Giants’ Joe Judge”

August 13, 2020 | 11:08pm

In 2004, Joe Judge’s final year as a player at Mississippi State, he met Freddie Kitchens, who was in his first season at the school as the tight ends coach. The next year, with Judge working as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Kitchens move over to coach the running backs.

It took 15 years for a reunion.

Kitchens was one-and-done as the head coach of the Browns — Cleveland went 6-10 as perhaps the most disappointing team in the NFL in 2019. He needed a job, and Judge was there to provide it, adding to his first Giants staff by hiring Kitchens as the tight ends coach.

It is quite a comedown for Kitchens, 45, going from a head coach to a position coach, but if he views his career arc that way, he is not saying it aloud.

“I’m a ball coach,’’ Kitchens said Thursday. “I take pride in being a football coach, which in theory is a teacher. I love teaching, I love teaching guys. There’s no better feeling in the world of teaching someone something and watching them have success with it and see the look on their face. That’s what I take pride in doing. It just worked out perfectly that I knew Joe, I trust Joe, I know Joe’s background and what he believes in. I think we’re aligned pretty well with those sorts of things.’’

Judge, a head coach for the first time at any level, brought in two former NFL head coaches, Kitchens and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, to add experience to his staff.

“Anything Joe needs or any questions he asks, all I can give him is my experience from that,’’ Kitchens said. “All of us have had experiences along the way, some good, some bad. Joe’s done a great job surrounding himself with people that he trusts, that he can ask questions to, and will give him honest answers.’’

Quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski, who worked with Jacoby Brissette and Jimmy Garoppolo (and also an old-timer named Tom Brady) with the Patriots, is building a relationship with Daniel Jones.

“He’s a really good worker and one of the best I’ve seen from a young guy,’’ Schuplinski said. “I think that’s a testament to him.’’

Inside linebackers coach Kevin Sherrer said Ryan Connelly, coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL early in his rookie season, looks ready to compete.

“The training staff did a good job of getting him back in time for once training camp started,’’ Sherrer said. “But he’s done a really good job, just like all of the guys have in the room of coming in and working and learning as much as they can each day.’’