Giants hire former Lions GM as director of football operations

The New York Giants bolstered their front office Wednesday with the hiring of former Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew.

Mayhew, according to the team's official release, has officially joined the Giants as the club's director of football operations/special projects.

He'll work closely with assistant general manager Kevin Abrams in handling player contracts and the team's salary cap, also taking on special projects as assigned by general manager Jerry Reese.

Mayhew spent the better part of the last eight years as the Lions' general manager before being fired this past November, leading the organization to two playoff appearances over that stretch.

He first joined the Lions' front office in 2001, working in various roles before stepping in as the general manager shortly after the firing of Matt Millen in 2008.