NFL breaks silence on Giants owner Steve Tisch’s emails with Jeffrey Epstein

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The NFL will conduct its own investigation into Giants co-owner Steve Tisch’s sexually charged correspondence with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Less than two hours before commissioner Roger Goodell was scheduled to give his annual Super Bowl week news conference Monday, the NFL broke its silence on emails that surfaced Friday as part of a Justice Department mass release.

The crude conversations between Tisch and Epstein were about “adult women,” Tisch said in a statement.

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“The league is aware of the reports and Steve’s response,” the NFL said on Monday afternoon. “Our office will look into the matter to understand the facts.”

In emails from 2013, Tisch, now 76, is shown emailing Epstein — who, at the time, already had a conviction for procuring a child for prostitution — asking if a “Ukrainian Girl” was a “pro or civilian.”

In a separate email, Tisch asked Epstein about a woman the disgraced financier had described as a “Tahitian” named “Emily,” wondering if she was a “working girl?” One time he inquired whether a particular woman was “fun.”

In one email, Tisch asked Epstein, “Is my present in NYC?” When Epstein replied to the affirmative, Tisch asked, “Can I get my surprise to take me to lunch tomorrow?”

“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.”

At least one exchange between Tisch and Epstein occurred during an NFL meeting, the emails show. And Tisch offered Epstein two tickets to his suite for a Giants game and Epstein offered Tisch an invitation to his private Caribbean island.

Jeffrey Epstein REUTERS

It is unclear what, if any, punishment will be levied against Tisch or the Giants. But owners are subject to the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy often applied to suspending players.

Daniel Snyder sold the Commanders in 2023 under intense pressure from fellow owners after he was found to have sexually harassed an employee and fostered a toxic workplace and Jerry Richardson sold the Panthers in 2018 after he was alleged of sexually suggestive comments and actions toward female employees.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft — who could be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this week — was not disciplined by the league after his two solicitation of prostitution charges were dropped in 2020.

One important distinction is that the Tisch family — not Steve alone — owns 40 percent of the Giants. Steve (executive vice president/chairman of the board) has served as the front-facing partner since his father, Bob, tied in 2005, but siblings Jonathan (treasurer) and Laurie (board director) conceivably could fill those shoes if their older brother steps back.