History of the New York Giants
Encyclopedia
The history of the New York Giants
, an American football
team which currently plays in the NFL's National Football Conference
, comprises more than 80 seasons. The Giants were founded in 1925 by Tim Mara
in the then five-year-old NFL. Mara owned the team until his death in 1959, when it was passed on to his sons Wellington
and Jack
. During their history the Giants have acquired seven NFL championships, three of which came in Super Bowl
s.
In just its third season, the team finished with the best record in the league at 11–1–1 and was awarded the NFL title. In a fourteen year span beginning in 1933, New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times, winning twice. They did not win another championship until 1956, aided by several future Hall of Fame
players such as running back Frank Gifford
, linebacker Sam Huff
, and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown. From 1958 to 1963, the Giants played in the NFL championship game five times, but failed to win. The 1958 NFL Championship game, in which they lost 23–17 in overtime
to the Baltimore Colts
, is credited with increasing the popularity of the NFL in the United States.
The Giants registered just two winning seasons from 1964 to 1980 and were unable to advance to the playoffs. But from 1981 to 1990, the team qualified for the postseason seven times in ten seasons. During that period, they won Super Bowls XXI
(1987) and XXV
(1991). The team's success during the 1980s was aided by head coach Bill Parcells
, quarterback Phil Simms
, and Hall of Fame linebackers Lawrence Taylor
and Harry Carson
. New York struggled throughout much of the 1990s as Parcells left the team and players such as Simms and Taylor declined and eventually retired. They returned to the Super Bowl
in 2001, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens
, and in 2007, they upset the heavily favored New England Patriots
, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII
.
with an investment of $500. Legally named "New York Football Giants" (which they still are to this day) to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name
, they became one of the first teams in the then five-year old NFL. The Giants played their first game against All New Britain in New Britain, Connecticut
, on October 5, 1925.
Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season, going 8–4, their financial status was a different story. Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. They were in dire financial straits until the eleventh game of the season when Red Grange
and the Chicago Bears
came to town, attracting over 73,000 fans. This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise.
New York finished 11–1–1 in 1927. Their league-best defense posted 10 shutouts in 13 games. New coach Earl Potteiger
led the team into a late season game against Chicago with first place on the line. New York won 13–7 in what lineman Steve Owen
called "the toughest, roughest football game I ever played." Then, they won their final two regular season games to secure their first championship.
Following a disappointing 4–7–2 season the next year, Potteiger was replaced by LeRoy Andrews
. Before the 1929 season Mara purchased the entire squad of the Detroit Wolverines
, including star quarterback Benny Friedman
, a team which had finished in third place the year before. Led by Friedman, New York's record soared to 13–1–1. Their lone loss occurred in a November 20–6 game to the Green Bay Packers
however, who, by virtue of this win, and their 12–0–1 record, won the NFL title. Following the season, Mara transferred ownership over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors. At the time Jack was just 22, and Wellington only 14.
In 1930, the quality of the professional game was still in question, with many claiming the college "amateurs" played with more intensity. In December 1930, the Giants played a team of Notre Dame
All Stars at the Polo Grounds to raise money for the unemployed of New York City. It was also an opportunity to establish the superiority of the pro game. Knute Rockne
reassembled his Four Horsemen
along with other Notre Dame legends, and told them to score early, then defend. But from the beginning it was a one-sided contest, with Benny Friedman
running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran
passing for another. Notre Dame failed to score. When it was over, Rockne told his team, '"[t]hat was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt." The game raised $115,183 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game.
Before the 1931 season, New York acquired center Mel Hein
, who also played the linebacker position. He would go on to a fifteen year NFL career in which, as a center, he became an All-NFL first team selection eight times, and the only offensive lineman ever named league MVP. Friedman quit the team following the season when Mara denied him an ownership stake, telling him "I'm sorry...but the Giants are for my sons." New York struggled in 1931 and 1932, finishing with a combined record of 11–12–3.
The Giants acquired University of Michigan
All-American quarterback Harry Newman
, and versatile free agent halfback Ken Strong
before the 1933 season. New York finished 11–3, first in the new "Eastern Division". Newman led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards), with his passing yards total setting an NFL record. New York's resurgence was led by some of the league's best linemen, such as Ray Flaherty
, and future Hall of Famers
Red Badgro
, and Hein. They advanced to play the league's first championship game in Chicago's Wrigley Field
versus the Bears, where they lost 23–21 in a game which had six lead changes.
In 1934, the team defeated previously unbeaten Chicago 30–13 at the Polo Grounds
on an icy field with temperatures peaking at 25 degrees. Before the game, team treasurer John Mara talked with Owen and team captain Flaherty about the field conditions. Flaherty suggested the Giants wear sneakers on the frozen field, as he had played in a game under similar circumstances at Gonzaga
and the sneakers proved to be effective. Mara dispatched equipment manager Abe Cohen to get as many sneakers as he could get. Due to traffic and the inability to find any athletic goods stores open on Sunday, Cohen was unable to return before the game started and the Giants, wearing conventional footwear, trailed 10 to 3 at the end of the first half. Realizing time was short, Cohen went to Manhattan College
—where he had a key to the equipment and locker rooms—and returned to the Polo Grounds at halftime with nine pairs of basketball sneakers, saying that "nine pairs was all I could get." Players donned the sneakers and New York, after allowing Chicago another field goal late in the third period, responded with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win their first NFL Championship game. The game would come to be known as "The Sneakers Game
", and the 27 points the Giants scored in the fourth quarter set a single–quarter championship game scoring record that stood for decades. After the game offensive tackle Len Grant
expressed his sincere gratitude by stating "God bless Abe Cohen."
The Giants were unable to repeat as champions in 1935 as they fell to the Lions 26–7 in the NFL Championship game. The Lion staked a 13–0 lead before the Giants were able to cut the lead to 13–7 in the third quarter. However, the Lions defense helped their team score two late touchdowns with a blocked punt and an interception.
The Giants were so successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States entry into World War II
, that according to one publication, "[f]rom 1936 to 1941 the New York Giants annually fielded a collection of NFL all-stars." They added their third NFL championship in 1938 with a 23–17 win over Green Bay. The Giants blocked two Green Bay punts to establish an early advantage, before the Packers came back to take a 17–16 lead. In the fourth quarter however, Ed Danowski
threw a 23–yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar, and the Giants defense held the Packers scoreless.
The Giants made the championship game again the next year, and lost in a rematch to the Packers 31–16. They also advanced to the championship game in 1941, losing to the Bears 37–9. Both games were close early before their respective opponents went on an offensive surge to break the game open late. In 1944the Giants reached the championship game where they faced the Green Bay Packers for the third time in ten seasons. They lost again, this time 14–7 as Ted Fritsch
scored two touchdowns and the Packers defense was able to hold on to the lead despite a fourth quarter touchdown by the Giants. By 1946, Mara had given over complete control of the team to his two sons. Jack controlled the business aspects, while Wellington controlled the on-field operations. In 1946, the Giants again reached the Championship game, for the eighth time in 14 seasons, where they were beaten by the Sid Luckman
led Bears 24–14.
Before the 1948 season, the Giants signed defensive back
Emlen Tunnell
, the first African American
player in team history, and later the first African American inducted into the Hall of Fame. They struggled from 1947 to 1949, never finishing above .500, but came back with a solid 10–2 record in 1950. However, they lost to the Cleveland Browns
, who they had beaten twice in the regular season, 8–3 in the 1950 divisional playoff game. In 1949, halfback Gene "Choo-Choo" Roberts
scored a league high 17 touchdowns, and in 1950 he set a team record that would stand for over 50 years, when he rushed for 218 yards on November 12.
, and replaced by Jim Lee Howell
. Wellington later described the move by calling it "the hardest decision I'd ever made". New York went 7–5 in 1954 under Howell. In their thirty-first and final season playing their home games at the Polo Grounds in 1955, they went 5–1–1 over their final seven games to finish 6–5–1. They were led by rejuvenated running back Frank Gifford
who played the entire season solely on offense for the first time in several years.
The Giants won their fourth NFL Championship in 1956. Playing their home games at Yankee Stadium for the first time, New York won the Eastern Division with an 8–3–1 record. In the NFL Championship Game on an icy field against the Chicago Bears, the Giants wore sneakers as they had 22 years previous. They dominated the Bears, winning 47–7. The 1956 Giants featured a number of future Hall of Fame players, including Gifford, Sam Huff
and Roosevelt Brown. Equally notable, the team featured as its coordinators future Hall of Fame head coaches Tom Landry
(defense) and Vince Lombardi
(offense).
", is considered a watershed moment in league history, and marked the beginning of the rise of professional football into the dominant sport in the American market.
The game was competitive. The Giants got off to an early 3–0 lead, then the Colts scored two touchdowns to take a 14–3 halftime lead.
New York's defense made a goal line stand in the third quarter which became a turning point of the game. New York, who had trouble mounting drives to that point, then had a 95-yard drive which culminated in a touchdown, making the score 14-10. They drove again in the fourth quarter, with quarterback Charley Conerly throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford to take the lead, 17–14.
The Colts put together one last drive with less than two minutes left. The standout player was receiver Raymond Berry
, who caught three passes for 62 yards, the last one for 22 yards to the New York 13-yard line. With seven seconds left in regulation, Steve Myhra
kicked a 20-yard field goal to tie the score 17–17, sending a game to overtime
for the first time in NFL history.
After winning the coin toss and receiving the ball, the Giants offense stalled and was forced to punt. From their own 20, the Colts drove the ball to the New York one yard line, where Alan Ameche
ran for a touchdown to give the Colts the championship, 23–17.
and head coach Allie Sherman
, the Giants won three consecutive Eastern Division titles from 1961–1963. In 1961 they were beaten by the Packers, 37–0. In 1962, they went into the championship game with a league best 12–2 record, and a nine–game winning streak; but lost to the Packers again, 16–7.
They finished with an 11–3 record in 1963, and faced the Bears in the NFL championship game. On an icy field in Chicago, the Giants' defense played well, but the Bears newly invented zone defense intercepted Tittle five times, and battered him throughout the game. Sherman resisted calls from players such as linebacker
Sam Huff
to replace the struggling Tittle. The Giants defense held the Bears in check, but they lost 14–10, their third straight NFL Championship Game defeat.
The Giants run of championship game appearances combined with their large market location translated into financial success. By the early 1960s, the Giants were receiving $175,000 a game under the NFL's television contract with CBS
—four times as much as small-market Green Bay, which was one of the most successful teams of the era. However, in the league's new contract, the Maras convinced the other owners that it would be in the best interest of the NFL to share television revenue equally, a practice which is still current, and is credited with strengthening the league.
The seasons of 1964 through 1980 in team history have often been referred to as "the wilderness years" for several reasons: 1) The franchise lost its status as an elite N.F.L. team by posting only two winning seasons, against twelve losing and three .500 seasons during this span. 2) The Giants became a "team of nomads," calling four different stadiums home in the 70's (Yankee Stadium, The Yale Bowl, Shea Stadium, and finally Giants Stadium in 1976). 3) New York tried several head coach and quarterback combination during this period, but with almost no success (beginning in 1964 though the 1983 season no coach or starting QB could boast even a .500 record). The team rebounded with a 7–7 record in 1965, (mostly due to the acquisition of QB Earl Morall during the off season) before compiling a league-worst 1–12–1 record, and allowing over 500 points on defense in 1966. This season also included a 72–41 loss to the rival Washington Redskins
at D.C. Stadium in the highest-scoring game in league history. Interest in the team was waning, especially with the rapid rise of the New York Jets
, with their wide-open style of play and charismatic quarterback Joe Namath
.
The Giants acquired quarterback Fran Tarkenton
from the Minnesota Vikings
before the 1967 season in exchange for their first and second round draft picks, and showed improvement. They finished 7–7 in 1967 and were 7-3 through ten games in 1968. Leaving them one game behind division leader Dallas. However, New York dropped its final four games to again finish 7–7. Notably, in 1968, one of Tarkenton's favorite targets, wide receiver Homer Jones
made the Pro Bowl; it would until 2010 that another Giants receiver (Steve Smith) would make the pro bowl. Through the 2007 season, no other Giants receiver has been selected for the Pro Bowl. As of the completion of the 2008 season, Jones' average of 22.3 yards-per-reception for his career is still an N.F.L. record.
During the 1969 preseason, New York lost their first meeting with the Jets, 37–14, at the Yale Bowl
in New Haven, Connecticut
. Following the game, Wellington Mara fired coach Allie Sherman
and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster. On opening day of the 1969 regular season, Tarkenton led New York to a 24–23 victory over his former team, the Vikings, by throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. The Giants went 6–8 in the 1969 season. They showed marked improvement in 1970; after an 0–3 start they rebounded to finish 9–5, narrowly missing the playoffs by losing their final game to the Los Angeles Rams. Tarkenton had one of his best seasons as a Giant and made his fourth straight Pro Bowl team, running back Ron Johnson made the team as well. The halfback ran for 1,027 yards, becoming the first Giant to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
In 1971, Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury and New York dropped to 4–10, resulting in Tarkenton being traded back to the Vikings. The Giants rallied somewhat the following season to finish 8–6. Journeyman quarterback Norm Snead
(acquired in the trade for Tarkenton) led the league in completion percentage and had his best season. Other stand-outs and Pro Bowl selections that year were running back Johnson who rushed for 1,182 yards (breaking his own team record) and caught 45 passes, tight end Bob Tucker who followed up his 1971 N.F.C. leading 59 catch season with 55 in '72, and defensive stars Jack Gregory and John Mendenhall. The Giants boasted the top offense in the N.F.C. and after a season finishing 23-3 win at Dallas to secure their second winning campaign in three years, the future looked bright. After the 1972 season however, New York would endure one of the worst periods in their history.
to play their home games at a new, state-of-the-art, dedicated football stadium. Later named Giants Stadium
, it was to be built at a new sports complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey
.
As the complex was being built, and their current home at Yankee Stadium was being renovated, they would be without a home for three years, and dubbed "the orphans of the NFL." Their final full season at Yankee Stadium was 1972. After playing their first two games there in 1973, New York played the rest of their home games in 1973, as well as all of their home games in 1974, at the Yale Bowl
in New Haven, Connecticut
. This was done out of a desire to have their own home field, as opposed to having to share Shea Stadium
with the Jets. However, between access problems, neighborhood issues, the fact that the Yale Bowl was not ideally suited for pro football (the stadium did not have lights, nor does it today), the age of the stadium (it was built in 1914) and the lack of modern amenities, the Giants reconsidered their decision and agreed to share Shea Stadium with the Jets for the 1975 season. New York left the Yale Bowl after losing all seven home games played there in the 1974 season and compiling a home record of 1–11 over that two year stretch.
One of the bright spots in this era was tight end
Bob Tucker
. From 1970 through 1977 Tucker was one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He amassed 327 receptions, 4376 yards and 22 touchdowns during his years as a Giant.
Despite their new home and heightened fan interest, New York still played subpar football in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, the Giants started the year 5–6 and played the Philadelphia Eagles
at home with a chance to solidify their playoff prospects. However, the season imploded on November 19, 1978, in one of the most improbable finishes in NFL history
. The Giants were leading 17–12 and had possession of the ball with only 30 seconds left. They had just to kneel
the ball to end the game, as the Eagles had no time outs. However, instead of kneeling the ball, offensive coordinator
Bob Gibson
ordered New York quarterback Joe Pisarcik
to hand the ball off to fullback Larry Csonka
. Csonka was unprepared to receive the handoff, and the ball rolled off his hip and bounced free. Eagles safety Herman Edwards
picked up the loose ball and ran, untouched, for a score, giving the Eagles an improbable 19–17 victory. This play is referred to as "The Miracle in the Meadowlands" among Eagles fans, and "The Fumble" among Giants fans.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Gibson was fired, and the Giants lost three out of their last four games to finish out of the playoffs for the 15th straight season, leading them to let coach John McVay
go as well. However, following the 1978 season came the steps that would, in time, return New York to the pinnacle of the NFL.
and had been an assistant coach for the Baltimore Colts
. Young was hired, but the rift between the Maras lasted for several years.
Young hired San Diego Chargers
assistant Ray Perkins as head coach, and drafted unknown quarterback Phil Simms
from Morehead State University
to the surprise of many. New York continued to struggle, finishing 6–10 in 1979 and 4–12 in 1980. With the second overall draft pick in the 1981 draft, the Giants drafted linebacker
Lawrence Taylor
. The impact that Taylor had on the Giants' defense was immediate. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year, becoming to date the only rookie to ever win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. His arrival raised the Giants linebacker corps—which already included future Hall of Famer
Harry Carson
, and pro bowler Brad Van Pelt
—into one of the NFL's best. It also predicated New York's transformation from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981. They went 9–7, and defeated the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs 27–21, then lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers
38–24 in the next round.
In the strike shortened 1982 season, the Giants lost their first two games before the strike, and their first game upon returning. They won their next three games to even their record at 3–3. Perkins then announced that he was leaving to take the head coaching job at Alabama after the season, and the team lost the next two games, effectively eliminating them from of the playoffs (despite defeating the Eagles in the season finale to go 4-5). Taylor remained a bright spot, repeating as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Young chose Bill Parcells
, the Giants' defensive coordinator
, as the team's new head coach.
Parcells first year proved difficult. In his first major decision, he selected Brunner over Simms at quarterback. At first it appeared his decision was justified, especially after a 27–3 Monday night victory over Green Bay gave New York a 2–2 record. But then they lost 10 of their final 12 games. Parcells ignored fans' protests and stuck with Brunner for most of the year, although Jeff Rutledge
saw considerable late-season action. Simms finally played in a week six game against the Eagles, only to suffer a season–ending thumb injury.
Simms won the starting job back in 1984 and Brunner was traded. New York had a resurgent season, highlighted by a second half stretch where they won five of six games. Despite losing their last two to finish 9–7 they still made the playoffs. In the first round, they defeated the highly favored Los Angeles Rams 16–13 on the road before losing, 21–10, to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers
. Simms threw for 4,044 yards, making him the first Giant to pass for 4,000 yards in a season.
The Giants success continued in 1985 (10–6). The defense carried the team, and led the NFL in sacks with 68. They won their first round playoff game, 17–3 over the defending champion 49ers. It was New York's first post-season win at home since 1958, and their first ever at Giants Stadium. In the divisional playoffs they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Bears 21–0. Many of the players that would play key roles on New York's Super Bowl teams emerged in 1985. Joe Morris
became the feature back, running for 1,338 yards, scoring 21 touchdowns, and making the Pro Bowl. Second year receiver Lionel Manuel
led the Giants with 49 catches, and tight end Mark Bavaro
, a rookie, had 37. Simms threw every pass for New York for the second consecutive season, and passed for over 3,800 yards. Defensive end Leonard Marshall
recorded 15.5 sacks, and Taylor added 13.
31–28. However, they won their next 5 in a row and 14 of their last 15, to finish the season with a 14–2 record. One of the signature plays of the season occurred during a Monday Night game in December. Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football
broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986...with the Giants trailing, (Mark) Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle. It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Bavaro’s inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl." New York's defense allowed 236 points during the season, second fewest in the NFL, and Taylor set a team record with 20.5 sacks. He won an unprecedented third Defensive Player of the Year Award, and was named league MVP.
The Giants defeated San Francisco 49–3 in their first playoff game, then Washington 17–0 in the NFC Championship Game. New York advanced to play the Denver Broncos
in Super Bowl XXI
in front of 101,063 fans at the Rose Bowl
. After falling behind 10–9 at halftime, they came back to beat the Broncos 39–20. Simms was named the game's MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record.
.
New York's 1988 season got off to a turbulent start due an offseason scandal involving Taylor. Taylor had abused cocaine
, violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and was suspended for the first four games of the season. Taylor's over the edge lifestyle was becoming an increasing concern for fans and team officials. After his return, however, Taylor recorded 15.5 sacks in 12 games. The intense worry and scrutiny would prove to be for naught as for the rest of his career Taylor would pass his drug tests.
Predictably, the Giants started the season struggling. They were 2–2 when Taylor returned from his suspension. With Taylor back and playing well however, they won six out of their next eight games. After two straight losses, the Giants won their next three contests to set up a win-or-go-home game against the Jets in the season finale. The Jets defeated the Giants 27–21. When the 49ers lost to the Rams the following night, the Giants were out of the postseason despite a 10–6 record.
The Giants' 12–4 record in 1989 was the NFC's second best. They lost their divisional playoff game in overtime to the Rams 19–13. The highlight of the game was wide receiver Flipper Anderson
catch of the game winning touchdown pass. After catching the ball, Anderson made a long run to the endzone, silencing the crowd in attendance. In 1989, free agent acquisition Ottis Anderson
ran for 1,023 yards and caught 28 passes. Dave Meggett
also emerged as a threat on third downs and special teams, catching 34 passes for 531 yards, and making the Pro Bowl.
New York won the following week against Minnesota before facing the Buffalo Bills
in their regular season home finale. Despite a significant in time of possession, they lost 17–13, for their third loss in four games. To compound New Yorks' problems, Simms went down with a injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year. His replacement, Jeff Hostetler
, was an unproven career backup, who had thrown a mere 68 passes coming into the season.
New York won their final two games to secure a 13–3 record, and the playoff bye as the NFC's second seed. They defeated Chicago 31–3 in the divisional playoff round, setting up a rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC Championship. As they had in Week 12, the Giants defense held San Francisco's offense in check. In the game's waning moments Erik Howard
caused a Roger Craig fumble, and Taylor recovered it. New York drove down into San Francisco territory, and in the game's last play, Bahr hit a 42–yard field goal to defeat the 49ers 15–13.
The win set up another rematch, this time in the Super Bowl against the Bills.
took place amidst a background of war and patriotism. The Persian Gulf War
had begun less than two weeks previous and the nation rallied around the Super Bowl as a symbol of America. New York got off to a quick 3–0 lead, however, the Bills scored the next 12 points. The Giants responded by running a nearly eight minute drive, which culminated in a 14 yard touchdown pass from Hostetler to Stephen Baker.
The Giants received the second half kickoff and mounted a record-setting drive. The opening drive ran for over nine minutes (a Super Bowl record) and culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson, giving New York a 17–12 lead. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Bills' Thurman Thomas ran for a 31-yard touchdown that put the Bills back in front, 19-17. A few possessions later, the Giants drove down to the Bills 4 yard line and kicked a 21-yard field goal which gave them a 20–19 lead. Both teams exchanged possessions before the Bills began one final drive, driving down to the Giants 30 yard line to set up what would be a potentially game-winning 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood
. In what would become the game's signature moment, Norwood's attempt missed wide right, and New York won their second Super Bowl, 20–19.
The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with a mark of 40:33, and Ottis Anderson was named MVP of the game after rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown.
left to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns
. Parcells also decided to leave the Giants in the spring of 1991 to pursue a career in broadcasting. In addition, there was an ownership change in what had been one of the most stable front offices in professional sports. In February 1991, Tim Mara was diagnosed with Cancer, and he sold his 50% interest in the team to Bob Tisch
for a reported $80 million. This marked the first time since their inception in 1925 that the Giants had not been wholly owned and controlled by the Mara family.
. Handley, however, was a somewhat reluctant coach, whose approach stood in stark contrast to the passionate and emotional style employed by Parcells.* Pervin. pg. 119
As with Parcells eight years previous, one of Handley's first major decisions involved replacing Phil Simms as starting quarterback. Jeff Hostetler
was named the team's starter. Though the Giants won their opening game in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the 49ers 16–14, they lost three out of their next four games to drop to 2–3. Though they rallied to finish the season 8–8, and Simms reclaimed his starting job later in the year, the excitement that surrounded the Giants the previous year was gone. One of the few promising young players to emerge on the team was second–year running back Rodney Hampton
, who led the Giants in rushing with 1,059 yards.
Through the 1991 season it was clear that the team's core players on defense had aged quickly. This deterioration continued in 1992, when Lawrence Taylor ruptured his achilles tendon
in the team's tenth game, and the Giants promptly lost six out of their last seven games to finish the year 6–10. The defense continued its descent, finishing 26th in the league in points allowed after leading the league in that category in 1990. Handley, who had become unpopular with both players and fans, was fired after the end of the regular season.
, the successful former head coach of the Denver Broncos
who led the Broncos to three Super Bowls in four years, one against the Giants. After his dismissal from the Broncos, Reeves took the unusual step of lobbying for the job. After being rebuffed by a number of candidates, George Young was pleased that someone with Reeves's credentials wanted the job.
Reeves's impact was immediate. As Parcells had done in 1984, Reeves named Simms his starting quarterback. The defense returned to form, and allowed more than 20 points once all season. With two regular season games left, the Giants were 11–3 and appeared poised for a first round playoff bye. They were upset by a Cardinals team, who came into the game with just five wins, 17–6, in the next to last week of the season, setting up a winner–take–all contest against Dallas in the final regular season game. Though the Giants played well, it was Emmitt Smith
's memorable performance with a separated shoulder that led the Cowboys to a 16–13 overtime win, giving the Cowboys a sweep of the season series. Despite the loss, the Giants made the playoffs as a Wild Card and won their first round game 17–10 over the Vikings. They were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 44–3 in the second round however. Simms played in all 16 games, completing nearly 62% of his passes, and threw for over 3,000 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Simms, Hampton, offensive linemen Jumbo Elliot and center
Bart Oates
made the Pro Bowl, and Reeves was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. After the season, Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, the two biggest figures of the late 1980s and early 1990s Giants teams, retired.
Before the 1994 season Reeves named Dave Brown
, who had been a No. 1 supplemental draft choice in 1992, the Giants starting quarterback. Though Brown led the Giants to wins in their first three games, they lost their next seven. The team recovered to win their last six games of the season, but missed the playoffs. During the winning streak they never allowed more than 20 points in a game.
The Giants regressed to a 5–11 record in 1995. Much of the blame for the Giants' poor performance was placed on Brown. He put up lackluster numbers for the second straight year. Though the Giants defense still played well, and young players like Strahan and Armstead began to emerge, the Giants inspired tepid interest league-wide and sent no players to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.
The Giants had another losing season in 1996, finishing 6–10. Though Brown again started every game for the Giants he turned in one of the worst seasons of any starting quarterback in the league, throwing for just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions. The Giants offense was one of the worst in the NFL and, unlike in previous years, the defense was unable to carry the team. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, Reeves was fired.
offensive coordinator Jim Fassel
as their head coach before the 1997 season. With the team's offense floundering once again and a 2-3 record after five games, Fassel turned to inexperienced Danny Kanell
as the starting quarterback over Brown. The Giants experienced a resurgent season, finishing 10–5–1, and winning the NFC East
. They hosted a first–round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants led the Vikings for most of the game, including 22-13 in the fourth quarter, but following a muffed onsides kickoff, the Vikings booted a last second field goal to win, 23–22. Following the season George Young left the Giants. He was replaced by Ernie Accorsi
, a veteran General Manager who had successful stints building the Baltimore Colts
and Cleveland Browns
.
The Giants regressed to an 8–8 record in 1998. The strength of the team during the season was their defense, which featured two Pro Bowlers in Armstead and Strahan. However, the offense continued to struggle. Brown had been released before the season and replaced by Kanell and Kent Graham
. However, neither quarterback provided Pro Bowl caliber play. Before the 1999 season, the Giants signed quarterback Kerry Collins
. Collins had been the first–ever draft choice of the Carolina Panthers
and in his second season led them to the NFC Championship game. However, problems with alcohol abuse, conflicts with his teammates, and questions about his character led to his release from the Panthers. Although many people questioned the wisdom of Accorsi and the Giants giving Collins a $16.9 million contract, Accorsi was confident in Collins abilities.
In 1999, Tiki Barber emerged as a solid pass–catching running back, catching 66 passes. Amani Toomer
also had a breakout season, accumulating over 1100 yards receiving and six touchdowns, and Ike Hilliard finished just shy of 1000 yards receiving. The defense rebounded, ranking 11th in the league, and Armstead and Strahan again were selected to the Pro Bowl. Though the Giants stood at 7–6 and poised for a playoff berth, they lost their final three games to miss the playoffs.
and Detroit Lions
, the Giants fell to 7–4 and their playoff prospects were in question. At a press conference following the Giants' loss to Detroit, Fassel guaranteed that "[t]his team is going to the playoffs." The Giants responded, winning the next week's game against Arizona and the rest of their regular season games to finish the season 12–4 and earn a bye as the NFC's top seed.
The Giants won their first playoff game against the Eagles 20–10, and then defeated the Vikings 41–0 in the NFC Championship game. They advanced to play the Baltimore Ravens
in Super Bowl XXXV
. Though the Giants kept the game close early, and went into halftime down only 10–0, the Ravens dominated the second half. The Ravens defense harassed Collins all game long, and he had one of the worst games in Super Bowl history. Collins completed only 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and four interceptions, and the Ravens won the game 34–7. The Giants only score came on a Ron Dixon kickoff return for a touchdown. On the very next kickoff, the Ravens' Jermaine Lewis also returned a kickoff for a score.
The Giants were unable to build on their Super Bowl appearance. They ended the next season 7–9, and out of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. Collins continued his success as the team's quarterback, throwing for over 3,700 yards and 19 touchdowns, and Strahan broke the NFL record by recording 22.5 sacks In 2002, Collins had one of the best seasons of his career, throwing for over 4,000 yards, and Barber rushed for 1,386 yards and caught 69 passes for 597 yards. Rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey
caught 74 passes for a total of 894 yards. The team started 6-6, but made the playoffs as a wild card by winning their last four regular season games.
In the playoffs, they built a 38–14 lead against the 49ers. San Francisco rallied however, scoring a field goal, and three touchdowns to take a 39–38 lead with a minute left in the game. Collins then drove the Giants down to the 49ers 23-yard line with six seconds left, setting up a potentially game winning 41-yard field goal attempt. On the final play of the game, 40-year old long snapper Trey Junkin
—who had just been signed for this playoff game—snapped the ball low, and punter Matt Allen could not spot the ball properly for the attempt. Allen picked the ball up and threw an unsuccessful pass downfield to offensive lineman Rich Seubert
as time expired and the Giants lost 39–38.
The Giants started 2003 4–4, but lost their final eight games. With two games remaining in the season, Fassell requested a meeting with team management, and asked, if he was to be fired, that they do so now rather than wait until the end of the season. Management complied with his request, formally firing Fassel on (or around) December 17, 2003, but allowing him to coach the team's final two games.
coach Tom Coughlin
to be the Giants Head Coach. Coughlin was considered a disciplinarian, in contrast to the departed Fassel, whose lenient style was criticized in his final years with the club. Accorsi coveted quarterback Eli Manning
, brother of Peyton
and son of Archie
, in the 2004 NFL Draft
. Manning had indicated before the draft that he did not want to play for the Chargers who held the top pick. The Chargers drafted him nonetheless, and traded to the Giants for their first round picks in 2004 and 2005. The Giants released Kerry Collins
who was unhappy with a backup role, and signed veteran quarterback Kurt Warner
. The plan being for Warner to be the starter, while the team groomed Manning to ultimately take over the job. After losing to the Eagles in the 2004 season opener, the Giants, with Warner at quarterback, won five of their next six games, making them 5–2. After losing two close games, to the Bears and Cardinals, to drop to 5–4, Coughlin announced that Manning would start the rest of the season. Manning struggled, and the Giants did not score more than 14 points in their next four games. He performed better later in the season, but the Giants finished the season 6–10. Barber established a career high in rushing with 1,518 yards. He also had 52 catches and a total of 15 touchdowns.
The Giants started 4–2 in 2005. Then, on October 25, patriarch Wellington Mara
died after a brief illness at the age of 89. Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was nine years old, when he worked for them as a ball boy
. Except a tour of duty in the military during World War II
, Mara spent his entire adult life with the team. He was beloved by many of the players, and was noted for making an effort to get to know each of them. The Giants dedicated their next game to Mara, and defeated the Redskins 36–0. Just twenty days after Mara's death, on November 15, the other Giants Executive Officer Bob Tisch
died at the age of 79. The New York Giants honored Tisch by defeating the Eagles 27–17 on in their next game. Barber set a new team single game rushing yard record with 220 yards, and the team's single season record with 1,860 yards in a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs
. The Giants finished 11–5, and hosted the Carolina Panthers
in the playoffs, but lost 23-0.
The Giants regressed to an 8–8 in 2006. The season was characterized by inconsistent play, criticism of the coaching by the media and players, and Manning's struggles. They won five straight following a 1–2 start, giving them a two-game lead in the NFC East, but they lost six of their last seven games, and the players publicly clashed with Coughlin. One of the team's worst losses was a 24–21 defeat to Tennessee, in which the team surrendered a 21-point fourth-quarter lead. Following a season-ending win at Washington, the Giants made the playoffs as a wild card in spite of their record, but were defeated 23–20 by Philadelphia.
Barber led the Giants with 1,662 yards rushing and over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, Manning threw for 3,244 yards and 24 touchdowns and Jeremy Shockey led the team in receptions. Defensively the team struggled with pass defense (28th in the league), and gaining a consistent pass rush (tied for 23rd in the league in sacks).
recording six of those sacks. They became the third NFL franchise to win 600 games when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31-10 in October. That same month they also played in the league's first regular season game outside of North America, in London's Wembley Stadium, where they beat Miami 13–10. They ended the regular season 10–6, and defeated Tampa 24-14 in the first round of the playoffs, earning Manning and Coughlin their playoff victories. The next week, the Giants won their ninth consecutive road game by beating top seeded Dallas. In the NFC championship game, Lawrence Tynes
kicked an overtime field goal to give them a 23-20 road victory over the Packers.
In Super Bowl XLII
, the Giants defeated the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17-14. The signature play of the game came on third down, with the Giants on their own 44-yard line, down 14–10, and 1:15 remaining on the clock. Manning dropped back to pass, but was surrounded by New England pass rushers. Escaping three tackles, he threw a long pass to David Tyree, who caught the ball against his own helmet
, while being covered by Patriot safety Rodney Harrison
. A few plays later Manning threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress
with 35 seconds left in the game. Manning won the game's MVP award by completing 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards, and two touchdowns. The Giants win is considered one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
Strahan retired after the game as the team's career leader in sacks.
and Derrick Ward
who both rushed for 1,000 yards (who helped the Giants lead the NFL in rushing yards), Justin Tuck
, who led the team with 12 sacks, and Antonio Pierce, who was the team's leading tackler. The Giants featured a balanced offense with no receiver topping 600 receiving yards.
New York won their first five games in 2009, but lost their next four. After beating the Falcons in overtime, they lost badly to Denver on Thanksgiving. They defeated Dallas 31–24 in week 13, then lost 45-38 to Philadelphia the next week. At 8–6 they still had a chance to make the playoffs but losses to Carolina, and Minnesota to finish the season left them out of the playoffs at 8-8.
In the spring of 2010, construction on New Meadowlands Stadium (now MetLife Stadium) was completed, and the Giants and Jets opened it in August with their annual preseason match. In the regular season, they won their home opener against Carolina, 31-18, avenging their late season loss from the previous year. They went on the road to play Indianapolis in the second "Manning Bowl" in week two. Peyton outplayed Eli (who threw for just 161 yards), in a 38-14 Colts victory. Discipline became a growing problem for the Giants during the season. In the Colts' game Jacobs threw his helmet into the stands, and in the next game offensive tackle David Diehl
ripped off the helmet of Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan
.
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team which currently plays in the NFL's National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
, comprises more than 80 seasons. The Giants were founded in 1925 by Tim Mara
Tim Mara
Timothy James "Tim" Mara was the founder and administrator for the New York Giants of the National Football League. The Giants', under Mara, would win NFL championships in 1934, 1938, and 1956 and divisional titles in 1933, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1958, 1959.-Early life:Mara was born into poverty...
in the then five-year-old NFL. Mara owned the team until his death in 1959, when it was passed on to his sons Wellington
Wellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara was the co-owner of the NFL's New York Giants from 1959 until his death, and one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of the National Football League. He was the younger son of Tim Mara, who founded the Giants in 1925...
and Jack
Jack Mara
John V. Mara was a co-owner of the New York Giants; an American football team which plays in the National Football League. Jack was the son of Tim Mara and brother of Wellington, and served as the team's president for 24 years...
. During their history the Giants have acquired seven NFL championships, three of which came in Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s.
In just its third season, the team finished with the best record in the league at 11–1–1 and was awarded the NFL title. In a fourteen year span beginning in 1933, New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times, winning twice. They did not win another championship until 1956, aided by several future Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
players such as running back Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
, linebacker Sam Huff
Sam Huff
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982....
, and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown. From 1958 to 1963, the Giants played in the NFL championship game five times, but failed to win. The 1958 NFL Championship game, in which they lost 23–17 in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
to the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
, is credited with increasing the popularity of the NFL in the United States.
The Giants registered just two winning seasons from 1964 to 1980 and were unable to advance to the playoffs. But from 1981 to 1990, the team qualified for the postseason seven times in ten seasons. During that period, they won Super Bowls XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
(1987) and XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
(1991). The team's success during the 1980s was aided by head coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, quarterback Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
, and Hall of Fame linebackers Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
and Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
. New York struggled throughout much of the 1990s as Parcells left the team and players such as Simms and Taylor declined and eventually retired. They returned to the Super Bowl
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
in 2001, where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, and in 2007, they upset the heavily favored New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
Birth and success: 1925-1930
The Giants were founded in 1925 by original owner Tim MaraTim Mara
Timothy James "Tim" Mara was the founder and administrator for the New York Giants of the National Football League. The Giants', under Mara, would win NFL championships in 1934, 1938, and 1956 and divisional titles in 1933, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1958, 1959.-Early life:Mara was born into poverty...
with an investment of $500. Legally named "New York Football Giants" (which they still are to this day) to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name
History of the New York Giants (NL)
The history of the New York Giants, before the franchise moved to San Francisco, lasted from 1883 to 1957. It featured five of the franchise's six World Series wins and 17 of its 21 National League pennants...
, they became one of the first teams in the then five-year old NFL. The Giants played their first game against All New Britain in New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
, on October 5, 1925.
Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season, going 8–4, their financial status was a different story. Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. They were in dire financial straits until the eleventh game of the season when Red Grange
Red Grange
Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees. His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League...
and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
came to town, attracting over 73,000 fans. This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise.
New York finished 11–1–1 in 1927. Their league-best defense posted 10 shutouts in 13 games. New coach Earl Potteiger
Earl Potteiger
William Earl Potteiger was a professional American football running back and coach. Potteiger played professionally in both baseball and football and coached professionally in basketball, baseball and football...
led the team into a late season game against Chicago with first place on the line. New York won 13–7 in what lineman Steve Owen
Steve Owen (football)
Stephen Joseph Owen was an American football player and coach who earned a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as head coach of the National Football League's New York Giants from 1930 to 1953...
called "the toughest, roughest football game I ever played." Then, they won their final two regular season games to secure their first championship.
Following a disappointing 4–7–2 season the next year, Potteiger was replaced by LeRoy Andrews
LeRoy Andrews
LeRoy B. Andrew, or commonly Roy Andrew, was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Pittsburg State University. In 1923, he played for the St. Louis All Stars. From 1924 to 1927, he was a player-coach for the Kansas City Blues/Cowboys and the Cleveland Bulldogs...
. Before the 1929 season Mara purchased the entire squad of the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit (1920s NFL teams)
Detroit, Michigan had four early teams in the National Football League before the Detroit Lions. The Heralds played in 1920, and had played as an independent as far back as 1905. The Tigers, a continuation of the Heralds, played in 1921, folding midseason and sending its players to the Buffalo...
, including star quarterback Benny Friedman
Benny Friedman
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
, a team which had finished in third place the year before. Led by Friedman, New York's record soared to 13–1–1. Their lone loss occurred in a November 20–6 game to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
however, who, by virtue of this win, and their 12–0–1 record, won the NFL title. Following the season, Mara transferred ownership over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors. At the time Jack was just 22, and Wellington only 14.
In 1930, the quality of the professional game was still in question, with many claiming the college "amateurs" played with more intensity. In December 1930, the Giants played a team of Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
All Stars at the Polo Grounds to raise money for the unemployed of New York City. It was also an opportunity to establish the superiority of the pro game. Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
reassembled his Four Horsemen
Four Horsemen (football)
The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a winning group of American football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. They were the backfield of Notre Dame's 1924 football team...
along with other Notre Dame legends, and told them to score early, then defend. But from the beginning it was a one-sided contest, with Benny Friedman
Benny Friedman
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran
Hap Moran
Francis Dale "Hap" Moran was a collegiate and professional American football player. He played mainly at halfback for Carnegie Tech , Grinnell College , the Frankford Yellow Jackets , the Chicago Cardinals , the Pottsville Maroons , and the New York Giants...
passing for another. Notre Dame failed to score. When it was over, Rockne told his team, '"[t]hat was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt." The game raised $115,183 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game.
Steve Owen era: 1931-1953
The Giants hired All-Pro offensive tackle Steve Owen to be their new player-head coach prior to the 1931 season. He coached the team for the next 23 years, including two NFL championships, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966. Owen never had a contract with the Mara family, he coached his entire tenure on a handshake basis.Before the 1931 season, New York acquired center Mel Hein
Mel Hein
Melvin Jack Hein was an American Professional Football player for the New York Giants. Hein played fifteen seasons for the Giants and never missed a down due to injury...
, who also played the linebacker position. He would go on to a fifteen year NFL career in which, as a center, he became an All-NFL first team selection eight times, and the only offensive lineman ever named league MVP. Friedman quit the team following the season when Mara denied him an ownership stake, telling him "I'm sorry...but the Giants are for my sons." New York struggled in 1931 and 1932, finishing with a combined record of 11–12–3.
The Giants acquired University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
All-American quarterback Harry Newman
Harry Newman
Harry Lawrence Newman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines , the New York Giants , and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers .-College career:...
, and versatile free agent halfback Ken Strong
Ken Strong
Elmer Kenneth Strong, Jr. was a college and professional American football player. After a college career as multi-year All-American at New York University, he went on to play professional football. As a halfback with a 14-year career he played from 1929–1937, 1939, 1944-1947...
before the 1933 season. New York finished 11–3, first in the new "Eastern Division". Newman led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards), with his passing yards total setting an NFL record. New York's resurgence was led by some of the league's best linemen, such as Ray Flaherty
Ray Flaherty
Raymond Paul Flaherty was a professional football player in the National Football League from 1926-1935. He was the head coach of the Boston/Washington Redskins from 1936–1942, where he won four division titles and two NFL Championships . Flaherty served in the United States Navy until 1945...
, and future Hall of Famers
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Red Badgro
Red Badgro
Morris Hiram "Red" Badgro was a professional American football end in the National Football League for the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and the Brooklyn Dodgers...
, and Hein. They advanced to play the league's first championship game in Chicago's Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
versus the Bears, where they lost 23–21 in a game which had six lead changes.
In 1934, the team defeated previously unbeaten Chicago 30–13 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
on an icy field with temperatures peaking at 25 degrees. Before the game, team treasurer John Mara talked with Owen and team captain Flaherty about the field conditions. Flaherty suggested the Giants wear sneakers on the frozen field, as he had played in a game under similar circumstances at Gonzaga
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
and the sneakers proved to be effective. Mara dispatched equipment manager Abe Cohen to get as many sneakers as he could get. Due to traffic and the inability to find any athletic goods stores open on Sunday, Cohen was unable to return before the game started and the Giants, wearing conventional footwear, trailed 10 to 3 at the end of the first half. Realizing time was short, Cohen went to Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
—where he had a key to the equipment and locker rooms—and returned to the Polo Grounds at halftime with nine pairs of basketball sneakers, saying that "nine pairs was all I could get." Players donned the sneakers and New York, after allowing Chicago another field goal late in the third period, responded with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win their first NFL Championship game. The game would come to be known as "The Sneakers Game
NFL Championship Game, 1934
The 1934 National Football League Championship Game, also known as The Sneakers Game, was played at the Polo Grounds in New York City on December 9, 1934. The final score was New York Giants 30, Chicago Bears 13. It was the 2nd annual NFL championship game.A freezing rain the night before the game...
", and the 27 points the Giants scored in the fourth quarter set a single–quarter championship game scoring record that stood for decades. After the game offensive tackle Len Grant
Len Grant
Leonard W. Grant was a professional American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the New York Giants when they won the NFL championship in 1934. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts....
expressed his sincere gratitude by stating "God bless Abe Cohen."
The Giants were unable to repeat as champions in 1935 as they fell to the Lions 26–7 in the NFL Championship game. The Lion staked a 13–0 lead before the Giants were able to cut the lead to 13–7 in the third quarter. However, the Lions defense helped their team score two late touchdowns with a blocked punt and an interception.
The Giants were so successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, that according to one publication, "[f]rom 1936 to 1941 the New York Giants annually fielded a collection of NFL all-stars." They added their third NFL championship in 1938 with a 23–17 win over Green Bay. The Giants blocked two Green Bay punts to establish an early advantage, before the Packers came back to take a 17–16 lead. In the fourth quarter however, Ed Danowski
Ed Danowski
Edward Frank Danowski was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback in the National Football League. Danowski played for the New York Giants for seven seasons and quarterbacked the team when they won the 1934 and 1938 NFL Championship Games...
threw a 23–yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar, and the Giants defense held the Packers scoreless.
The Giants made the championship game again the next year, and lost in a rematch to the Packers 31–16. They also advanced to the championship game in 1941, losing to the Bears 37–9. Both games were close early before their respective opponents went on an offensive surge to break the game open late. In 1944the Giants reached the championship game where they faced the Green Bay Packers for the third time in ten seasons. They lost again, this time 14–7 as Ted Fritsch
Ted Fritsch
Theodore Edward Fritsch was an American baseball, basketball, and football player who played running back for the National Football League's Green Bay Packers from 1942 to 1950. He also played two seasons for the Oshkosh All-Stars of the National Basketball League...
scored two touchdowns and the Packers defense was able to hold on to the lead despite a fourth quarter touchdown by the Giants. By 1946, Mara had given over complete control of the team to his two sons. Jack controlled the business aspects, while Wellington controlled the on-field operations. In 1946, the Giants again reached the Championship game, for the eighth time in 14 seasons, where they were beaten by the Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
led Bears 24–14.
Before the 1948 season, the Giants signed defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Emlen Tunnell
Emlen Tunnell
Emlen Lewis Tunnell was an American football player. He was the first African American to play for the New York Giants, and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1967. He played in the National Football League for the Giants and Green Bay Packers...
, the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
player in team history, and later the first African American inducted into the Hall of Fame. They struggled from 1947 to 1949, never finishing above .500, but came back with a solid 10–2 record in 1950. However, they lost to the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who they had beaten twice in the regular season, 8–3 in the 1950 divisional playoff game. In 1949, halfback Gene "Choo-Choo" Roberts
Gene Roberts (American football)
Eugene O. "Choo-Choo" Roberts was an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League from 1947 to 1950. He set the NFL and the New York Giants single game rushing record with 218 yards on November 12, 1950 against the Chicago Cardinals...
scored a league high 17 touchdowns, and in 1950 he set a team record that would stand for over 50 years, when he rushed for 218 yards on November 12.
Jim Lee Howell and the Hall of Famers: 1954-1958
Following the 1953 season, an important transition in Giants history occurred. After being the team's coach for 23 years, Steve Owen was fired by Wellington and Jack MaraJack Mara
John V. Mara was a co-owner of the New York Giants; an American football team which plays in the National Football League. Jack was the son of Tim Mara and brother of Wellington, and served as the team's president for 24 years...
, and replaced by Jim Lee Howell
Jim Lee Howell
James Lee Howell was an American football player and coach for the National Football League's New York Giants. Howell was born in Arkansas and played college football and basketball at the University of Arkansas. He was drafted by the Giants in the 1937 NFL Draft and played wide receiver and...
. Wellington later described the move by calling it "the hardest decision I'd ever made". New York went 7–5 in 1954 under Howell. In their thirty-first and final season playing their home games at the Polo Grounds in 1955, they went 5–1–1 over their final seven games to finish 6–5–1. They were led by rejuvenated running back Frank Gifford
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton "Frank" Gifford is a Hall of Fame former American football player and American sportscaster.-Early life:Gifford was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Mae and Weldon Gifford, an oil driller....
who played the entire season solely on offense for the first time in several years.
The Giants won their fourth NFL Championship in 1956. Playing their home games at Yankee Stadium for the first time, New York won the Eastern Division with an 8–3–1 record. In the NFL Championship Game on an icy field against the Chicago Bears, the Giants wore sneakers as they had 22 years previous. They dominated the Bears, winning 47–7. The 1956 Giants featured a number of future Hall of Fame players, including Gifford, Sam Huff
Sam Huff
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982....
and Roosevelt Brown. Equally notable, the team featured as its coordinators future Hall of Fame head coaches Tom Landry
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade "Tom" Landry was an American football player and coach. He is ranked as one of the greatest and most innovative coaches in National Football League history, creating many new formations and methods...
(defense) and Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
(offense).
The Greatest Game Ever Played: 1958
The Giants had another successful year in 1958. They tied for the Eastern Division regular season title with a 9–3 record by defeating the Cleveland Browns 13-10 on the last day of the regular season, and beat them again a week later in a one game playoff to determine the division winner. They advanced to play the Baltimore Colts in the NFL Championship Game. This game, which would become known as "The Greatest Game Ever PlayedNFL Championship Game, 1958
The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first ever National Football League playoff game to go into sudden death overtime. The final score was Baltimore Colts 23, New York Giants 17. The game has since...
", is considered a watershed moment in league history, and marked the beginning of the rise of professional football into the dominant sport in the American market.
The game was competitive. The Giants got off to an early 3–0 lead, then the Colts scored two touchdowns to take a 14–3 halftime lead.
New York's defense made a goal line stand in the third quarter which became a turning point of the game. New York, who had trouble mounting drives to that point, then had a 95-yard drive which culminated in a touchdown, making the score 14-10. They drove again in the fourth quarter, with quarterback Charley Conerly throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford to take the lead, 17–14.
The Colts put together one last drive with less than two minutes left. The standout player was receiver Raymond Berry
Raymond Berry
Raymond Emmett Berry is a former football wide receiver. He played for the Baltimore Colts during their two NFL championship wins. He later had a career in coaching, highlighted by his trip to Super Bowl XX as head coach of the New England Patriots...
, who caught three passes for 62 yards, the last one for 22 yards to the New York 13-yard line. With seven seconds left in regulation, Steve Myhra
Steve Myhra
Steve Myhra was a professional American football player who played offensive line and placekicker for six seasons for the Baltimore Colts....
kicked a 20-yard field goal to tie the score 17–17, sending a game to overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
for the first time in NFL history.
After winning the coin toss and receiving the ball, the Giants offense stalled and was forced to punt. From their own 20, the Colts drove the ball to the New York one yard line, where Alan Ameche
Alan Ameche
Lino Dante "Alan" Ameche , nicknamed "The Horse", was an American football player who played six seasons with the Baltimore Colts in the National Football League after winning the Heisman Trophy in college at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first...
ran for a touchdown to give the Colts the championship, 23–17.
More success: 1959-1963
New York's success continued in the 1960s. They finished 9–3 in 1959 and faced the Colts in a championship game rematch. They lost again, this time in a far less dramatic game, 31–16. Led by quarterback Y. A. TittleY. A. Tittle
Yelberton Abraham Tittle , better known as Y. A. Tittle, is a former football quarterback in the National Football League and All-America Football Conference who played for the Baltimore Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and the New York Giants...
and head coach Allie Sherman
Allie Sherman
Alexander "Allie" Sherman is a retired American football National Football League running back and head coach....
, the Giants won three consecutive Eastern Division titles from 1961–1963. In 1961 they were beaten by the Packers, 37–0. In 1962, they went into the championship game with a league best 12–2 record, and a nine–game winning streak; but lost to the Packers again, 16–7.
They finished with an 11–3 record in 1963, and faced the Bears in the NFL championship game. On an icy field in Chicago, the Giants' defense played well, but the Bears newly invented zone defense intercepted Tittle five times, and battered him throughout the game. Sherman resisted calls from players such as linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Sam Huff
Sam Huff
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982....
to replace the struggling Tittle. The Giants defense held the Bears in check, but they lost 14–10, their third straight NFL Championship Game defeat.
The Giants run of championship game appearances combined with their large market location translated into financial success. By the early 1960s, the Giants were receiving $175,000 a game under the NFL's television contract with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
—four times as much as small-market Green Bay, which was one of the most successful teams of the era. However, in the league's new contract, the Maras convinced the other owners that it would be in the best interest of the NFL to share television revenue equally, a practice which is still current, and is credited with strengthening the league.
Wilderness years begin: 1964–1972
After the 1963 season, the team fell apart. A roster filled with mostly older veterans plus some bad personnel moves (the dispatching of Rosey Grier, Sam Huff and Don Chandler for instance) lead to a quick exit from the top of the standings. They finished 2–10–2 in 1964, beginning an 18-season playoff drought.The seasons of 1964 through 1980 in team history have often been referred to as "the wilderness years" for several reasons: 1) The franchise lost its status as an elite N.F.L. team by posting only two winning seasons, against twelve losing and three .500 seasons during this span. 2) The Giants became a "team of nomads," calling four different stadiums home in the 70's (Yankee Stadium, The Yale Bowl, Shea Stadium, and finally Giants Stadium in 1976). 3) New York tried several head coach and quarterback combination during this period, but with almost no success (beginning in 1964 though the 1983 season no coach or starting QB could boast even a .500 record). The team rebounded with a 7–7 record in 1965, (mostly due to the acquisition of QB Earl Morall during the off season) before compiling a league-worst 1–12–1 record, and allowing over 500 points on defense in 1966. This season also included a 72–41 loss to the rival Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
at D.C. Stadium in the highest-scoring game in league history. Interest in the team was waning, especially with the rapid rise of the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, with their wide-open style of play and charismatic quarterback Joe Namath
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
.
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
from the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
before the 1967 season in exchange for their first and second round draft picks, and showed improvement. They finished 7–7 in 1967 and were 7-3 through ten games in 1968. Leaving them one game behind division leader Dallas. However, New York dropped its final four games to again finish 7–7. Notably, in 1968, one of Tarkenton's favorite targets, wide receiver Homer Jones
Homer Jones (football player)
Homer Carroll Jones is a former American football wide receiver, who played for the National Football League's New York Giants from 1964 to 1969, and for the Cleveland Browns in 1970.- Early life :...
made the Pro Bowl; it would until 2010 that another Giants receiver (Steve Smith) would make the pro bowl. Through the 2007 season, no other Giants receiver has been selected for the Pro Bowl. As of the completion of the 2008 season, Jones' average of 22.3 yards-per-reception for his career is still an N.F.L. record.
During the 1969 preseason, New York lost their first meeting with the Jets, 37–14, at the Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. Following the game, Wellington Mara fired coach Allie Sherman
Allie Sherman
Alexander "Allie" Sherman is a retired American football National Football League running back and head coach....
and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster. On opening day of the 1969 regular season, Tarkenton led New York to a 24–23 victory over his former team, the Vikings, by throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter. The Giants went 6–8 in the 1969 season. They showed marked improvement in 1970; after an 0–3 start they rebounded to finish 9–5, narrowly missing the playoffs by losing their final game to the Los Angeles Rams. Tarkenton had one of his best seasons as a Giant and made his fourth straight Pro Bowl team, running back Ron Johnson made the team as well. The halfback ran for 1,027 yards, becoming the first Giant to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
In 1971, Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury and New York dropped to 4–10, resulting in Tarkenton being traded back to the Vikings. The Giants rallied somewhat the following season to finish 8–6. Journeyman quarterback Norm Snead
Norm Snead
Norman Bailey Snead is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and San Francisco 49ers. He played college football for Wake Forest University and was drafted in the first round of...
(acquired in the trade for Tarkenton) led the league in completion percentage and had his best season. Other stand-outs and Pro Bowl selections that year were running back Johnson who rushed for 1,182 yards (breaking his own team record) and caught 45 passes, tight end Bob Tucker who followed up his 1971 N.F.C. leading 59 catch season with 55 in '72, and defensive stars Jack Gregory and John Mendenhall. The Giants boasted the top offense in the N.F.C. and after a season finishing 23-3 win at Dallas to secure their second winning campaign in three years, the future looked bright. After the 1972 season however, New York would endure one of the worst periods in their history.
Leaving New York: 1973–1978
Desiring their own home stadium, in 1973 New York reached an agreement with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition AuthorityNew Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority is an independent authority established by the State of New Jersey in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Originally consisting of Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack in 1976, Brendan Byrne Arena was added to the complex in...
to play their home games at a new, state-of-the-art, dedicated football stadium. Later named Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, it was to be built at a new sports complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
.
As the complex was being built, and their current home at Yankee Stadium was being renovated, they would be without a home for three years, and dubbed "the orphans of the NFL." Their final full season at Yankee Stadium was 1972. After playing their first two games there in 1973, New York played the rest of their home games in 1973, as well as all of their home games in 1974, at the Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
. This was done out of a desire to have their own home field, as opposed to having to share Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
with the Jets. However, between access problems, neighborhood issues, the fact that the Yale Bowl was not ideally suited for pro football (the stadium did not have lights, nor does it today), the age of the stadium (it was built in 1914) and the lack of modern amenities, the Giants reconsidered their decision and agreed to share Shea Stadium with the Jets for the 1975 season. New York left the Yale Bowl after losing all seven home games played there in the 1974 season and compiling a home record of 1–11 over that two year stretch.
One of the bright spots in this era was tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Bob Tucker
Bob Tucker (football player)
Robert Louis "Bob" Tucker is a former professional American football player in the National Football League. A 6'3", 230 lbs. tight end from Bloomsburg University, Tucker played for 11 seasons from 1970-1980 for the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings...
. From 1970 through 1977 Tucker was one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He amassed 327 receptions, 4376 yards and 22 touchdowns during his years as a Giant.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at home with a chance to solidify their playoff prospects. However, the season imploded on November 19, 1978, in one of the most improbable finishes in NFL history
The Miracle at the Meadowlands
The Miracle at the Meadowlands is the term used by sportscasters and Philadelphia Eagles fans for a fumble recovery by cornerback Herman Edwards that he returned for a touchdown at the end of a November 19, 1978 NFL game against the New York Giants in Giants Stadium...
. The Giants were leading 17–12 and had possession of the ball with only 30 seconds left. They had just to kneel
Quarterback kneel
In American football, a quarterback kneel, also called taking a knee, genuflect offense, or victory formation occurs when the quarterback immediately kneels to the ground after receiving the snap. It is primarily used to run the clock down, either at the end of the first half or the game itself, in...
the ball to end the game, as the Eagles had no time outs. However, instead of kneeling the ball, offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson (football coach)
-External links:...
ordered New York quarterback Joe Pisarcik
Joe Pisarcik
Joseph Anthony Pisarcik is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for eight seasons, from 1977 through 1984 after playing college football at New Mexico State University. His first professional team was the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football...
to hand the ball off to fullback Larry Csonka
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
. Csonka was unprepared to receive the handoff, and the ball rolled off his hip and bounced free. Eagles safety Herman Edwards
Herman Edwards
Herman "Herm" Edwards, Jr. is an American football analyst who most recently coached in the National Football League for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was fired from this position on January 23, 2009. Since then, he has been hired as a football analyst for ESPN...
picked up the loose ball and ran, untouched, for a score, giving the Eagles an improbable 19–17 victory. This play is referred to as "The Miracle in the Meadowlands" among Eagles fans, and "The Fumble" among Giants fans.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Gibson was fired, and the Giants lost three out of their last four games to finish out of the playoffs for the 15th straight season, leading them to let coach John McVay
John McVay
John McVay is a former American football coach who rose through the coaching ranks from high school, through the college level, and to the NFL...
go as well. However, following the 1978 season came the steps that would, in time, return New York to the pinnacle of the NFL.
Building a champion: 1979-1985
New York decided to hire a General Manager for the first time in franchise history following the 1978 season. The search grew contentious and fractured the relationship between owners Wellington and Tim Mara. Finally, the Maras asked NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to step in with a recommendation. Rozelle recommended George Young, who worked in personnel for the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and had been an assistant coach for the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
. Young was hired, but the rift between the Maras lasted for several years.
Young hired San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
assistant Ray Perkins as head coach, and drafted unknown quarterback Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
from Morehead State University
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
to the surprise of many. New York continued to struggle, finishing 6–10 in 1979 and 4–12 in 1980. With the second overall draft pick in the 1981 draft, the Giants drafted linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
. The impact that Taylor had on the Giants' defense was immediate. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year, becoming to date the only rookie to ever win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. His arrival raised the Giants linebacker corps—which already included future Hall of Famer
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
, and pro bowler Brad Van Pelt
Brad Van Pelt
Brad Alan Van Pelt was an American football linebacker who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League....
—into one of the NFL's best. It also predicated New York's transformation from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981. They went 9–7, and defeated the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs 27–21, then lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
38–24 in the next round.
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
, the Giants' defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
, as the team's new head coach.
Parcells first year proved difficult. In his first major decision, he selected Brunner over Simms at quarterback. At first it appeared his decision was justified, especially after a 27–3 Monday night victory over Green Bay gave New York a 2–2 record. But then they lost 10 of their final 12 games. Parcells ignored fans' protests and stuck with Brunner for most of the year, although Jeff Rutledge
Jeff Rutledge
Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.-Early years:...
saw considerable late-season action. Simms finally played in a week six game against the Eagles, only to suffer a season–ending thumb injury.
Simms won the starting job back in 1984 and Brunner was traded. New York had a resurgent season, highlighted by a second half stretch where they won five of six games. Despite losing their last two to finish 9–7 they still made the playoffs. In the first round, they defeated the highly favored Los Angeles Rams 16–13 on the road before losing, 21–10, to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. Simms threw for 4,044 yards, making him the first Giant to pass for 4,000 yards in a season.
The Giants success continued in 1985 (10–6). The defense carried the team, and led the NFL in sacks with 68. They won their first round playoff game, 17–3 over the defending champion 49ers. It was New York's first post-season win at home since 1958, and their first ever at Giants Stadium. In the divisional playoffs they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Bears 21–0. Many of the players that would play key roles on New York's Super Bowl teams emerged in 1985. Joe Morris
Joe Morris (American football)
Joseph Edward Morris is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. Initially noted for his diminutive stature — 5' 7", Morris was a key member of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI in 1987...
became the feature back, running for 1,338 yards, scoring 21 touchdowns, and making the Pro Bowl. Second year receiver Lionel Manuel
Lionel Manuel
Lionel Manuel, Jr. is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 1984 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 180-lb. wide receiver from the University of the Pacific, Manuel played in seven NFL seasons, and spent his entire career with the Giants...
led the Giants with 49 catches, and tight end Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
, a rookie, had 37. Simms threw every pass for New York for the second consecutive season, and passed for over 3,800 yards. Defensive end Leonard Marshall
Leonard Marshall
Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League . Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for ten seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins...
recorded 15.5 sacks, and Taylor added 13.
1986: Super Bowl Champions
New York entered the 1986 season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They had their first test in a Monday Night game against the defending Eastern division champion Cowboys. They lost at Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
31–28. However, they won their next 5 in a row and 14 of their last 15, to finish the season with a 14–2 record. One of the signature plays of the season occurred during a Monday Night game in December. Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986...with the Giants trailing, (Mark) Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle. It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Bavaro’s inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl." New York's defense allowed 236 points during the season, second fewest in the NFL, and Taylor set a team record with 20.5 sacks. He won an unprecedented third Defensive Player of the Year Award, and was named league MVP.
The Giants defeated San Francisco 49–3 in their first playoff game, then Washington 17–0 in the NFC Championship Game. New York advanced to play the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
in front of 101,063 fans at the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
. After falling behind 10–9 at halftime, they came back to beat the Broncos 39–20. Simms was named the game's MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record.
1987-1989
The Giants lost their first two games before the 1987 players strike. Unlike the players strike five years previous, NFL owners made a decision to use replacement players, but still lost all three replacement games, putting them at 0–5 when the strike ended. Though they went 6–4 over their final 10 games, they finished out of the playoffs at 6–9. Bright spots for the season included tight end Mark Bavaro, who led the team in catches with 55, and three New York's linebackers making the Pro Bowl—Taylor, Carson, and Carl BanksCarl Banks
Carl E. Banks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1984 to 1995 for the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1987, had 39.5 career quarterback sacks, and was a member of the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team...
.
New York's 1988 season got off to a turbulent start due an offseason scandal involving Taylor. Taylor had abused cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and was suspended for the first four games of the season. Taylor's over the edge lifestyle was becoming an increasing concern for fans and team officials. After his return, however, Taylor recorded 15.5 sacks in 12 games. The intense worry and scrutiny would prove to be for naught as for the rest of his career Taylor would pass his drug tests.
Predictably, the Giants started the season struggling. They were 2–2 when Taylor returned from his suspension. With Taylor back and playing well however, they won six out of their next eight games. After two straight losses, the Giants won their next three contests to set up a win-or-go-home game against the Jets in the season finale. The Jets defeated the Giants 27–21. When the 49ers lost to the Rams the following night, the Giants were out of the postseason despite a 10–6 record.
The Giants' 12–4 record in 1989 was the NFC's second best. They lost their divisional playoff game in overtime to the Rams 19–13. The highlight of the game was wide receiver Flipper Anderson
Flipper Anderson
Willie Lee "Flipper" Anderson, Jr. is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Los Angeles Rams , the Indianapolis Colts , the Washington Redskins , and the Denver Broncos...
catch of the game winning touchdown pass. After catching the ball, Anderson made a long run to the endzone, silencing the crowd in attendance. In 1989, free agent acquisition Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
ran for 1,023 yards and caught 28 passes. Dave Meggett
Dave Meggett
David Lee Meggett is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Giants , New England Patriots , and the New York Jets . He played college football at Morgan State University and Towson University...
also emerged as a threat on third downs and special teams, catching 34 passes for 531 yards, and making the Pro Bowl.
1990: Champions again
The Giants won their first 10 games of the 1990 season, setting a record for the best start in the team's history. The San Francisco 49ers also got off to a strong start, matching New York with their own 10–0 start. Although both teams lost their next game, their week 13 matchup was still eagerly anticipated. New York held the 49ers vaunted offense to seven points, but scored just three themselves.New York won the following week against Minnesota before facing the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in their regular season home finale. Despite a significant in time of possession, they lost 17–13, for their third loss in four games. To compound New Yorks' problems, Simms went down with a injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year. His replacement, Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
, was an unproven career backup, who had thrown a mere 68 passes coming into the season.
New York won their final two games to secure a 13–3 record, and the playoff bye as the NFC's second seed. They defeated Chicago 31–3 in the divisional playoff round, setting up a rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC Championship. As they had in Week 12, the Giants defense held San Francisco's offense in check. In the game's waning moments Erik Howard
Erik Howard
Erik Matthew Howard is a former professional American football defensive tackle who played eleven seasons in the National Football League...
caused a Roger Craig fumble, and Taylor recovered it. New York drove down into San Francisco territory, and in the game's last play, Bahr hit a 42–yard field goal to defeat the 49ers 15–13.
The win set up another rematch, this time in the Super Bowl against the Bills.
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXVSuper Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
took place amidst a background of war and patriotism. The Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
had begun less than two weeks previous and the nation rallied around the Super Bowl as a symbol of America. New York got off to a quick 3–0 lead, however, the Bills scored the next 12 points. The Giants responded by running a nearly eight minute drive, which culminated in a 14 yard touchdown pass from Hostetler to Stephen Baker.
The Giants received the second half kickoff and mounted a record-setting drive. The opening drive ran for over nine minutes (a Super Bowl record) and culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson, giving New York a 17–12 lead. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Bills' Thurman Thomas ran for a 31-yard touchdown that put the Bills back in front, 19-17. A few possessions later, the Giants drove down to the Bills 4 yard line and kicked a 21-yard field goal which gave them a 20–19 lead. Both teams exchanged possessions before the Bills began one final drive, driving down to the Giants 30 yard line to set up what would be a potentially game-winning 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood
Scott Norwood
Scott Allan Norwood is a former American football placekicker in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills. Norwood was an integral part of its offense during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and kicked in Buffalo's first two Super Bowl appearances...
. In what would become the game's signature moment, Norwood's attempt missed wide right, and New York won their second Super Bowl, 20–19.
The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with a mark of 40:33, and Ottis Anderson was named MVP of the game after rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown.
End of an era
The 1990 season marked the end of an era. After the Super Bowl, defensive coordinator Bill BelichickBill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
left to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Parcells also decided to leave the Giants in the spring of 1991 to pursue a career in broadcasting. In addition, there was an ownership change in what had been one of the most stable front offices in professional sports. In February 1991, Tim Mara was diagnosed with Cancer, and he sold his 50% interest in the team to Bob Tisch
Preston Robert Tisch
Preston Robert "Bob" Tisch was the chairman, and, with his brother Laurence, part owner of the Loews Corporation. Tisch was born in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn in 1926. On August 16, 1986, he was appointed Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service, serving until February 1988...
for a reported $80 million. This marked the first time since their inception in 1925 that the Giants had not been wholly owned and controlled by the Mara family.
After Parcells - The Handley era: 1991-1992
Following the departure of Parcells and Belichick—who many people saw as the likely successor to Parcells—the surprise choice as head coach was running backs coach Ray HandleyRay Handley
Ray Handley is a former American football player and coach who is best remembered for his stormy two seasons as head coach of the National Football League's New York Giants in the early 1990s.-Collegiate career:...
. Handley, however, was a somewhat reluctant coach, whose approach stood in stark contrast to the passionate and emotional style employed by Parcells.* Pervin. pg. 119
As with Parcells eight years previous, one of Handley's first major decisions involved replacing Phil Simms as starting quarterback. Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
was named the team's starter. Though the Giants won their opening game in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the 49ers 16–14, they lost three out of their next four games to drop to 2–3. Though they rallied to finish the season 8–8, and Simms reclaimed his starting job later in the year, the excitement that surrounded the Giants the previous year was gone. One of the few promising young players to emerge on the team was second–year running back Rodney Hampton
Rodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton born April 3, 1969 in Houston, Texas, is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 215 lbs. running back from the University of Georgia by way of Kashmere High School in...
, who led the Giants in rushing with 1,059 yards.
Through the 1991 season it was clear that the team's core players on defense had aged quickly. This deterioration continued in 1992, when Lawrence Taylor ruptured his achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
in the team's tenth game, and the Giants promptly lost six out of their last seven games to finish the year 6–10. The defense continued its descent, finishing 26th in the league in points allowed after leading the league in that category in 1990. Handley, who had become unpopular with both players and fans, was fired after the end of the regular season.
Dan Reeves takes over: 1993-96
Handley was replaced by Dan ReevesDan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
, the successful former head coach of the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
who led the Broncos to three Super Bowls in four years, one against the Giants. After his dismissal from the Broncos, Reeves took the unusual step of lobbying for the job. After being rebuffed by a number of candidates, George Young was pleased that someone with Reeves's credentials wanted the job.
Reeves's impact was immediate. As Parcells had done in 1984, Reeves named Simms his starting quarterback. The defense returned to form, and allowed more than 20 points once all season. With two regular season games left, the Giants were 11–3 and appeared poised for a first round playoff bye. They were upset by a Cardinals team, who came into the game with just five wins, 17–6, in the next to last week of the season, setting up a winner–take–all contest against Dallas in the final regular season game. Though the Giants played well, it was Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
's memorable performance with a separated shoulder that led the Cowboys to a 16–13 overtime win, giving the Cowboys a sweep of the season series. Despite the loss, the Giants made the playoffs as a Wild Card and won their first round game 17–10 over the Vikings. They were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 44–3 in the second round however. Simms played in all 16 games, completing nearly 62% of his passes, and threw for over 3,000 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Simms, Hampton, offensive linemen Jumbo Elliot and center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
Bart Oates
Bart Oates
Bart Steven Oates is a former American football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. He played center for the Giants from 1985-93 and with the 49ers from 1994-95...
made the Pro Bowl, and Reeves was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. After the season, Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, the two biggest figures of the late 1980s and early 1990s Giants teams, retired.
Before the 1994 season Reeves named Dave Brown
Dave Brown (quarterback)
David Michael Brown is a former professional American football quarterback who played for Duke University and later in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals....
, who had been a No. 1 supplemental draft choice in 1992, the Giants starting quarterback. Though Brown led the Giants to wins in their first three games, they lost their next seven. The team recovered to win their last six games of the season, but missed the playoffs. During the winning streak they never allowed more than 20 points in a game.
The Giants regressed to a 5–11 record in 1995. Much of the blame for the Giants' poor performance was placed on Brown. He put up lackluster numbers for the second straight year. Though the Giants defense still played well, and young players like Strahan and Armstead began to emerge, the Giants inspired tepid interest league-wide and sent no players to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.
The Giants had another losing season in 1996, finishing 6–10. Though Brown again started every game for the Giants he turned in one of the worst seasons of any starting quarterback in the league, throwing for just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions. The Giants offense was one of the worst in the NFL and, unlike in previous years, the defense was unable to carry the team. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, Reeves was fired.
1997-1999
The Giants hired former Arizona CardinalsArizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
offensive coordinator Jim Fassel
Jim Fassel
-Professional:-Personal life:Before the 2003 NFL season, Fassel was reunited with a son, John Mathieson, whom he and his wife Kitty gave up for adoption in 1969. The couple was unmarried when he was born....
as their head coach before the 1997 season. With the team's offense floundering once again and a 2-3 record after five games, Fassel turned to inexperienced Danny Kanell
Danny Kanell
Daniel Paul Kanell is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League, and Arena Football League.-College career:...
as the starting quarterback over Brown. The Giants experienced a resurgent season, finishing 10–5–1, and winning the NFC East
NFC East
The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins....
. They hosted a first–round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. The Giants led the Vikings for most of the game, including 22-13 in the fourth quarter, but following a muffed onsides kickoff, the Vikings booted a last second field goal to win, 23–22. Following the season George Young left the Giants. He was replaced by Ernie Accorsi
Ernie Accorsi
Ernie Accorsi is the former General Manager of the NFL's New York Giants football team. Accorsi had held the position from January 8, 1998, when he took over for the legendary George Young until his retirement on January 16, 2007...
, a veteran General Manager who had successful stints building the Baltimore Colts
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
and Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
The Giants regressed to an 8–8 record in 1998. The strength of the team during the season was their defense, which featured two Pro Bowlers in Armstead and Strahan. However, the offense continued to struggle. Brown had been released before the season and replaced by Kanell and Kent Graham
Kent Graham
Kent Douglas Graham is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League. Graham played quarterback at the University of Notre Dame before transferring to Ohio State University...
. However, neither quarterback provided Pro Bowl caliber play. Before the 1999 season, the Giants signed quarterback Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
. Collins had been the first–ever draft choice of the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and in his second season led them to the NFC Championship game. However, problems with alcohol abuse, conflicts with his teammates, and questions about his character led to his release from the Panthers. Although many people questioned the wisdom of Accorsi and the Giants giving Collins a $16.9 million contract, Accorsi was confident in Collins abilities.
In 1999, Tiki Barber emerged as a solid pass–catching running back, catching 66 passes. Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer
Amani Toomer is a retired American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan, where he was a fan favorite.Toomer has also been a member of the Kansas...
also had a breakout season, accumulating over 1100 yards receiving and six touchdowns, and Ike Hilliard finished just shy of 1000 yards receiving. The defense rebounded, ranking 11th in the league, and Armstead and Strahan again were selected to the Pro Bowl. Though the Giants stood at 7–6 and poised for a playoff berth, they lost their final three games to miss the playoffs.
2000: Super Bowl season
The 2000 season was considered a make-or-break year for Fassel. The conventional wisdom was that Fassel needed to have a strong year and a playoff appearance to save his job. After two back-to-back losses at home against the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, the Giants fell to 7–4 and their playoff prospects were in question. At a press conference following the Giants' loss to Detroit, Fassel guaranteed that "[t]his team is going to the playoffs." The Giants responded, winning the next week's game against Arizona and the rest of their regular season games to finish the season 12–4 and earn a bye as the NFC's top seed.
The Giants won their first playoff game against the Eagles 20–10, and then defeated the Vikings 41–0 in the NFC Championship game. They advanced to play the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
in Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
. Though the Giants kept the game close early, and went into halftime down only 10–0, the Ravens dominated the second half. The Ravens defense harassed Collins all game long, and he had one of the worst games in Super Bowl history. Collins completed only 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and four interceptions, and the Ravens won the game 34–7. The Giants only score came on a Ron Dixon kickoff return for a touchdown. On the very next kickoff, the Ravens' Jermaine Lewis also returned a kickoff for a score.
2001–2003
Jeremy Shockey
Jeremy Charles Shockey is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants 14th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
caught 74 passes for a total of 894 yards. The team started 6-6, but made the playoffs as a wild card by winning their last four regular season games.
In the playoffs, they built a 38–14 lead against the 49ers. San Francisco rallied however, scoring a field goal, and three touchdowns to take a 39–38 lead with a minute left in the game. Collins then drove the Giants down to the 49ers 23-yard line with six seconds left, setting up a potentially game winning 41-yard field goal attempt. On the final play of the game, 40-year old long snapper Trey Junkin
Trey Junkin
Abner Kirk "Trey" Junkin III is a former American football linebacker, tight end, and long snapper in the National Football League...
—who had just been signed for this playoff game—snapped the ball low, and punter Matt Allen could not spot the ball properly for the attempt. Allen picked the ball up and threw an unsuccessful pass downfield to offensive lineman Rich Seubert
Rich Seubert
Rich Seubert is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants out of Western Illinois University in 2001. Seubert lives in Wayne, New Jersey.-High school career:...
as time expired and the Giants lost 39–38.
The Giants started 2003 4–4, but lost their final eight games. With two games remaining in the season, Fassell requested a meeting with team management, and asked, if he was to be fired, that they do so now rather than wait until the end of the season. Management complied with his request, formally firing Fassel on (or around) December 17, 2003, but allowing him to coach the team's final two games.
Eli Manning era: 2004-Present
2004-2006
After a brief search, Accorsi hired former Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
coach Tom Coughlin
Tom Coughlin
Thomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
to be the Giants Head Coach. Coughlin was considered a disciplinarian, in contrast to the departed Fassel, whose lenient style was criticized in his final years with the club. Accorsi coveted quarterback Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
, brother of Peyton
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
and son of Archie
Archie Manning
Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League, playing for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1982, then for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings...
, in the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
. Manning had indicated before the draft that he did not want to play for the Chargers who held the top pick. The Chargers drafted him nonetheless, and traded to the Giants for their first round picks in 2004 and 2005. The Giants released Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
who was unhappy with a backup role, and signed veteran quarterback Kurt Warner
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene "Kurt" Warner is a retired American football player. He played quarterback for three National Football League teams: the St. Louis Rams, the New York Giants, and the Arizona Cardinals. He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1994 after playing...
. The plan being for Warner to be the starter, while the team groomed Manning to ultimately take over the job. After losing to the Eagles in the 2004 season opener, the Giants, with Warner at quarterback, won five of their next six games, making them 5–2. After losing two close games, to the Bears and Cardinals, to drop to 5–4, Coughlin announced that Manning would start the rest of the season. Manning struggled, and the Giants did not score more than 14 points in their next four games. He performed better later in the season, but the Giants finished the season 6–10. Barber established a career high in rushing with 1,518 yards. He also had 52 catches and a total of 15 touchdowns.
Wellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara was the co-owner of the NFL's New York Giants from 1959 until his death, and one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of the National Football League. He was the younger son of Tim Mara, who founded the Giants in 1925...
died after a brief illness at the age of 89. Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was nine years old, when he worked for them as a ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
. Except a tour of duty in the military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Mara spent his entire adult life with the team. He was beloved by many of the players, and was noted for making an effort to get to know each of them. The Giants dedicated their next game to Mara, and defeated the Redskins 36–0. Just twenty days after Mara's death, on November 15, the other Giants Executive Officer Bob Tisch
Preston Robert Tisch
Preston Robert "Bob" Tisch was the chairman, and, with his brother Laurence, part owner of the Loews Corporation. Tisch was born in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn in 1926. On August 16, 1986, he was appointed Postmaster General of the United States Postal Service, serving until February 1988...
died at the age of 79. The New York Giants honored Tisch by defeating the Eagles 27–17 on in their next game. Barber set a new team single game rushing yard record with 220 yards, and the team's single season record with 1,860 yards in a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. The Giants finished 11–5, and hosted the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
in the playoffs, but lost 23-0.
Barber led the Giants with 1,662 yards rushing and over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, Manning threw for 3,244 yards and 24 touchdowns and Jeremy Shockey led the team in receptions. Defensively the team struggled with pass defense (28th in the league), and gaining a consistent pass rush (tied for 23rd in the league in sacks).
2007: Third Super Bowl Championship
In 2007, the Giants made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. In a September game against the Eagles, they tied the NFL record for most sacks in a game by sacking Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb 12 times, with Osi UmenyioraOsi Umenyiora
-2003:Umenyiora was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the New York Giants out of Troy State University, now Troy University. He was number 72. As a rookie in 2003, he played in 13 games with one start.-2005:...
recording six of those sacks. They became the third NFL franchise to win 600 games when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31-10 in October. That same month they also played in the league's first regular season game outside of North America, in London's Wembley Stadium, where they beat Miami 13–10. They ended the regular season 10–6, and defeated Tampa 24-14 in the first round of the playoffs, earning Manning and Coughlin their playoff victories. The next week, the Giants won their ninth consecutive road game by beating top seeded Dallas. In the NFC championship game, Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...
kicked an overtime field goal to give them a 23-20 road victory over the Packers.
In Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, the Giants defeated the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17-14. The signature play of the game came on third down, with the Giants on their own 44-yard line, down 14–10, and 1:15 remaining on the clock. Manning dropped back to pass, but was surrounded by New England pass rushers. Escaping three tackles, he threw a long pass to David Tyree, who caught the ball against his own helmet
Eli Manning pass to David Tyree
Eli Manning's pass to David Tyree was an American football play involving the two aforementioned New York Giants players in the final two minutes of Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008. It was instrumental in the Giants' 17–14 upset victory over the New England Patriots...
, while being covered by Patriot safety Rodney Harrison
Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison is a retired professional football player of the National Football League. Harrison played safety for the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots...
. A few plays later Manning threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
with 35 seconds left in the game. Manning won the game's MVP award by completing 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards, and two touchdowns. The Giants win is considered one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
Strahan retired after the game as the team's career leader in sacks.
2008-present
New York's 12–4 record in 2008 earned them a first round bye in the playoffs. They won 11 out for their first 12 games before stumbling to lose four of their final five, including a 23-11 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round. Manning threw for 3,238 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and was named to the Pro Bowl after the season. Other standouts included Brandon JacobsBrandon Jacobs
-New York Giants:Going into the 2006 season Jacobs stated that he studied film of famed power running back Eddie George in an effort to refine his running style. George, like Jacobs, was a large, power running back. In the 2006 season, Jacobs carried the ball 96 times for 423 yards and nine...
and Derrick Ward
Derrick Ward
Derrick LaRon Ward is an American football running back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Fresno State University and Ottawa University...
who both rushed for 1,000 yards (who helped the Giants lead the NFL in rushing yards), Justin Tuck
Justin Tuck
Justin Lee Tuck is an American football defensive end for the National Football League's New York Giants.A former standout defensive end for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Tuck currently plays in the National Football League for the New York Giants. His cousin Adalius Thomas was also a former...
, who led the team with 12 sacks, and Antonio Pierce, who was the team's leading tackler. The Giants featured a balanced offense with no receiver topping 600 receiving yards.
New York won their first five games in 2009, but lost their next four. After beating the Falcons in overtime, they lost badly to Denver on Thanksgiving. They defeated Dallas 31–24 in week 13, then lost 45-38 to Philadelphia the next week. At 8–6 they still had a chance to make the playoffs but losses to Carolina, and Minnesota to finish the season left them out of the playoffs at 8-8.
In the spring of 2010, construction on New Meadowlands Stadium (now MetLife Stadium) was completed, and the Giants and Jets opened it in August with their annual preseason match. In the regular season, they won their home opener against Carolina, 31-18, avenging their late season loss from the previous year. They went on the road to play Indianapolis in the second "Manning Bowl" in week two. Peyton outplayed Eli (who threw for just 161 yards), in a 38-14 Colts victory. Discipline became a growing problem for the Giants during the season. In the Colts' game Jacobs threw his helmet into the stands, and in the next game offensive tackle David Diehl
David Diehl
David Diehl is an American football offensive guard with the New York Giants of the National Football League and is one of only two offensive lineman who entered the NFL in 2003 to start all 80 regular season games through the end of the 2008 season....
ripped off the helmet of Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan
Cortland Finnegan
Cortland Temujin Finnegan is an American football defensive back for the Tennessee Titans. He played college football for Samford University.-High school career:...
.
See also
- List of New York Giants seasons
- Logos and Uniforms of the New York GiantsLogos and uniforms of the New York GiantsThe New York Giants have had numerous uniforms and logos since their founding in 1925.-Logos:Giants logos have revolved around three distinct concepts: a "giant" football player poised to throw a pass, the word "Giants" and variations on the initials for New York...
- List of New York Giants players
Sources
- Axthelm, PetePete AxthelmPete Axthelm worked as a sportswriter and columnist for the New York Herald Tribune, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek. During the 1980s, his knowledge of sports and journalistic skill aided him in becoming a sports commentator for The NFL on NBC and NFL Primetime and horse racing on ESPN...
. "The Giants go to Jersey, or, Father Mara knows best." New YorkNew York (magazine)New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
, New York Media, LLC Vol. 4, No. 44 November 1, 1971 issue, ISSN 0028-7369 (available online) - Buckley, James Jr. Great Moments in Football. Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2000 ISBN 0836853601
- Carroll, John Martin. Grange and the Rise of Modern Football. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999 ISBN 0252071662
- Eskenazi, Gerald. There Were Giants in Those Days. New York: Grosset & Dunlap 1976 ISBN 0448124513
- Gottehrer, Barry. The Giants of New York, the history of professional football's most fabulous dynasty. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1963 OCLC 1356301
- Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M., and Korch, Rick. The Complete History of Professional Football from 1892 to the Present. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994 ISBN 0312114354
- Pellowski, Steve. The Little Giant Book of Football Facts. New York: Sterling PublishingSterling PublishingSterling Publishing Company, Inc. is a publisher of nonfiction titles, with more than 5,000 books in print. Founded in 1949, it publishes a wide range of nonfiction and illustrated titles in categories which include art, biography/autobiography, body/mind/spirit, crafts, culinary, do-it-yourself,...
, 2005 ISBN 1402723903 - Pervin, Lawrence A. Football's New York Giants: A History. McFarland 2009 ISBN 0786442689
- Schwartz, John. Tales from the New York Giants Sideline. Champaign: Sports Publishing LLC, 2004 ISBN 1582617589
- Sprechman, Jordan and Shannon, Bill. This Day in New York Sports. Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC. 1998 ISBN 1571672540
- Walsh, Chris. New York Giants Football: Guide and Record Book. Illinois: Triumph Books 2009 ISBN 1600781896