The New York Giants
are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team plays its home games at Giants Stadium, which also serves as its headquarters, and trains at an adjacent practice facility within the Meadowlands Sports Complex. In a unique arrangement, the team shares the stadium with the New York Jets, who also play their home games there but maintain their training complex and headquarters at an off-site location.
The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). They were one of five teams that joined the NFL in 1925, but the only one admitted that year which still exists.
The Giants rank third among all NFL franchises with seven NFL titles: four in the pre–Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and three since the advent of the Super Bowl (Super Bowls XXI (1986), XXV (1990), and XLII (2007). Their championship tally is surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers (12) and Chicago Bears (9). During their history, the Giants have featured 15 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Charlie Conerly, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor.
To distinguish it from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was incorporated as the New York Football Giants
. Although the baseball team moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season, the football team continues to use "New York Football Giants, Inc." as its legal corporate name [1], and is often referred to by fans and sportscasters as the "New York Football Giants". The team has also gained several nicknames, including "Big Blue," the "G-Men," the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew," "The Road Warriors," and the "Jints," a name seen frequently in the New York Post
, originating from the baseball team when they were based in New York.
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NEW YORK GIANTS TICKETS
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Team history
This article or section is part of
the New York Giants history
series.
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History of the New York Giants
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History of the New York Giants (1925-1978)
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History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)
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History of the New York Giants (1994-present)
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Financial history of the New York Giants
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1925–32
The
Giants played their first game against All New Britain in
New Britain, Connecticut, on October 4, 1925.
[2] [3] They defeated New Britain 26–0 in front of a crowd of 10,000.
The Giants were successful in their first season, finishing with an 8–4 record in
1925.
[4]
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.
[5] After a disappointing
fourth season (
1928) owner Mara bought the entire squad of the
Detroit Wolverines, principally to acquire star quarterback
Benny Friedman, and merged the two teams under the Giants name.
In
1930, there were still many who questioned the quality of the professional game, 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 the stars of his 1924 Championship squad and told them to score early, then defend. Rockne, like much of the public, thought little of pro football and expected an easy win.
[6] But from the beginning it was a one-way contest, with Friedman running for two Giant touchdowns and
Hap Moran passing for another. Notre Dame failed to score. When it was all over, Coach Rockne told his team, "That was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt."
[7] The game raised $100,000 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game.
1933–46
In a fourteen-year span from 1933 to 1946, the Giants qualified to play in the NFL championship game 8 times, winning twice.
During the period the Giants were led by
Hall of Fame coach
Steve Owen, and Hall of Fame players
Mel Hein,
Red Badgro, and
Tuffy Leemans. This period also included the famous "
Sneakers Game", where they defeated the
Chicago Bears on an icy field in the
1934 NFL Championship game, while wearing sneakers for better traction.
The Giants were particularly successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States entry into
World War II. They added their
third NFL championship in
1938 with a 23–17 win over the
Green Bay Packers.
1947–63
They did not win another league title until 1956, aided by a number of future
Pro Football Hall of Fame players such as running back
Frank Gifford, linebacker
Sam Huff, and offensive tackle
Roosevelt Brown, as well as all-pro running back
Alex Webster. The Giants' 1956 championship team not only included players who would eventually find their way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but it also had a Hall of Fame coaching staff. Head coach
Jim Lee Howell's staff had
Vince Lombardi coaching the offense and
Tom Landry coaching the defense.
[8] From 1958 to 1963, the Giants played in the NFL Championship Game five times, but failed to win.
Most significantly, the Giants played the
Colts in the
1958 NFL Championship Game that is considered a
watershed event in the history of the NFL.
[9] The game, which the Giants lost in overtime 23–17,
is often considered one of the most important events in furthering the NFL's popularity in America. The following year, they gave up a 16–9 4th quarter lead to again lose to the Colts in the championship game, 31–16. In 1963 led by league MVP
quarterback Y.A. Tittle, who threw an NFL record 36
touchdown passes, the Giants advanced to the NFL Championship Game, where they lost to the Bears 14–10.
1964–78
From 1964 to 1978, the Giants registered only two winning seasons and were unable to advance to the playoffs.
With players such as Tittle and Gifford approaching their mid 30s, the team declined rapidly, finishing 2–10–2 in
1964.
They rebounded with a 7–7 record in
1965,
before compiling a league-worst 1–12–1 record,
[10] and allowing more than 500 points on defense in
1966.
During the 1969 preseason, the
Giants lost their first meeting with the
Jets, 37–14, in front of 70,874 fans at the
Yale Bowl in
New Haven, Connecticut.
[11] Following the game, Wellington Mara fired coach
Allie Sherman,
[12] and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster.
In
1967, the team acquired quarterback
Fran Tarkenton from the
Minnesota Vikings. Despite having several respectable seasons with Tarkenton at quarterback, including a 7–7 finish in 1967 and 9–5 in
1970,
the Giants traded him back to the Vikings after the
1971 season when the
Giants went 4–10.
[13] Tarkenton would go on to lead his team to three Super Bowls and create a Hall of Fame resume,
while the Giants suffered through one of the worst stretches in their history.
Starting in 1973 the Giants compiled only 23 wins in 6 seasons.
Before the 1976 season, the Giants tried to replace retired RB
Ron Johnson with future HOF fullback
Larry Csonka to revive a weak offense. Csonka was unfortunately often injured and ineffective during his 3 years in New York. The
1977 season also featured the unusual choice of having three rookie quarterbacks on their roster.
[14]
During this period, due to the renovation of
Yankee Stadium, which the team shared with baseball's
New York Yankees, the Giants were forced to play their home games at the Yale Bowl from 1973 through 1974, and Shea Stadium in Queens, NY in 1975.
They finally received their own dedicated state-of-the-art stadium in 1976,
when they moved into
Giants Stadium at the
Meadowlands in
East Rutherford, New Jersey. One of the low points during this period was the so-called "
Miracle at the Meadowlands," which occurred in 1978.
[15] With the Giants needing only to
kneel the ball to secure a certain victory against the
Philadelphia Eagles,
they chose to call a running play—which resulted in a fumble that was returned for a game-winning touchdown by the Eagles'
Herman Edwards.
1979–93
In
1979, the Giants began the steps that would, in time, return them to the pinnacle of the NFL. These included the drafting of quarterback
Phil Simms in
1979, and linebacker
Lawrence Taylor in
1981.
In
1981, Taylor won the NFL's
Defensive Rookie of the Year and
Defensive Player of the Year awards and the Giants made the playoffs for the first time since 1963.
[16] One of the few bright spots during this time was the team's excellent linebackers, who were known as the
Crunch Bunch.
[17] After the
strike-shortened the
1982 season, in which they finished 4–5,
head coach
Ray Perkins resigned to take over the same position at the
University of Alabama. In a change that would prove crucial in the coming years, he was replaced by the team's
defensive coordinator,
Bill Parcells.
Parcells era
The
Giants struggled in Parcells's initial year and finished with 3–12–1 record.
After 9–7 and 10–6 finishes in
1984 and
1985 respectively,
the
Giants compiled a 14–2 record in
1986 led by league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Taylor. After defeating the
49ers and
Redskins by a combined score of 66–3 in the playoffs, the Giants advanced for the first time to play the
Denver Broncos at the
Rose Bowl in Pasadena in
Super Bowl XXI. Led by Super Bowl MVP Simms who completed 22 of 25 passes for a Super Bowl record 88%
completion percentage, they defeated the Broncos 39–20,
[18] to win their first championship since 1956. In addition to Simms and Taylor, the team was led during this period by head coach
Bill Parcells, tight end
Mark Bavaro, running back
Joe Morris, and
Hall of Fame linebacker
Harry Carson.
The
Giants struggled to a 6–9 record in the
strike-marred 1987 season,
with the running game in particular struggling. After rushing for 1,526 and 1,336 yards in 1985 and 1986 Morris struggled to 658 yards
[19] behind an injury-riddled offensive line in 1987.
[20] The early portion of the
1988 season was marred by a scandal involving Lawrence Taylor. Taylor had abused cocaine and was suspended for the first four games of the season for his second violation of the league's substance abuse policy. Despite the controversy, the
Giants finished 10–6, and Taylor recorded 15.5 sacks after his return from the suspension. They surged to a 12–4 record in 1989, but lost to the
Los Angeles Rams in their opening playoff game when
Flipper Anderson caught a 47-yard touchdown pass to give the Rams a 19–13 overtime win. In
1990,
the Giants went 13–3, and set an NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season (14),
[21] and defeated the
Buffalo Bills in
Super Bowl XXV.
1991–93
Following the 1990 season, Parcells resigned as head coach and was replaced by the team's offensive coordinator
Ray Handley. Handley served as coach for two disappointing seasons (1991–92), which saw the Giants fall from Super Bowl champions to a 6–10 record. He was fired following the
1992 season, and replaced by former
Denver Broncos' coach
Dan Reeves. In the early 1990s, Simms and Taylor, two of the teams' largest figures in the 1980s, played out the last seasons of their career with steadily declining production. The
Giants experienced a resurgent season with Reeves at the helm in
1993 however, and Simms and Taylor ended their careers as members of a playoff team.
1994–98
The Giants initially struggled in the post Simms-Taylor era. After starting 3–7 in
1994, the
Giants won their final six games to finish 9–7 but missed the
playoffs.
[22] Quarterback
Dave Brown received heavy criticism throughout the season.
[23] Brown performed poorly the following two seasons, and the Giants struggled to 5–11 and 6–10 records.
Reeves was fired following the
1996 season, and replaced by
Jim Fassel, former offensive coordinator of the
Arizona Cardinals. Fassel named
Danny Kanell the team's starting quarterback, and the
team finished 10–5–1 and made the
playoffs in
1997.
After losing in the first round to the
Vikings in 1997, the
Giants needed four wins to close out the season to finish 8–8 in
1998.
1999
Before the
1999 season Kerry Collins was brought in to help the team. Collins was the first–ever draft choice of the expansion
Carolina Panthers in
1995, and led the
Panthers to the NFC Championship game in his second season. However, problems with alcohol, conflicts with his teammates and questions about his character led to his release from the Panthers.
[24] The Giants finished 7–9 in
1999.
2000
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
St. Louis and
Detroit, the Giants fell to 7–4
[25] 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."
[26] The Giants responded, winning 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
Philadelphia Eagles, 20–10, and defeated the
Minnesota Vikings 41–0 in the NFC Championship game.
They advanced to play the
Baltimore Ravens in
Super Bowl XXXV. Though the Giants went into halftime down only 10–0,
[27] the Ravens dominated the second half. Their defense harassed Kerry Collins all game long, resulting in Collins completing only 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and 4 interceptions.
The Ravens won the game 34–7.
2001–06
The Giants struggled after their Super Bowl loss and Fassel was replaced by current coach
Tom Coughlin in 2004. Although Collins had several solid seasons as the Giants quarterback, he experienced his share of struggles. In
2004, the
Giants completed a draft day trade acquiring quarterback
Eli Manning out of the
University of Mississippi.
[28] Manning has been the team's starting quarterback since the middle of the
2004 season, taking over for
Kurt Warner. The early part of Coughlin's tenure also produced inconsistent results (a 25–23 record and two playoff appearances—both losses, before the 2007 season
[29]) and spawned intense media scrutiny concerning the direction of the team.
[30] During this period in their history, standout players include
defensive end Michael Strahan, who set the NFL single season record in
sacks in
2001,
[31] and running back
Tiki Barber, who set a team record for rushing yards in a season in 2005.
[32]
2007
Going into
2007, the Giants had made the playoffs in three consecutive seasons. In 2007, the Giants became the third NFL franchise to win at least 600 games when they defeated the
Atlanta Falcons on
Monday Night Football
31–10. For the 2007 season, the NFL scheduled the Giants' road game against the
Miami Dolphins on October 28 to be played in
London's
Wembley Stadium; this was the NFL's first regular-season game to be played outside of
North America. The Giants defeated the Dolphins, 13–10. The Giants finished 10–6, and became NFC Champions after defeating the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
Dallas Cowboys, and
Green Bay Packers in the
NFC Playoffs. They set the record for most consecutive road wins (which ended at 12 after losing to the
Cleveland Browns during week 6 of the 2008 season).
Super Bowl XLII
The
Patriots (18–0) had entered the game 12.5-point favorites and went to
Glendale, Arizona, undefeated. With a final score of 17–14, the Giants defeated the New England Patriots in
Super Bowl XLII, in the third biggest upset by betting line in Super Bowl history. (Baltimore was favored by 17 over New York in
Super Bowl III, and St. Louis was favored by 14 over New England in
Super Bowl XXXVI; New England was favored by only 12.5 over New York.)
[33] Co-owner
John Mara described it as "the greatest victory in the history of this franchise, without question."
[34]
The Super Bowl week started off with some trash talk. Plaxico Burress said the Giants were going to win by a score of 23-17. New England quarterback Tom Brady responded by chuckling and saying, "He thinks they are only going to hold us to 17 points?". This was some bulletin material for the Giants, and it fired up the defense.
The victory was mainly in part to New York's final drive, in which on a 3rd-and-5 with the Giants trailing 14 to 10 with 1:15 left, Eli Manning escaped the grasps of several of the Patriot's linemen. He stood up and threw it downfield to little-known wide receiver
David Tyree, who leaped up, pinned the ball against his helmet and was able to hold while being dragged down by a defender
Rodney Harrison. It is now considered one of the greatest moments in Super Bowl history. Finally, Manning threw a touchdown pass to
Plaxico Burress. New England had the ball on their own 26 yard line with 29 seconds left. Tom Brady threw an incompletion, got sacked, then threw two more incompletions. Eli Manning kneeled down to kill the final seconds of the game, making the victory official.
2008
In
2008, the Giants won the NFC East with a record of 12–4 (also was the number one seed in the NFC), losing to the
Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the
playoffs.
Logos and uniforms
With over 80 years of team history, the Giants have used numerous
uniforms and
logos. Giants' logos include several incarnations of a giant quarterback preparing to throw a football, a lowercase "ny", and stylized versions of the team nickname.
Giants' jerseys are traditionally blue or red (or white with blue or red accents), and their pants alternate between white and gray. Currently, the Giants wear home jerseys that are solid blue with white block numbering, gray pants with red and blue stripes on the pant legs, and solid blue socks. For road uniforms, they wear a white jersey with red block numbering and Northwest stripes on the sleeves, gray pants with blue and red stripes, and solid red socks. The Giants' current helmet is metallic blue with white block numbers, frontally mounted on either side of a red stripe running down the center. The helmet is adorned on both sides with the lower case "ny" logo and features a gray facemask. Additionally, the Giants had until the '09-'10 season a third jersey which recalled the Giants' solid red home jerseys from the early 50's: a solid red alternate with white block numbers. These jerseys have been used a total of four times, but have been retired. Once in 2004 against the
Philadelphia Eagles and three consecutive years; 2005, 2006, and 2007 against the
Dallas Cowboys.
Financial history and fan base
The Giants have had a long, and at times turbulent financial history. The Giants were founded by
Tim Mara with an investment of
US$500 in 1925 and became one of the first teams in the then five-year-old NFL.
[35] To differentiate themselves from the baseball team of the same name, they took the name "New York Football Giants", which they still use as their legal corporate name.
Although the Giants were successful on the field in their initial seasons, their financial status was a different story. Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. The Giants were in dire financial straits until the 11th game of the season when
Red Grange and the
Chicago Bears came to town, attracting over 73,000 fans.
[36] This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise.
[37] [38] The following year, Grange and his agent formed a rival league and stationed a competing team, led by Grange, in New York. Though the Giants lost $50,000 that season, the rival league folded and was subsumed into the NFL.
[39] Following the 1930 season, Mara transferred ownership of the team over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors, and by 1946, he had given over complete control of the team to them.
Jack, the older son, controlled the business aspects, while
Wellington controlled the on-field operations.
After their initial struggles the Giants financial status stabilized, and they led the league in attendance several times in the 1930s and 1940s.
[40]
By the early 1960s, the Giants had firmly established themselves as one of the league's biggest attractions. However, rather than continuing to receive their higher share of the league television revenue, the Mara sons pushed for equal sharing of revenue for the benefit of the entire league.
Revenue sharing is still practiced in the NFL today, and is credited with strengthening the league.
[41] After their struggles in the latter half of the 1960s and the entire 1970s, the Giants hired an outsider,
George Young, to run the football operations for the first time in franchise history.
[42] The Giants' on-field product and business aspects improved rapidly following the move.
In 1991, Tim Mara, struggling with cancer at the time, sold his half of the team to
Bob Tisch for a reported $80 million.
[43] This marked the first time in franchise history the team had not been solely owned by the Mara family. In 2005, Wellington Mara, who had been with the team since its inception in 1925 when he worked as a
ball boy, died at the age of 89.
[44] His death was followed two weeks later by the death of Tisch.
During the 2005 season, it was announced that the New York Giants,
New York Jets and the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority had
reached an agreement where both teams will work together to build a new stadium adjacent to the current Giants Stadium. The Giants had previously planned a $300 million dollar renovation to the Meadowlands, before deciding in favor of the new stadium which was originally estimated to cost approximately $600 million,
before rising to an estimated cost of one billion dollars.
One advantage gained by owning the stadium is that the teams will save considerable money in tax payments. The teams plan to lease the land from the state at a cost of $6.3 million per year.
The state will pay for all utilities, including the $30 million needed to install them.
[45]
The Giants are currently owned and operated by
John K. Mara and
Steve Tisch.
Forbes
magazine estimates the current value of the team at $974 million.
[46] This ranks them eighth among the 32 teams in the league in terms of estimated value.
The value has steadily increased from $288 million in 1998, to their current value.
[47] The magazine estimated their revenue in 2006 at $182 million, of which $46 million came from gate receipts. Operating income was $26.9 million, and player salary was $102 million.
Current major sponsors include
Gatorade,
Anheuser Busch,
Toyota, and
Verizon Wireless.
Recent former sponsors include
Miller Brewing and
North Fork Bank.
Game day concessions are provided by
Aramark, and the Giants average ticket price is $72.
[48]
The Giants draw their fans from the
New York metropolitan area. Since their move to New Jersey in 1976, fans from each state have claimed the team as their own.
[49] In January 1987, shortly before the team won Super Bowl XXI, then New York City mayor
Ed Koch labeled the team "foreigners" and said they were not entitled to a
ticker-tape parade in New York City.
[50] The city, under current mayor
Michael Bloomberg, threw a ticker tape parade in honor of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory at the
Canyon of Heroes in lower Manhattan on February 5, 2008.
[51] According to a team spokesman, in 2001, 49 percent of the Giants' season ticket-holders lived in New Jersey. Most of the remaining ticket holders lived in New York State with some coming from other states.
Players of note
Current roster
|
Quarterbacks
- 8 David Carr
- 10 Eli Manning
Running Backs
- 44 Ahmad Bradshaw KR
- 39 Madison Hedgecock FB
- 27 Brandon Jacobs
- 34 Derrick Ward
- 28 Danny Ware
Wide Receivers
- 80 Derek Hagan
- 87 Domenik Hixon PR
- 82 Mario Manningham
- 83 Sinorice Moss
- 12 Steve Smith
- 81 Amani Toomer
Tight Ends
- 89 Kevin Boss
- 84 Darcy Johnson
- 88 Michael Matthews
|
| Offensive Linemen
- 77 Kevin Boothe G/T
- 66 David Diehl T
- 61 Adam Koets T
- 67 Kareem McKenzie T
- 60 Shaun O'Hara C
- 65 Grey Ruegamer C/G
- 69 Rich Seubert G
- 76 Chris Snee G
Defensive Linemen
- 93 Jay Alford DT/LS
- 73 Jeremy Clark DT
- 96 Barry Cofield DT
- 78 Leger Douzable
DT
- 97 Mathias Kiwanuka DE
- 95 Jerome McDougle DE
- 98 Fred Robbins DT
- 71 Dave Tollefson DE
- 91 Justin Tuck DE
- 99 Renaldo Wynn DE
|
| Linebackers
- 57 Chase Blackburn ILB
- 55 Danny Clark OLB
- 51 Zak DeOssie OLB/LS
- 53 Bryan Kehl
OLB
- 52 Edmond Miles OLB
- 58 Antonio Pierce ILB
- 59 Gerris Wilkinson OLB
Defensive Backs
- 37 James Butler SS
- 35 Kevin Dockery CB
- 20 Michael Johnson FS
- 29 Sam Madison CB
- 25 R. W. McQuarters CB/PR
- 21 Kenny Phillips
FS
- 31 Aaron Ross CB
- 24 Terrell Thomas
CB
- 23 Corey Webster CB
Special Teams
- 5 John Carney K
- 18 Jeff Feagles P
- 9 Lawrence Tynes K
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| Reserve Lists
- 17 Plaxico Burress WR (NF-Inj.)
- 43 Craig Dahl FS (IR)
- 22 Reuben Droughns RB (IR)
- 54 Jonathan Goff
ILB (IR)
- 36 Kay-Jay Harris RB (IR)
- 90 Robert Henderson
DE (IR)
- 26 Sammy Knight SS (IR)
- 85 David Tyree WR (PUP)
- 72 Osi Umenyiora DE (IR)
- 79 Guy Whimper OT (IR)
- 2 Anthony Wright QB (IR)
Practice Squad
- 33 Rashad Barksdale CB
- 19 Taye Biddle WR
- 70 Mike Fladell
G
- 39 Travonti Johnson FS
- 68 Cliff Louis G/T
- 86 Martrez Milner TE
- 15 Micah Rucker
WR
- 3 André Woodson
QB
Rookies in italics
updated 2008-12-17
•
53 Active, 11 Inactive, 8 PS
? More rosters
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Pro Football Hall of Famers
In the
Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Giants boast the second-most enshrined members with twenty-seven.
[52] Tim Mara and
Mel Hein were a part of the original class of inductees in 1963, while linebacker
Harry Carson, the most recent Giant inducted, was a part of the Class of 2006. Numerous members, including
Larry Csonka,
Ray Flaherty,
Joe Guyon,
Wilbur "Pete" Henry,
Arnie Herber,
Cal Hubbard,
Don Maynard,
Hugh McElhenny, and
Jim Thorpe were at one time associated with the New York Giants, however they have been inducted under other teams.
New York Giants Hall of Famers
|
No.
| Player
| Position
| No.
| Player
| Position
|
17
| Morris "Red" Badgro
| TE
| --
| Tim Mara
| Owner and founder
|
79
| Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown
| T
| --
| Wellington Mara
| Co-owner
|
53
| Harry Carson
| LB
| 13
| Don Maynard
| WR
|
39
| Larry Csonka
| FB/RB
| 13
| Hugh McElhenny
| RB
|
1
| Ray Flaherty
| Coach
| 55
| Steve Owen
| T, Coach
|
6
| Benny Friedman
| QB
| 81
| Andy Robustelli
| DE
|
16
| Frank Gifford
| HB
| 50
| Ken Strong
| HB
|
--
| Joe Guyon
| RB
| 10
| Fran Tarkenton
| QB
|
7
| Mel Hein
| C
| 56
| Lawrence Taylor
| LB
|
--
| Wilbur "Pete" Henry
| OT
| 31
| Jim Thorpe
| RB, DB
|
38
| Arnie Herber
| QB
| 14
| Y.A. Tittle
| QB
|
--
| Cal Hubbard
| T
| 45
| Emlen Tunnell
| DB
|
70
| Sam Huff
| LB
| 73
| Arnie Weinmeister
| DE
|
4
| Alphonse "Tuffy" Leemans
| FB
|
|
Retired numbers
New York Giants retired numbers
|
No.
| Player
| No.
| Player
|
1
| Ray Flaherty*
| 32
| Al Blozis
|
4
| Alphonse "Tuffy" Leemans
| 40
| Joe Morrison
|
7
| Mel Hein
| 42
| Charlie Conerly
|
11
| Phil Simms
| 50
| Ken Strong
|
14
| Y.A. Tittle
| 56
| Lawrence Taylor
|
16
| Frank Gifford
|
|
*Retired in 1935, this was the first number to be retired by any team in major league sports.
[53]
NFL MVP award winners
Giants MVP winners
|
Year
| Player
|
1938
| Mel Hein
|
1956
| Frank Gifford
|
1959
| Charlie Conerly
|
1963
| Y.A. Tittle
|
1986
| Lawrence Taylor
|
Super Bowl MVP award winners
Giants Super Bowl MVP winners
|
SB
| Player
| Position
|
XXI
| Phil Simms #11
| Quarterback
|
XXV
| Ottis Anderson #24
| Running Back
|
XLII
| Eli Manning #10
| Quarterback
|
All-time first-round draft picks
Year
| Player
| College
| Position
|
1936
| Art Lewis
| Ohio
| Tackle
|
1937
| Ed Widseth
| Minnesota
| Tackle
|
1938
| George Karamatic
| Gonzaga
| Back
|
1939
| Walt Neilson
| Arizona
| Tackle
|
1940
| Grenny Lansdell
| USC
| Back
|
1941
| George Franck
| Minnesota
| Back
|
1942
| Merle Hapes
| Mississippi
| Back
|
1943
| Steve Filipowicz
| Fordham
| Back
|
1944
| Billy Hillenbrand
| Indiana
| Back
|
1945
| Elmer Barbour
| Wake Forest
| Quarterback
|
1946
| George Connor
| Notre Dame
| Tackle
|
1947
| Vic Schwall
| Northwestern
| Back
|
1948
| Tony Minisi
| Pennsylvania
| Back
|
1949
| Paul Page
| SMU
| Back
|
1950
| Travis Tidwell
| Auburn
| Back
|
1951
| Kyle Rote
| SMU
| Back
|
1951
| Jim Spavital
| Oklahoma A&M
| Back
|
1952
| Frank Gifford
| USC
| Back
|
1953
| Bobby Marlow
| Alabama
| Back
|
1954
| No Selection
|
|
|
1955
| Joe Heap
| Notre Dame
| Back
|
1956
| No Selection
|
|
|
1957
| No Selection
|
|
|
1958
| Phil King
| Vanderbilt
| Back
|
1959
| Lee Grosscup
| Utah
| Quarterback
|
1960
| Lou Cordileone
| Clemson
| Tackle
|
1961
| No Selection
|
|
|
1962
| Jerry Hillebrand
| Colorado
| End
|
1963
| No Selection
|
|
|
1964
| Joe Don Looney
| Nebraska
| Back
|
1965
| Tucker Frederickson
| Auburn
| Back
|
1966
| Francis Peay
| Missouri
| Tackle
|
1967
| No Selection
|
|
|
1968
| No Selection
|
|
|
1969
| Fred Dryer
| San Diego State
| Defensive end
|
1970
| Jim Files
| Oklahoma
| Linebacker
|
1971
| Rocky Thompson
| West Texas State
| Wide receiver
|
1972
| Eldridge Small
| Texas A&I
| Defensive back
|
1972
| Larry Jacobsen
| Nebraska
| Defensive end
|
1973
| John Hicks
| Ohio State
| Offensive guard
|
1974
| No Selection
|
|
|
1975
| No Selection
|
|
|
1976
| Troy Archer
| Colorado
| Defensive end
|
1977
| Gary Jeter
| USC
| Defensive tackle
|
1978
| Gordon King
| Stanford
| Offensive tackle
|
1979
| Phil Simms
| Morehead State
| Quarterback
|
1980
| Mark Haynes
| Colorado
| Defensive back
|
1981
| Lawrence Taylor
| North Carolina
| Linebacker
|
1982
| Butch Woolfolk
| Michigan
| Running back
|
1983
| Terry Kinard
| Clemson
| Defensive back
|
1984
| Carl Banks
| Michigan State
| Linebacker
|
1984
| William Roberts
| Ohio State
| Offensive tackle
|
1985
| George Adams
| Kentucky
| Running back
|
1986
| Eric Dorsey
| Notre Dame
| Defensive end
|
1987
| Mark Ingram
| Michigan State
| Wide receiver
|
1988
| Eric Moore
| Indiana
| Offensive tackle
|
1989
| Brian Williams
| Minnesota
| Offensive guard
|
1990
| Rodney Hampton
| Georgia
| Running back
|
1991
| Jarrod Bunch
| Michigan
| Running back
|
1992
| Derek Brown
| Notre Dame
| Tight end
|
1993
| No Selection
|
|
|
1994
| Thomas Lewis
| Indiana
| Wide receiver
|
1995
| Tyrone Wheatley
| Michigan
| Running back
|
1996
| Cedric Jones
| Oklahoma
| Defensive end
|
1997
| Ike Hilliard
| Florida
| Wide receiver
|
1998
| Shaun Williams
| UCLA
| Defensive back
|
1999
| Luke Petitgout
| Notre Dame
| Offensive tackle
|
2000
| Ron Dayne
| Wisconsin
| Running back
|
2001
| Will Allen
| Syracuse
| Defensive back
|
2002
| Jeremy Shockey
| Miami (FL)
| Tight end
|
2003
| William Joseph
| Miami (FL)
| Defensive tackle
|
2004
| Philip Rivers
| North Carolina State
| Quarterback
|
2005
| No Selection
|
|
|
2006
| Mathias Kiwanuka
| Boston College
| Defensive end
|
2007
| Aaron Ross
| Texas
| Defensive back
|
2008
| Kenny Phillips
| Miami (FL)
| Defensive back
|
2009
| Hakeem Nicks
| North Carolina
| Wide receiver
|
Coaches of note
Current staff
|
|
| Front Office
- President/CEO - John Mara
- Chairman/Executive Vice President - Steve Tisch
- Senior Vice President/General Manager - Jerry Reese
- Vice President of Player Evaluation - Chris Mara
- Assistant General Manager - Kevin Abrams
- Director of Pro Personnel - David Gettleman
- Assistant Director of Pro Personnel - Ken Sternfeld
- Director of College Scouting - Marc Ross
- Assistant Director of College Scouting - Jerry Shay
Head Coaches
- Head Coach - Tom Coughlin
Offensive Coaches
- Offensive Coordinator - Kevin Gilbride
- Quarterbacks - Chris Palmer
- Running Backs - Jerald Ingram
- Wide Receivers - Mike Sullivan
- Tight Ends - Mike Pope
- Offensive Line - Pat Flaherty
- Assistant Offensive Line - Dave DeGuglielmo
- Offensive Quality Control - Sean Ryan
|
|
|
Defensive Coaches
- Defensive Coordinator - Steve Spagnuolo
- Defensive Line - Mike Waufle
- Linebackers - Bill Sheridan
- Secondary/Corners - Peter Giunta
- Secondary/Safeties - David Merritt
- Defensive Quality Control - Andre Curtis
Special Team Coaches
- Special Teams Coordinator - Tom Quinn
- Assistant Special Teams - Thomas McGaughey
Strength and Conditioning
- Strength and Conditioning - Jerry Palmieri
- Assistant Strength and Conditioning - Markus Paul
?
? More NFL staffs
|
Radio and television
As of 2009, the Giants' flagship radio station is
WFAN 660 AM, the oldest all-sports radio station in the United States. Some games in August and September are moved to
WCBS-FM 101.1 FM due to conflicts with the
New York Mets baseball team. Since 2008 the broadcast features play-by-play man
Bob Papa and color commentator
Carl Banks, with
Howard Cross reporting from the sidelines.
Preseason telecasts not seen nationally air in the area on
WNBC, "4 New York."
Past
WFAN has produced the Giants' radio broadcasts since the mid '90s, but has not always aired them on the station. The first year of production saw the games airing on the team's flagship station at the time,
WOR. For the following season the radiocasts aired simultaneously on both WOR and WFAN, with the games moving solely to the latter the next year. In 1997 WFAN decided to begin airing the Giants broadcast on sister station
WNEW-FM, a practice it ended after three seasons. The Giants' radiocasts moved back to WFAN in 2000 and have been there ever since.
The Giants' longtime radio home was
WNEW-AM, where games aired from the mid-1950s until 1993 when the station was bought by
Bloomberg L.P. and changed its format.
Marty Glickman teamed with
Al DeRogatis for a long stretch beginning in the early 1960s on WNEW-AM.
Dick Lynch joined Glickman after DeRogatis left to join
Curt Gowdy on NBC. After the WNEW split, games began airing on WOR.
Jim Gordon was the play-by-play man with Lynch as his analyst. Lynch was an analyst for the Giants from the 1967 to 2007 seasons, with his last game being
Super Bowl XLII. Lynch did not return to the booth for 2008 due to illness (
leukemia), which took his life in September 2008.
Eventually Gordon and Lynch were joined by
Karl Nelson, a former lineman for the Giants. Gordon and Nelson were fired after the 1994 season, after which Papa took over the play-by-play (after being studio host) and led a two-man booth with Lynch. The broadcast team would not have another third member until
Dave Jennings was fired from his job as radio analyst for the
Jets in 2002. Jennings was moved to the pregame show after the 2006 season and was replaced by Carl Banks.
After WFAN began airing games
Richard Neer served as pregame and postgame host. Eventually,
Sid Rosenberg served as pregame and postgame host for home games. They were replaced by
Chris Carlin, who in turn was replaced by Salzberg for 2008.
The Giants were carried on the DuMont Network, then CBS (New York's Channel 2) in the early TV days of the NFL, when home games were blacked out within a 75-mile radius of New York City.
Chris Schenkel was their play-by-play announcer in that early era when each team was assigned its own network voice on its regional telecasts. At the time, there were few if any true national telecasts until the NFL championship game, which was carried by NBC. Schenkel was joined by
Jim McKay, later
Johnny Lujack through the 1950s and the early 1960s. As Giants players retired to the broadcast booth in the early and 1960s, first
Pat Summerall, then
Frank Gifford took the color analyst slot next to Schenkel. As the 1970 merger of the NFL and AFL approached, CBS moved to a more generic announcer approach and Schenkel was off the broadcasts.
Giants regular-season Sunday telecasts moved to Fox when that network took over NFC telecasts in 1994.
See also
- Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey. Inductees are honored in a public ceremony that takes place during New York Giants
games. The hall of fame was established in 1988 to honor athletes, teams, events and contributors associated with the state of New Jersey. There is currently no physical site or structure for the hall, but its members are honored with plaques that are displayed at Izod Center (known as the Continental Airlines Arena until October 2007) in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The first group of members was inducted in May 1993.
Notes
- Hoovers.com Company Profile, Hoovers.com, accessed October 28, 2008.
- New York First Game & First Home Game Program, prodigy.net, accessed March 16, 2007.
- New York Pro Eleven Takes Opening Game, ''The New York Times'', October 5, 1925, accessed March 16, 2007.
- New York Giants (1925 - ), databasefootball.com, accessed January 23, 2007.
- Championship games 1925-1949, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 83
- New York Giants vs. Notre Dame All Stars December 14, 1930, prodigy.net, accessed March 12, 2007.
- History of the New York Giants, www.sportsecyclopedia.com, accessed September 12, 2006.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 272
- 1966 NFL Standings, Stats and Awards, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007.
- Wallace, William M. Jets Beat Giants, 37-14; Namath Completes 14 of 16 Passes, 3 for Scores; BATTLE RETURNS PUNT FOR 86 YARDS 70,874 Fans See Jet Rookie Score in Yale Bowl -- Mathis Tallies Two Touchdowns, ''The New York Times'', August 18, 1969, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Weinraub, Bernard. Fans Show Mixed Emotions; BAD TRADES LAID TO TEAM'S PILOT, ''The New York Times'', September 13, 1969, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Fran Tarkenton, vikingupdate.com, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Katz, Michael. Giants Go With Youth and Cut Ramsey; McVay Draws a Line, ''The New York Times'', September 13, 1977, accessed March 21, 2007.
- Katz, Michael. 20 Seconds Left As Eagles Win; Jets Bow; Todd Reinjured, ''The New York Times'', November 20, 1978, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Lawrence Taylor, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
- Mifflin, Lawrie: [1] New York Times, September 11, 1982-SCOUTING; Crunch Bunch
- Championship Games 1950-present, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Joe Morris, databasefootball.com, accessed May 3, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 846
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 914
- 1994 New York Giants, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007.
- Berkow, Ira. Sports of The Times; Brown Hopes To Wear Out Giant Fans, ''The New York Times'', October 25, 1994, accessed March 22, 2008.
- King, Peter. Renewed and revitalized at 28, Collins finally comes clean, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, January 22, 2001, accessed March 21, 2007.
- New York Giants, pro-football-reference.com, March 21, 2007.
- Rhoden, William C. Sports of The Times; With Season at Crossroads, Fassel Dares His Team, ''The New York Times'', November 27, 2000, accessed May 12, 2007.
- Super Bowl XXXV recap, NFL.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
- Magee, Jerry. Nothing personal, San Diego; Eli Manning just didn't want to be a Charger, ''San Diego Union-Tribune'', September 21, 2005, accessed March 21, 2007.
- Tom Coughlin coaching profile, espn.com, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Associated Press. Giants confirm Coughlin to remain coach, ''USA TODAY'', January 10, 2007, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Associated Press. Strahan breaks Gastineau's 17-year-old record, espn.com, January 2001, accessed March 11, 2009.
- Tiki Barber plans to stay busy after retirement, NFL.com, February 6, 2007, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Opinion: Eli makes sure MVP stays in the family, NBC Sports.com, February 4, 2008, accessed March 17, 2008.
- Vacchiano, Ralph. Improbable Super Bowl victory capped incredible Giant season, ''New York Daily News'', February 10, 2008, accessed on November 24, 2008.
- History of the New York Giants, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 52
- NFL History: 1921-1930, NFL.com/history, accessed May 13, 2007.
- Carroll. pg. 126
- Pro Football Here to Stay, Says Mara; Giants to Play Next Year Despite Losses -- Game Also to Remain at Ebbets Field., ''The New York Times'', December 19, 1926, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Attendance Rises in Pro Football; Grand Total for League Games and Extra Contests in 1939 Placed at 1,575,289 INCREASE 12.3 PER CENT Giants First For Home Crowds With 233,440 During Season --Detroit Places Next, ''The New York Times'', December 17, 1939, accessed June 4, 2007.
* Pro Football set Attendance Mark; National League Teams Played to More Than 1,600,000 Fans During 1940 DODGERS DREW 146,229 Washington, Pittsburgh Also Attracted Larger Crowds to Home Games, ''The New York Times'', December 24, 1940, accessed June 4, 2007.
* Attendance Gain for Pro Football; Game Average 36.7% Higher -- 1,072,469 at 40 Contests -- 55 Last Year Drew More, ''The New York Times'', December 7, 1943, accessed June 4, 2007. - Burke, Monte. Turning $500 Into A $573 Million NFL Team, forbes.com, August 29, 2003, accessed June 1, 2007.
- Anderson, Dave. Sports of the Times; Ten Giant Steps to Superdom, ''The New York Times'', January 25, 1987, accessed March 22, 2008.
- Eskenazi,Gerald. FOOTBALL; Tisch Doesn't Plan to Be A Figurehead for Giants, ''The New York Times'', February 22, 1991, accessed March 22, 2008.
- Goldstein, Richard. Wellington Mara, the Patriarch of the N.F.L., Dies at 89, ''The New York Times'', October 26, 2005, accessed June 4, 2007.
- New York Giants (2004), forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- NFL Team Valuations, forbes.com, September 13, 2007 accessed August 23, 2008.
- Teams valuation:1998-2005-New York Giants, forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- New York Giants (2006), forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Associated Press. Two states claim NFC champion Giants as their own, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, January 19, 2001, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Pre-Super Bowl Scrimmage: So Whose Giants Are They?
- Matuszewski, Erik. New York's Giants Victory Parade Set for Tomorrow, bloomberg.com, February 4, 2008, accessed February 4, 2008.
- Hall of Famers by Team, profootballhof.com, accessed March 2, 2007.
- Brandt, Gil. Scouts reveal their sleepers, NFL.com, August 30, 2005, accessed June 4, 2007.
References
- Hoovers.com Company Profile, Hoovers.com, accessed October 28, 2008.
- New York First Game & First Home Game Program, prodigy.net, accessed March 16, 2007.
- New York Pro Eleven Takes Opening Game, ''The New York Times'', October 5, 1925, accessed March 16, 2007.
- New York Giants (1925 - ), databasefootball.com, accessed January 23, 2007.
- Championship games 1925-1949, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 83
- New York Giants vs. Notre Dame All Stars December 14, 1930, prodigy.net, accessed March 12, 2007.
- History of the New York Giants, www.sportsecyclopedia.com, accessed September 12, 2006.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 272
- 1966 NFL Standings, Stats and Awards, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007.
- Wallace, William M. Jets Beat Giants, 37-14; Namath Completes 14 of 16 Passes, 3 for Scores; BATTLE RETURNS PUNT FOR 86 YARDS 70,874 Fans See Jet Rookie Score in Yale Bowl -- Mathis Tallies Two Touchdowns, ''The New York Times'', August 18, 1969, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Weinraub, Bernard. Fans Show Mixed Emotions; BAD TRADES LAID TO TEAM'S PILOT, ''The New York Times'', September 13, 1969, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Fran Tarkenton, vikingupdate.com, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Katz, Michael. Giants Go With Youth and Cut Ramsey; McVay Draws a Line, ''The New York Times'', September 13, 1977, accessed March 21, 2007.
- Katz, Michael. 20 Seconds Left As Eagles Win; Jets Bow; Todd Reinjured, ''The New York Times'', November 20, 1978, accessed March 18, 2007.
- Lawrence Taylor, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
- Mifflin, Lawrie: [1] New York Times, September 11, 1982-SCOUTING; Crunch Bunch
- Championship Games 1950-present, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Joe Morris, databasefootball.com, accessed May 3, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 846
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 914
- 1994 New York Giants, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007.
- Berkow, Ira. Sports of The Times; Brown Hopes To Wear Out Giant Fans, ''The New York Times'', October 25, 1994, accessed March 22, 2008.
- King, Peter. Renewed and revitalized at 28, Collins finally comes clean, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, January 22, 2001, accessed March 21, 2007.
- New York Giants, pro-football-reference.com, March 21, 2007.
- Rhoden, William C. Sports of The Times; With Season at Crossroads, Fassel Dares His Team, ''The New York Times'', November 27, 2000, accessed May 12, 2007.
- Super Bowl XXXV recap, NFL.com, accessed May 12, 2007.
- Magee, Jerry. Nothing personal, San Diego; Eli Manning just didn't want to be a Charger, ''San Diego Union-Tribune'', September 21, 2005, accessed March 21, 2007.
- Tom Coughlin coaching profile, espn.com, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Associated Press. Giants confirm Coughlin to remain coach, ''USA TODAY'', January 10, 2007, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Associated Press. Strahan breaks Gastineau's 17-year-old record, espn.com, January 2001, accessed March 11, 2009.
- Tiki Barber plans to stay busy after retirement, NFL.com, February 6, 2007, accessed March 22, 2007.
- Opinion: Eli makes sure MVP stays in the family, NBC Sports.com, February 4, 2008, accessed March 17, 2008.
- Vacchiano, Ralph. Improbable Super Bowl victory capped incredible Giant season, ''New York Daily News'', February 10, 2008, accessed on November 24, 2008.
- History of the New York Giants, giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007.
- Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 52
- NFL History: 1921-1930, NFL.com/history, accessed May 13, 2007.
- Carroll. pg. 126
- Pro Football Here to Stay, Says Mara; Giants to Play Next Year Despite Losses -- Game Also to Remain at Ebbets Field., ''The New York Times'', December 19, 1926, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Attendance Rises in Pro Football; Grand Total for League Games and Extra Contests in 1939 Placed at 1,575,289 INCREASE 12.3 PER CENT Giants First For Home Crowds With 233,440 During Season --Detroit Places Next, ''The New York Times'', December 17, 1939, accessed June 4, 2007.
* Pro Football set Attendance Mark; National League Teams Played to More Than 1,600,000 Fans During 1940 DODGERS DREW 146,229 Washington, Pittsburgh Also Attracted Larger Crowds to Home Games, ''The New York Times'', December 24, 1940, accessed June 4, 2007.
* Attendance Gain for Pro Football; Game Average 36.7% Higher -- 1,072,469 at 40 Contests -- 55 Last Year Drew More, ''The New York Times'', December 7, 1943, accessed June 4, 2007. - Burke, Monte. Turning $500 Into A $573 Million NFL Team, forbes.com, August 29, 2003, accessed June 1, 2007.
- Anderson, Dave. Sports of the Times; Ten Giant Steps to Superdom, ''The New York Times'', January 25, 1987, accessed March 22, 2008.
- Eskenazi,Gerald. FOOTBALL; Tisch Doesn't Plan to Be A Figurehead for Giants, ''The New York Times'', February 22, 1991, accessed March 22, 2008.
- Goldstein, Richard. Wellington Mara, the Patriarch of the N.F.L., Dies at 89, ''The New York Times'', October 26, 2005, accessed June 4, 2007.
- New York Giants (2004), forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- NFL Team Valuations, forbes.com, September 13, 2007 accessed August 23, 2008.
- Teams valuation:1998-2005-New York Giants, forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- New York Giants (2006), forbes.com, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Associated Press. Two states claim NFC champion Giants as their own, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, January 19, 2001, accessed June 4, 2007.
- Pre-Super Bowl Scrimmage: So Whose Giants Are They?
- Matuszewski, Erik. New York's Giants Victory Parade Set for Tomorrow, bloomberg.com, February 4, 2008, accessed February 4, 2008.
- Hall of Famers by Team, profootballhof.com, accessed March 2, 2007.
- Brandt, Gil. Scouts reveal their sleepers, NFL.com, August 30, 2005, accessed June 4, 2007.