The period of 1979 to 1993 was one of the most successful in
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
franchise history. Members of the
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
's
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference (NFC) is a conference of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference (AFC), each h ...
, the Giants struggled after reaching the
NFL Championship Game
Throughout its history, the National Football league (NFL) and other rival American football leagues have used several different formats to determine their league champions, including a period of inter-league matchups to determine a true national ...
in 1963. The 1964 season began a 15-year stretch in which the Giants were unable to make the playoffs. However, in 1979 they started rebuilding, hiring
General Manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
George Young, the first GM in the family-run team's history. Young, a former Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins executive, assembled a team that would become successful in the 1980s and early 1990s. Led by a run-oriented offense and a defense nicknamed the "
Big Blue Wrecking Crew", the team qualified for the postseason six times in 10 seasons from 1981 to 1990. During that period, they won
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
(1987) and
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the ...
(1991).
The period encompasses the careers of
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football for the Morehead Sta ...
and
linebacker
Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New York Giants. He is almost universally regard ...
, two of the most accomplished players in team history. Simms was drafted to little fanfare from tiny
Morehead State University
Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky, United States. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-yea ...
in 1979, and struggled in his initial seasons before becoming a
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
quarterback. Taylor was the second selection in the
1981 NFL draft
The 1981 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 during April 28–29, 1981, at the New ...
and, in contrast to Simms, was an immediate success, winning the league's
Defensive Player of the Year Award in both his rookie and sophomore season. The team's success in this period was aided by head coach
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells ( ; born August 22, 1941) is an American former football coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons. He came to prominence as the head coach of the New York Giants from 19 ...
,
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
Joe Morris, and
Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
linebacker
Harry Carson
Harry Donald Carson (born November 26, 1953) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Carson was inducted into the College Foot ...
. Following the 1990 season and a victory in Super Bowl XXV, Parcells resigned as coach and was replaced by the team's
offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator (OC) is a Coach (sport), coach responsible for a gridiron football team's offense (American football), offense. Generally, the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second ...
,
Ray Handley.
Handley served as coach for two mediocre seasons (1991–92), in which the Giants went from Super Bowl champions to a 6–10 record. He was fired following the 1992 season and replaced by former
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
coach
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves (January 19, 1944 – January 1, 2022) was an American professional football running back and coach in the National Football League (NFL). During his 38 years in the NFL, Reeves participated in nine Super Bowls, the third ...
. In the early 1990s, Simms and Taylor played out the last years of their career with steadily declining production. In 1993, however, the Giants experienced a resurgent season with Reeves at the helm, and Simms and Taylor ended their careers as members of a winning team.
Building a champion: 1979–1985
The Giants made the decision to hire a General Manager for the first time in team history following the 1978 season.
[Anderson, Dave]
Sports of the Times; Ten Giant Steps to Superdom
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', January 25, 1987, accessed July 19, 2016. However, disagreements during the search caused severe friction and discord between owners
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
and
Tim Mara
Timothy James Mara (July 29, 1887 – February 16, 1959) was an American professional football executive. He was the founding owner of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL).''Wellington, the Maras, the Giants, and the City ...
.
At one point they had tried to hire
Jan Van Duser, a league executive, but he declined the offer due to the ownership squabbles.
Finally, the Maras asked NFL Commissioner
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle (; March 1, 1926 – December 6, 1996) was an American professional football executive. Rozelle served as the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) for nearly thirty years, from January 1960 until his retire ...
to step in with a recommendation.
Rozelle recommended George Young, who worked in personnel for the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
and had been an assistant coach for the
Baltimore Colts
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983, when owner Robert Irsay moved the franchise to Indianapolis. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breeding and racing. It w ...
. Rozelle had discussed the hiring before hand with former Giants
Frank Gifford
Francis Newton Gifford (August 16, 1930 – August 9, 2015) was an American professional football player, actor, and television sports commentator. After a 12-year playing career as a halfback, flanker and safety for the New York Giants of ...
and
Tom Scott, who recommended hiring Young. They had already recommended Young to Wellington and his son
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, but felt if Rozelle presented the recommendation as his own idea the brothers would be more likely to accept the pick.
Young was hired and he was instrumental in turning around the fortunes of the franchise. "Oh, there is no question he helped save the franchise",
John Mara
John Kevin Mara ( ; born December 1, 1954) is an American businessman who is the president, CEO, and co-owner of the New York Giants.
Early life and education
Mara was born in New York City and grew up in White Plains, a nearby suburb. He is ...
later said. "It looked like a no-win situation. He came in and overhauled everything we did in a more professional way."
[Waldstein, David]
New York Teams Listen to Leagues When Hiring
''The New York Times'', October 14, 2010, accessed July 19, 2016. Despite the hiring and subsequent success, the rift between Wellington and Tim lasted for several years and, at one point a partition had to be put between the two in the owner's box.
[Burke, Monte]
forbes.com, August 29, 2003, accessed June 1, 2007.
Simms and Taylor arrive: 1979–1982
One of Young's first actions was to hire
Ray Perkins
Walter Ray Perkins (November 6, 1941 – December 9, 2020) was an American football coach and player. He played as a wide receiver for the University of Alabama and Baltimore Colts. He later worked as a football coach for 28 years, including sti ...
as head coach. Perkins was an offensive assistant coach on the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
under Hall of Fame coach
Tom Landry
Thomas Wade Landry ( ; September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000) was an American professional football coach, player, and World War II veteran. Regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time, he was the first head coach of the Dallas ...
.
[Pervin. pg. 74] In his first draft, Young drafted quarterback
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football for the Morehead Sta ...
from
Morehead State University
Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky, United States. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-yea ...
with the seventh overall draft pick to the surprise of many.
[Katz, Michael]
Giants Defend 'Value' in Choice of Simms; Perkins Optimistic Giants Selections
''The New York Times'', May 5, 1979, accessed March 20, 2007. Simms had never played on a winning team at
Morehead State,
and acknowledged after he was drafted that "
st people have never heard of me."
Young was certain of the choice though saying, "
ce in a while you get a chance to get a guy with a great arm and great potential and you'd darn sight better take it."
Simms was unhappy with the selection, and had other teams which he favored playing on over the Giants. The Giants lost their first five games of the season with
Joe Pisarcik starting at quarterback. Simms came on in relief of Pisarcik in the fifth game and started the next four, all of which the Giants won. They lost five out of their last seven however, finishing 6–10 for the year. They fell to 4–12 in 1980.
[New York Giants](_blank)
footballreference.com, accessed November 2, 2010. Simms play was inconsistent, as he combined for 28 touchdowns against 33 interceptions while completing 48.8% of his passes over his first two seasons.
With the second overall draft pick in the 1981 draft, the Giants selected
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the New York Giants. He is almost universally regard ...
, linebacker out of the
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...
. Taylor impressed right from the start; in training camp his teammates took to calling him
Superman
Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
and jokingly suggested that his locker should be replaced with a phone booth.
[Whitley, David]
L.T. was reckless and magnificent
espn.com, accessed January 29, 2007. The impact that Taylor had on the Giants' defense was immediate, and predicated the defense's transformation from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981.
espn.com, accessed July 19, 2016. He was named 1981's
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
Various entities present an NFL Rookie of the Year award each season to the top rookies in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL considers the (rookie) of the year awards by the Associated Press (AP) to be its official honor. Since 2011, th ...
and
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Several organizations give out NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Associated Press (AP) has been giving the award since 1972; Pro Football Writers of America/''Pro Football Weekly'' since 1970; and ''Sporting News'' has announced winners ...
by the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
, becoming to date the only rookie to ever win the Defensive Player of the Year award. His arrival raised the Giants linebacker corps—which already included
Brad Van Pelt
Brad Alan Van Pelt (April 5, 1951 – February 17, 2009) was an American professional football linebacker who played for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans, where he won ...
and future
Hall of Famer Harry Carson
Harry Donald Carson (born November 26, 1953) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire career as a linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). Carson was inducted into the College Foot ...
—into one of the league's best:
the Crunch Bunch.
The Giants started the 1981 season 5–3;
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.] but lost their next three games to fall to 5–6.
Further complicating matters, Simms went down with a separated shoulder in the November 15th loss to the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
. He was replaced by
Scott Brunner. However, with Brunner leading the team, the Giants beat the defending conference champion
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
20–10 before losing to the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
17–10.
They defeated the
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
10–7 and the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
20–10 setting up a season finale against the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
,
in which a win, along with a
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
victory over the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
the next day, would clinch a playoff spot for the Giants. Wearing their white jerseys at home (so as to force the Cowboys to wear their "unlucky" blue jerseys) the Giants won the game 13–10 in overtime on a
Joe Danelo field goal. The Jets defeated the Packers, clinching the Giants' their first playoff berth since 1963. The Giants defeated the Eagles on the road 27–21
in the Wild Card round for their first playoff win since 1958 and first ever road post season win, but then lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion 49ers 38–24.

The Giants were unable to build on their success in 1982, due in part to the
1982 NFL Players Strike which reduced the schedule to 9 games, and also to Ray Perkins' mid-season announcement that he was leaving the team at season's end to coach at the University of Alabama. The Giants lost their first two games before the strike and their first game upon returning. In New York's second game (against Green Bay on ''Monday Night Football'') Carson recorded 25 tackles; 20 solo and 5 assists. They then won their next three games against the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
, the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1960 Houston Oilers season, 1960 to 1996 Houston Oilers season, 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the Ame ...
, and
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
to even their record at 3–3. Perkins then announced that he was leaving to coach the
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...
in place of the retiring
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant (September 11, 1913 – January 26, 1983) was an American college football player and coach. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, and best known as the head coach of ...
after the season. The team's defensive coordinator, Bill Parcells, was chosen to replace him after a series of informal discussions with Young, during which Parcells did not know he was being interviewed for the position. Parcells named
Bill Belichick
William Stephen Belichick ( ; born April 16, 1952) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Widely regarded as one of the greatest head coaches of all time, he holds numerous coaching records, inc ...
the team's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach before the season. Belichick would later coach the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
to six Super Bowl titles.
[Pervin. pg. 77] Simms, who had been unable to stabilize the quarterback situation up to that point, missed the entire season with a knee injury suffered in a preseason game against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
.
[Wolff, Craig]
Giants Give Simms Starting Role; Carson Leaves Camp
''The New York Times'', August 15, 1984, accessed March 18, 2007. Young described Perkins announcement as "a setback", and said "it slowed us down, interrupted our continuity." Lawrence Taylor however, remained a bright spot, again winning the
NFL Defensive Player of the Year
Several organizations give out NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Associated Press (AP) has been giving the award since 1972; Pro Football Writers of America/''Pro Football Weekly'' since 1970; and ''Sporting News'' has announced winners ...
award.
Early Parcells era: 1983–1985
Parcells first year proved difficult. In his first major decision as head coach, he decided to bench Simms in favor of Brunner based on what he had done in the 1981 season after Simms was injured. At first it appeared that Parcells' decision was justified, especially after a 27–3 victory over the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
gave the Giants a 2–2 record after 4 games.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.] However, the Giants collapsed from there. The team went winless in their next seven games, losing six and garnering a tie with the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
, before defeating the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
to end the streak. The Giants then lost their remaining games to finish with a 3-12-1 record, including a 1-6-1 division record and a 1-7 home record (their only win was the game against the Packers; they defeated the Eagles at
Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, at the northeast corner of Broad Street (Philadelphia), Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The seating ca ...
and their first win came at
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, often referred to as Fulton County Stadium and originally named Atlanta Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium located in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. The stadium was home of the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseb ...
against the
Falcons
Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distribu ...
).
Brunner had a subpar season, completing just 49.2% of his passes and throwing 9 touchdowns against 22 interceptions.
Parcells ignored fans' protests and stuck with Brunner, although third stringer
Jeff Rutledge saw considerable action.
[Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 766] Finally, in a week six game against the Eagles, he brought Simms back to thunderous fan applause, only to see him suffer a season-ending hand injury. This was Simms fourth serious injury in as many seasons.
The Giants' poor play caused 51,589 no–shows for the December 4 game in Giants Stadium.
One of the few bright spots was rookie placekicker
Ali Haji-Sheikh, who set an NFL record with 35 field goals in 42 attempts. The season was a disastrous one for Parcells, who dealt with both personal and professional heartbreak. Both of his parents died during the year and toward the end of the season, rumors began to circulate that the first year Giants coach would be fired and former
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...
coach
Howard Schnellenberger
Howard Leslie Schnellenberger (March 16, 1934 – March 27, 2021) was an American football coach with long service at both the professional and college levels. He held head coaching positions with the National Football League (NFL)'s Baltimore Co ...
, who went on to win the school's first of an eventual four national championships in eight years, would take over. Parcells did have some supporters, one of whom was
Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder; on the December 11, 1983 edition of ''
The NFL Today
''The NFL Today'' is an American football television program on CBS that serves as the pre-game show for the network's National Football League (NFL) game telecasts under the '' NFL on CBS'' brand. The program features commentary on the latest ...
'' Snyder spoke of the troubles Parcells inherited from his predecessor Perkins. The Giants elected to stick with Parcells after Schnellenberger elected to take a job in the
United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
.
After the season, the Giants were involved in a fight for his services of Taylor with the
New Jersey Generals
The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League (USFL) established in 1982 to begin play in the spring and summer of 1983. The team played three seasons from 1983 to 1985, winning 31 regular season games and losing ...
of the
United States Football League
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played for three seasons, 1983 through 1985. The league played a spring/summer schedule in each of its active seasons. The 1986 season was scheduled to be ...
.
[Eskenazi, Gerald]
Taylor buys out Generals' pact
''The New York Times'', January 18, 1984, accessed July 19, 2016. Generals owner
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
had given Taylor a $1 million interest-free, 25-year loan on December 14, 1983, with the provision that he would begin playing in the USFL in 1988.
Taylor immediately regretted the decision. The Giants, who were eager to keep Taylor, took part in negotiating his way out of it. To free Taylor from the contract, the Giants had to pay Trump $750,000 over the next five seasons for Trump to release Taylor's rights, and give Taylor a new six-year, 6.2-million-dollar contract.
Parcells instituted numerous changes before the 1984 season. He changed half of the roster, getting rid of players he deemed problematic, overhauled the team's strength training program, and trained the players harder to make them more resistant to injury. The Giants had a problem with players abusing drugs in the early 1980s, and Parcells decided he had to take a stand. He estimates that he released 20–30 players due to drug use in his first three years as head coach, some after giving them second chances. He would often call their mothers to tell them of the players habits in an attempt to get them off drugs, and several times he recounts crying along with players as he released them. Simms won the starting job back for the season, and Brunner was released. Parcells announced the decision by saying, "
gives us our best chance to win right now."
Simms responded by throwing for 4,044 yards,
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.] making him the first Giant to reach 4,000 yards passing in a season. The Giants had a resurgent season, highlighted by a midseason stretch where they won five of six against opponents such as the defending conference champion Redskins, the Dallas Cowboys and their new co–tenants at
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium (sometimes referred to as Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands) was a stadium located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The venue was open from 1976 to 2010, and primarily hosted sporting events and ...
, the Jets.
With two games left the Giants had a 9–5 record and a chance to win their first divisional title in 21 years. Yet despite the fact that they lost those final two games to finish 9–7,
the Giants still made the playoffs as a
Wild Card. In the first round, they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 16-13 in
Anaheim
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
before losing, 21–10, to the eventual Super Bowl champion
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
.
Standout performers included
Rob Carpenter and
Joe Morris, who split running back duties, combining for over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Four receivers had over 30 catches on the year, including tight end
Zeke Mowatt
Ezekiel Mowatt (born March 5, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. He played college football at Florida State, c ...
and receiver
Bobby Johnson who tied for the team lead with 48 catches each.
Phil McConkey returned punts and kickoffs. Parcells installed five new starters on defense, including
Leonard Marshall
Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. (born October 22, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Selected 37th overall in the 1983 NFL draft, he spent t ...
at defensive end and
Jim Burt at nose tackle, and the team's first round pick was used to draft
Michigan State
Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the ...
linebacker
Carl Banks, who would become a key member of the Giants' linebacking corps for the next several seasons.
The Giants started out the 1985 season 3–1.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.] They then lost to the Cowboys 30–29 in one of the first Sunday night national TV games, and to the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
35–30, despite 513 yards passing from Simms, to drop to .500.
They rallied to win their next 4 in a row,
and alternated wins and losses the rest of the season to finish 10–6,
and in a three–way tie for 1st. Though the Giants lost the division to the Cowboys on a tiebreaker, they still made the playoffs as a Wild Card. For the third straight time the Giants won their first round Wild Card playoff game, this time playing at home (the first Giants home playoff game since 1962), 17–3 over the defending champion 49ers.
In the divisional playoffs they were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
21–0.
After the loss Parcells promised Carson and defensive end
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Beatle ...
, two of the team's longest tenured players, that next year's team would win a Super Bowl for them.
Many of the players that would play key roles on the Giants Super Bowl teams emerged in 1985.
Joe Morris, known as "Little Joe" for his diminutive stature (Morris stood 5 ft 7 in and weighed 195 pounds), emerged as the main running threat on the Giants, rushing for 1,336 yards,
scoring 21 touchdowns
and making the
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
. Second year receiver
Lionel Manuel led the Giants with 49 catches,
and tight end
Mark Bavaro
Mark Anthony Bavaro (born April 28, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the New York Giants (1985–1990), Cleveland Browns (1992), and Philadelphia Eagles (1993–1994) in the National Football Lea ...
had 37 catches in his first season.
Simms again threw every pass for the Giants that season, passing for over 3,800 yards, and 22 touchdowns.
Taylor, Marshall, and Martin combined for 38.5 sacks.
Success: 1986–1990
1986: Super Bowl champions
The Giants entered the 1986 season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They had their first test in the opening week ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
'' game against the defending Eastern Division champion Dallas Cowboys. They lost 31–28 at
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof.
Th ...
, when
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 United States Senate election ...
scored on a 10 yard run with 76 seconds left. The Giants, however, won their next five in a row and 14 of their last 15,
to finish the season 14–2.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.]
The turning point of the season came in a game against the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
in November. Trailing Minnesota 20–19 late in the fourth quarter in the
Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League's (NFL) ...
, Phil Simms completed a desperate fourth and 17 pass to Bobby Johnson for a first down.
[Anderson, Dave]
Sports Of The Times; Phil Simms's Biggest Pass
''The New York Times'', November 17, 1986, accessed March 20, 2007. The completion led to
Raúl Allegre
Raúl Enrique Allegre Rodríguez (born June 15, 1959) is a Mexican former professional football kicker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore / Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and New York Jets. He played college football ...
's fifth field goal and an important Giants victory.
The following week, veteran
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
George Martin intercepted a pass from
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
quarterback
John Elway
John Albert Elway Jr. (born June 28, 1960) is an American former professional football quarterback who spent his entire 16-year career with the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, he then spent 1 ...
and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown.
[Litsky, Frank]
Giants At 10-2; Redskins Stay Even; Allegre Kick At :006 Tops Broncos
''The New York Times'',, accessed March 20, 2007. Then in the final two minutes of the game, Simms hit fan–favorite
Phil McConkey for a 46-yard pass.
This led to another game-winning kick from Allegre as the Giants defeated Denver 19-16.
In a Monday night encounter at San Francisco the next week, the Giants overcame a 17–0 halftime deficit to
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford Montana Jr. (born June 11, 1956) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. Nicknamed "Joe Cool" and "the Co ...
's 49ers en route to a 21–17 victory.
[Litsky, Frank]
One Quarter buys playoff ticket for Giants
''The New York Times'', December 2, 1986, accessed March 26, 2007.
In the win, Simms threw for nearly 400 yards and wide receiver
Stacy Robinson
Stacy Ladell Robinson (February 19, 1962 – May 8, 2012) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Prairie View A&M P ...
made an acrobatic catch at the goalline to set up the winning touchdown.
Another important play also occurred during that ''Monday Night Football'' game. Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986, New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro cements his reputation as one of the toughest men in the NFL. With the Giants trailing, 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
Ronald Mandel Lott (born May 8, 1959) is an American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons from 1981 to 1994.
Lott played college football for the University of Southern California (USC), and ...
. Bavaro's inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl."
The defense set the tone for these Giants, allowing only 236 points, second fewest in the NFL. Lawrence Taylor was the standard bearer, and set a single–season team record with 20.5 sacks.
In addition to winning an unprecedented third
Defensive Player of the Year Award, Taylor was named
NFL MVP
In American football, most valuable player (MVP) awards are given by various entities to the National Football League (NFL) player who is considered the most valuable during the regular season. Organizations which issue an NFL MVP award include t ...
by the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
,
[Taylor Voted Top Player](_blank)
''The New York Times'', December 31, 1986, accessed April 17, 2007. becoming only the second defensive player to win the award.
On offense, Joe Morris had another standout season in 1986, rushing for 1,516 yards,
scoring 14 touchdowns
and making his 2nd straight Pro Bowl. Also making the Pro Bowl were Bavaro, who caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards,
Carson,
Jim Burt,
Leonard Marshall
Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. (born October 22, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman for twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Selected 37th overall in the 1983 NFL draft, he spent t ...
, and
Brad Benson, giving the Giants seven representatives. For Taylor and Carson the Pro Bowl berths marked their sixth straight selections.
Having won their first divisional title in 23 years, the Giants hosted the 49ers in the Divisional Playoffs and won easily, 49-3.
The Giants then shut out the Redskins 17–0 in the NFC Championship Game at Giants Stadium.
At the end of the game, mindful of how loyal and supportive their fans had been through some very lean years, the Giants flashed a message on the stadium message board thanking "the best fans in the world".
The Giants went on to play the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
in
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
in front of 101,063 fans at the
Rose Bowl.
[Championship Games 1950–present](_blank)
, giants.com, accessed May 20, 2007. After falling behind 10–9 at halftime, the Giants defeated the Broncos 39–20.
A turning point of the game came on the first possession of the second half. The Giants received the second half kickoff, and led a short drive that stalled at their own 47-yard line.
[Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 845] On fourth and one, the Giants lined up in a
punt formation before shifting to a traditional set.
Second string quarterback
Jeff Rutledge then ran a
quarterback sneak
A quarterback sneak is a play in gridiron football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, runs forward or dives ahead while the offensive line is also surging forward. Despite the "sneak" moniker, this version of a quarterback dra ...
for a first down.
The Giants scored on the drive, and built a 39–13 lead before a late touchdown by the Broncos made the final score 39–20.
Quarterback
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the New York Giants. After playing college football for the Morehead Sta ...
was named MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record.
It was these 1986 Giants that popularized the football tradition of dousing the head coach with a cooler of
Gatorade
Gatorade is an American brand of sports-themed beverage and food products, built around its signature line of sports drinks. The drink is owned and manufactured by PepsiCo and is distributed in over 80 countries. The beverage was develope ...
near the end of a victorious game. This originally started in 1985 when
Jim Burt, incensed by what he thought was mistreatment he received in practice the week leading up to a game, exacted revenge on Bill Parcells by dumping a cooler of Gatorade on him after the Giants won that week's game.
Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson later picked up on the ploy and would often sneak up on Coach Parcells near the end of games to dump the remaining Gatorade over his head. The dousing was a big hit with fans, and the Gatorade dumping would continue on throughout the season after each win, with Taylor, Carson, and several other players (Burt had since ceased doing it) concocting increasingly elaborate, sneaky and playful ruses, so as to at least attempt to keep the inevitable dousing a surprise.
[Rovell, Darren]
How the dunk was born
espn.com, accessed May 20, 2007.
1987–1989
The 1987 season was a disappointment for the Giants. They lost their first two games of the season before the
1987 NFL Players Strike
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and president ...
. As opposed to the players
strike
Strike may refer to:
People
*Strike (surname)
* Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books
Physical confrontation or removal
*Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm
* Airstrike, ...
five years previous, NFL owners made a decision to go forward with
replacement players
In professional sports, a replacement player is an athlete who is not a member of the league's players association and plays during a labor dispute such as a strike or lockout, serving as a strikebreaker.
Replacements related to strikes are most ...
. Unlike other teams such as the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
and
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston, Texas, from its founding in 1960 Houston Oilers season, 1960 to 1996 Houston Oilers season, 1996. The Houston Oilers began play as a charter member of the Ame ...
, who made specific and elaborate plans to deal with the replacement games, the Giants made no plans. This resulted in the Giants losing all three replacement games, putting their record at 0–5
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007.] before the strike was over and the regular players returned. Though the Giants went a respectable 6–4 over their final 10 games, they were out of the playoffs at 6–9.
A particular disappointment was the running game, which due to injuries to the offensive line (including
tackle Karl Nelson missing the entire season due to
Hodgkin's disease
Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the lymph nodes. The condition was named a ...
[Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 846]) struggled all season.
Standouts included tight end Mark Bavaro, who led the team in catches with 55, and three of the Giants linebackers making the Pro Bowl—Taylor,
Carl Banks (who was voted the team's MVP by the players), and Carson.
The Giants 1988 season got off to a rough start due to an offseason scandal involving Lawrence Taylor. Taylor had abused
cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
which violated 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. This was especially true given the eventual career paths of talented players like
Hollywood Henderson and
Dexter Manley whose drug problems derailed their careers. However, after his return Taylor played at his normal All-Pro level, recording 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 passed his drug tests and avoided suspension.
The Giants struggled to start the season. Taylor's absence, combined with a difficult early season schedule had them alternating wins and losses through their first six games. However, with Taylor back and playing well they were able to take full advantage of their remaining easier games (due to their last–place schedule from the year before), winning their next four games against the Cowboys, the
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcons were founded o ...
, and the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
twice.
After two straight losses, including a loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
, they won their next three contests to set up a win-or-go-home game against the New York Jets in the season finale. The Jets game was technically a "road" game, and though the Jets were playing for little other than pride and a winning season, they defeated the Giants 27–21. In the game quarterback
Ken O'Brien
Kenneth John O'Brien Jr. (born November 27, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. One of the six quarterbacks in the f ...
found
Al Toon in the corner of the endzone in the final minute to give the Jets a victory. When the 49ers got blown out by the Rams 38–16 in the night game, the Giants were left outside of the postseason despite going 10–6. Season highlights included Joe Morris, in what would be his last year with the Giants, rushing for 1,083 yards, and the emergence of wide receiver Lionel Manuel, who led the team with 65 catches and 1,029 yards receiving.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007.]
After missing the playoffs in 1988, the Giants started the 1989 season 8–1 and did not allow more than 24 points in any game. After suffering through a 1–3 stretch,
including a 31–10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Anaheim, the Giants rallied to win their final three games to secure the second best record in the NFC at 12–4.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007.][, databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007.] The division clinching season finale was highlighted by kick returner
Dave Meggett's first career punt return for a touchdown. Though many people predicted an NFC Championship showdown between the Giants and the 49ers, the Giants lost their divisional playoff game to the Rams 19–13 in overtime.
The highlight of the game was wide receiver
Flipper Anderson
Willie Lee "Flipper" Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1965) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college f ...
's catch of the game-winning touchdown pass over
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover Wide receiver, receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such Play from scrimmage, offensive running plays as sweep ...
Mark Collins. After he caught the pass, Anderson raced down the sideline, through the end zone, and into the tunnel that led to the
locker rooms, silencing the crowd.
During the 1989 season, 11–year veteran
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome Anderson (born January 19, 1957) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a running back for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the St. Louis Cardinals (NFL), St. Louis Cardi ...
, a Plan B Free Agent, emerged as the Giants new featured running back. His style of power running was an ideal fit for Parcells' offensive strategy and he 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.
1990: Champions again
Although the Giants had one of the most successful seasons in franchise history in 1990, the season had a difficult beginning as Taylor held out of training camp, demanding a new contract with a salary of $2 million per year.
[Anderson, Dave]
Sports Of The Times; Why L. T. Deserves $2 Million
''The New York Times'', July 22, 1990, accessed March 23, 2008. Talks reached September with no progress. As the season approached Taylor received $2,500 a day in fines for not reporting. Taylor signed a contract just four days before the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite barely practicing since the previous season, he started and finished with three sacks and a forced fumble.
They won their first 10 games, setting a franchise record for best start to a season. In those 10 wins the Giants did not allow more than 20 points in any game, and allowed 7 points or less 5 times.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007.] The San Francisco 49ers also got off to a strong start, matching the Giants with their own 10–0 start. As their Week 13 ''Monday Night Football'' matchup approached, it became increasingly possible that it would become the first matchup of 11–0 teams in NFL history. However, the Giants lost their next game, 31–13 to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the 49ers also lost their next game. The game drew high ratings nonetheless. The Giants held the 49ers
west coast offense
The West Coast offense is an offense in American football that places a greater emphasis on passing than on running.
There are two similar but distinct National Football League (NFL) offensive strategic systems that are commonly referred to as ...
to seven points. But scored only three, in suffering their second straight loss.
The Giants rallied and won the following week against the Minnesota Vikings before facing the Buffalo Bills in their regular season home finale. Despite holding the Bills' powerful offense to 17 points, the Giants lost 17–13,
for their third loss in four games. To compound the team's problems, Phil Simms suffered a broken foot that put him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. His replacement,
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler (born April 22, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. He wo ...
, had been with the team since 1984, but had thrown just 68 passes coming into the season.
To secure a first round bye, the Giants needed to beat two of the NFL's worst teams, the
Phoenix Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The team play ...
and
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
on the road. The Giants won the Cardinals game 24–21.
Their game against the Patriots was a de facto home game, as many Giants fans made the trip up to
Foxborough to sell the stadium out.
[Anderson, Dave]
Sports of The Times; Scrambles and a Super Dream
''The New York Times'', December 31, 1990, accessed March 25, 2008. The Patriots, who came in 1-14 and on a 13-game losing streak in a scandal-plagued season, played the Giants better than expected, but missed a field goal that proved the difference as the Giants held on for a 13-10 win.
The win secured a 13-3 record,
and the playoff bye as the NFC's second seed. The team discipline Parcells installed was exemplified by the Giants setting the record for fewest turnovers in a season with 14 (this was the NFL record until 2008, when the Giants would again set the record along with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
).
The Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 31–3 in the divisional playoff round,
setting up a rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC Championship and a Super Bowl berth. As they had in Week 12, the Giants defense held San Francisco's offense in check, limiting San Francisco to one touchdown and two field goals. The 49ers defense also held the Giants' offense in check, limiting the Giants to four Matt Bahr field goals through the midway point of the fourth of quarter. In the game's waning moments
Erik Howard
Erik Matthew Howard (born November 12, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played nine seasons with the New York Giants, and was a member o ...
caused a
Roger Craig fumble, and Lawrence Taylor recovered it. The Giants drove down the field and got into field goal range for Bahr. On the game's last play, Bahr hit a 42–yard field goal to give the Giants the NFC title, 15–13, over the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.
Bahr set an NFC Championship Game record with his fifth field goal of the day.
The win set up another rematch for the Giants, this time in the Super Bowl against the Buffalo Bills. Throughout the 1990 season, the Bills' emergence as a championship caliber team had been one of the largest storylines. The Bills had a cutting edge,
no-huddle offense
The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style, which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays. The hurry-up, no-huddle offense (HUNH) refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle t ...
, led by head coach
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy (; born August 3, 1925) is an American former football coach and executive who was a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for seventeen seasons. He spent most of his head coaching career with the Buffalo Bills, lea ...
, quarterback
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers o ...
, running back
Thurman Thomas
Thurman Lee Thomas (born May 16, 1966) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Oklahom ...
, wide receiver
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed (born January 29, 1964) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Ku ...
and an offensive line led by
Kent Hull. They had also recorded a 13–3 record during the 1990 season,
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007.] culminating with a 51–3 victory over the
Los Angeles Raiders
The Los Angeles Raiders were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). The Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994 before relocating back to Oakland, California, where the team played from its inaugural ...
in the AFC Championship game.
Heading into the game the Bills were installed as seven point favorites.
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the ...
took place amidst a background of war and patriotism in front of 73,813 fans at
Tampa Stadium
Tampa Stadium (nicknamed The Big Sombrero and briefly known as Houlihan's Stadium) was a large open-air stadium (maximum capacity about 74,000) located in Tampa, Florida, which opened in 1967 and was significantly expanded in 1974–75. The fac ...
, in
Tampa
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
,
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
.
The
Persian Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
had begun less than two weeks previous and the nation rallied around the Super Bowl as a symbol of America. Adding to the patriotism was
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
's stirring rendition of the
National Anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
, which became known as one of the greatest renditions in Super Bowl history. The game lived up to the stirring Anthem, as it went down as the most competitive Super Bowl in history. The Giants got off to a quick 3–0 lead.
[Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 935] However, the Bills scored the next 12 points, on a field goal, a touchdown by backup running back
Don Smith, and a safety after
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler (born April 22, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. He wo ...
was sacked in the end zone by
Bruce Smith
Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 19 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football for the Vir ...
, to give the Bills a 12–3 lead.
The Giants then ran a drive that took almost 8 minutes,
and culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Hostetler to
Stephen Baker making the score 12–10 at halftime.
[Super Bowl XXV](_blank)
NFL.com/history, accessed April 13, 2007.
The Giants received the second half kickoff and mounted a record-setting drive. The opening drive ran for over 9 minutes
(a Super Bowl record) and culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson, giving the Giants a 17–12 lead.
The signature play of the drive came on a third down play, when Giants receiver
Mark Ingram appeared about to be tackled well short of a first down. However, Ingram evaded several tacklers, and dragged one defender just enough to get the Giants the first down, and kept the drive alive. By this time, the Giants strategy to handle the Bills offense had become clear: keep them off the field. Indeed, the Giants two touchdown drives consumed over 17 minutes.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, 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, but were unable to score and had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Matt Bahr that gave the Giants a 20–19 lead.
Both teams exchanged possessions before the Bills began one final drive. The Bills drove 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 Allan Norwood (born July 17, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker for seven seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He also played for the Birmingham Stallions in th ...
. Just before the kick,
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
showed a graphic indicating that, on grass that season, Norwood had made just 3–of–7 field goals from at least 40 yards. A few moments later, in what became the game's signature moment, Norwood's attempt missed wide right, and the Giants won their second Super Bowl, 20–19.
The Giants set a Super Bowl record for
time of possession
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
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 and Super Bowl win marked the end of an era for the Giants. Parcells had grown restless as coach of the Giants and yearned for complete control of the team.
Knowing that he would not get that opportunity with George Young as GM,
Parcells decided in the spring of 1991 to leave the Giants for a career in broadcasting.
There was also an ownership change in what had been one of the most stable front offices in professional sports. In February 1991, after being diagnosed with cancer,
Tim Mara sold his 50% interest in the team to
Bob Tisch
Preston Robert Tisch (April 29, 1926 – November 15, 2005) was an American businessman who was the chairman and—along with his brother Laurence Tisch—was part owner of the Loews Corporation. From 1991 until his death, Tisch owned ...
for a reported $80 million. The sale was worked out before the Super Bowl but not announced until afterwards, to avoid distracting the team. It marked the first time since their inception in 1925 that the Giants had not been wholly owned and controlled by the
Mara family
The Mara family is an Irish-American family primarily known for owning the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) since the franchise was formed in 1925. The Maras owned the team outright until 1991, when a feud led to one side of t ...
.
The Handley era
Following the departure of Parcells and Belichick—whom many people saw as the likely successor to Parcells—the surprise replacement of Parcells was
offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator (OC) is a Coach (sport), coach responsible for a gridiron football team's offense (American football), offense. Generally, the offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second ...
Ray Handley. Belichick left to coach the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
when it became clear he was not regarded as head coaching material by Young. He later coached New England to six Super Bowl victories, and said that he deems not being considered for the Giants head coaching position one of the biggest disappointments of his career. Handley was a somewhat reluctant coach, whose approach stood in stark contrast to the passionate and emotional style employed by Parcells.
[Litsky, Frank]
PRO FOOTBALL; Handley's Unhappy Reign Is Brought to an End
''The New York Times'', December 31, 1992, accessed March 25, 2008.
* Pervin. pg. 119
1991–1992
As with Parcells eight years previous, one of Handley's first major decisions as head coach involved replacing Phil Simms as the starting quarterback. Jeff Hostetler, who had led the Giants to a win in the Super Bowl, was named as the team's Opening Day starting quarterback. Though the Giants won their opening game in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the San Francisco 49ers 16–14,
footballreference.com, accessed March 20, 2007. they lost three out of their next four games to drop to 2–3.
Though they rallied to a record of 7-5 after a dramatic 21-14 win at Tampa Bay in week 13 and were in the hunt for a post-season spot, the Giants lost their next three behind Phil Simms who reclaimed his starting position when Hostetler went down with a broken back. Hostetler threw five touchdowns in his 12 starts, while Simms threw eight in his four starts.
The excitement that had surrounded the Giants the previous year was gone. One of the few promising young players to emerge during the year was second–year running back
Rodney Hampton, who led the Giants in rushing with 1,059 yards, while also catching 43 passes.
The season was also marked by the decline of Lawrence Taylor. Although Taylor still finished with a respectable 7 sacks, 1991 marked the first time in his career he was not elected to the Pro Bowl.
Throughout the 1991 season it was clear that the team's defense, which had led the league in points allowed in 1990, was declining. This deterioration continued in 1992, when the team finished 26th in the league in points allowed. The Giants started 1-3 with Simms at the helm, rallied behind Hostetler to take four of their next five to get to 5-4, but lost their next five after Taylor and then Hostetler joined Simms on the injured list. Six losses out of their last seven games meant a 6–10 record, their first double digit loss season since 1983.
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007.] The team's pass rush, in particular, struggled after Taylor missed the last six games with a torn
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon or heel cord, also known as the calcaneal tendon, is a tendon at the back of the lower leg, and is the thickest in the human body. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcane ...
. Handley, who had become unpopular with both players and fans, was fired after the end of the regular season.
Dan Reeves arrives
Handley was replaced by
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves (January 19, 1944 – January 1, 2022) was an American professional football running back and coach in the National Football League (NFL). During his 38 years in the NFL, Reeves participated in nine Super Bowls, the third ...
, the successful former head coach of the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
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 heavily for the job. Especially after being publicly rebuffed by a number of candidates, George Young was pleased that someone with Reeves's credentials wanted the job, and Reeves was hired as Giants head coach. He had been a finalist along with Perkins for the team's head coaching position in 1979, but Young went with Perkins at the time because he felt he knew him better from their days together with the
Baltimore Colts
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from 1953 to 1983, when owner Robert Irsay moved the franchise to Indianapolis. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breeding and racing. It w ...
.
1993
The impact Reeves had was immediate. As Bill Parcells had done before in 1984, Reeves named Phil Simms the starting quarterback and then released Hostetler. They won their first three games,
[, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007.] and five of their first six.
The defense was back to its Parcells-era levels and allowed more than 20 points once all season.
With two games to go, the Giants were 11–3
and battling for an Eastern Division crown and a first round bye. However, they were upset by Phoenix, 17–6,
in the next to last week of the season, setting up a winner–take–all game against the Dallas Cowboys in the season finale. Though the Giants played well, it was
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, 13 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys and 2 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals ...
'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 Minnesota Vikings.
However, they were then defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 44–3, in their worst performance of the season in the second round.
As he had done in 1984 when Bill Parcells restored him to the starting quarterback's job, Phil Simms responded with a solid season in 1993. Playing in all 16 games, he completed almost 62% of his passes, threw for over 3,000 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions.
The season marked the first time in seven years that Simms started every game for the Giants. Simms, Hampton, offensive linemen
Jumbo Elliot and
center Bart Oates all made the Pro Bowl.
1993 New York Giants
, pro-football-reference.com, accessed March 24, 2007. In addition, Reeves was named Coach of the Year Many sports leagues, sportswriting associations, and other organizations confer "Coach of the Year" awards. In some sports — including baseball and association football — the award is called the "Manager of the Year" award.
Some of the ...
by the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
. Following the season Lawrence Taylor retired and Phil Simms was released by the team, leading to his eventual retirement. Simms and Taylor had been the faces of the franchise since 1979 and 1981 respectively.
See also
*New York Giants seasons
The New York Giants are an American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They are a member of the National Football League (NFL) and play in the NFL's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. In 100 completed seasons, the ...
* Logos and uniforms of the New York Giants
*List of New York Giants players The New York Giants all-time roster is split by name into the following two lists:
* New York Giants all-time roster (A–Kim)
* New York Giants all-time roster (Kin–Z)
{{Short pages monitor