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 ...
, an
American football
American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
team which currently plays in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, 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 ...
(NFL)'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 ...
(NFC), has a history dating back almost 100 seasons, with 4 Super Bowl victories. The Giants were founded in 1925 by Tim Mara in the then five-year-old NFL. Mara owned the team until his death in 1959, when it was passed on to his sons,
Wellington
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 Jack. During their history, the Giants have won eight NFL championships, four of which came in
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual History of the NFL championship, league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966 NFL season, 1966 (with the excep ...
s.
In just its third season, the team finished with the best record in the league at 11–1–1 and was awarded the NFL title. In a 14-year span beginning in 1933, New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times, winning twice (1934 and 1938). They did not win another championship until 1956, aided by several future
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 ...
players such as running back
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 ...
, linebacker Sam Huff, and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown. From 1958 to 1963, the Giants played in the NFL championship game five times, but failed to win. The
1958 NFL Championship game
The 1958 NFL Championship Game was the 26th NFL championship game, played on December 28 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was the first NFL game to be decided in sudden death overtime. The Baltimore Colts defeated the New York Giants 23� ...
, in which they lost 23–17 in
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
to 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 ...
, is credited with increasing the popularity of the NFL in the United States.
The Giants registered just two winning seasons from 1964 to 1980 and were unable to advance to the playoffs. From 1981 to 1990, the team qualified for the postseason seven times and won Super Bowls XXI and XXV. The team's success during the 1980s 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 ...
, quarterback Phil Simms and Hall of Fame linebackers
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 ...
and Harry Carson. New York struggled throughout much of the 1990s as Parcells left the team, and players such as Simms and Taylor declined and eventually retired. They returned to the Super Bowl in 2000, but lost to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
in
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2000 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2000 New York Giants season, New York Giant ...
. The Giants then won against
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 ...
The Giants were founded in 1925 by original owner Tim Mara with an investment of $500.History of the New York Giants , giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007. Legally named "New York Football Giants" (which they still are to this day) to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name, they became one of the first teams in the then five-year-old National Football League. In 1919, Charles Stoneham, the owner of the New York Giants baseball team, had organized and promoted a professional football team to be called the
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 ...
. The team folded before its first game, a casualty of a dispute over the city's
blue law
Blue laws (also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws, and Sunday closing laws) are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world. The laws were adopted originally for Religion, religio ...
s. This early Giants football team would eventually make it to play as the Brooklyn Giants in 1921, playing two games in the NFL before dropping out, and eventually folded in 1923 after two years as an independent. When the NFL sought to return to New York City, it approached one of the Brooklyn Giants' owners, promoter Billy Gibson, about reviving the team; he instead referred the league to Mara, who paid a $500 franchise fee and accepted a place in the NFL, keeping the Giants name.
The New York Football Giants played their first game, an exhibition against All New Britain, in
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. The city is part of the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, Capitol ...
, on October 4, 1925. Their first regular season NFL game took place a week later, on October 11, 1925, in a 0 to 14 loss against the Providence Steam Roller.
Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season, going 8–4-0,NFL History: New York Giants NFL.com/history, accessed January 23, 2007. their financial status was a different story. Overshadowed by baseball, boxing, and college football, professional football was not a popular sport in 1925. They were in dire financial straits until the 11th game of the season, when
Red Grange
Harold Edward "Red" Grange (June 13, 1903 – January 28, 1991), nicknamed "the Galloping Ghost" and "the Wheaton Iceman", was an American professional American football, football Halfback (American football), halfback who played for the Chicag ...
and the
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 ...
came to town, attracting over 73,000 fans. This gave the Giants a much-needed influx of revenue, and perhaps altered the history of the franchise. From 1925 to 1927, former two-time First Team All Pro Doc Alexander played for the team.
New York finished 11–1–1 in 1927.Championship games 1925–1949 , giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007. Their league-best defense posted 10 shutouts in 13 games. New coach
Earl Potteiger
William Earl Potteiger (February 11, 1893 – April 7, 1959) was an American football, baseball, and basketball player and coach. He played professionally in both baseball and football and coached professionally in basketball, baseball and footba ...
led the team into a late-season game against Chicago with first place on the line. New York won 13–7 in what lineman Steve Owen called "the toughest, roughest football game I ever played." Then they won their final two regular season games to secure their first championship.
Following a disappointing 4–7–2 season the next year, Potteiger was replaced by
LeRoy Andrews
LeRoy B. Andrews, or commonly Roy Andrews, (June 27, 1896 – July 1978) was an American football Player (game), player and Coach (sport), coach. He played college football at Pittsburg State University. In 1923, he played for the St. Louis All S ...
. Before the 1929 season, Mara purchased the entire squad of the Detroit Wolverines, including star quarterback Benny Friedman. The Wolverines had finished in third place the year before. Led by Friedman, New York's record soared to 13–1–1. However, their lone loss was a 20–6 setback in November to 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 ...
, and by virtue of this win, and their 12–0–1 record, won the NFL title. Following the season, Mara transferred ownership over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors. At the time, Jack was just 22, and Wellington only 14.
In 1930, the quality of the professional game was still in question, with many claiming the college "amateurs" played with more intensity.Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 83 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
Knute Kenneth Rockne (; March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships.
Rockne is ...
reassembled his Four Horsemen along with other Notre Dame legends, and told them to score early, then defend. But from the beginning, it was a one-sided contest, with Benny Friedman running for two Giants touchdowns and Hap Moran passing for another. Notre Dame failed to score. When it was over, Rockne told his team, '" at was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt." The game raised $115,183 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game.
Steve Owen era: 1931–1953
The Giants hired All-Pro offensive tackle Steve Owen to be their new player-head coach prior to the 1931 season. He coached the team for the next 23 years, including two NFL championships, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. Owen never had a contract with 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 ...
; he coached his entire tenure on a handshake basis.
Before the 1931 season, New York acquired center
Mel Hein
Melvin Jack Hein (August 22, 1909 – January 31, 1992), nicknamed "Old Indestructible", was an American professional American football, football player. In the era of One-platoon system, one-platoon football, he played as a Center (gridiron foo ...
, who also played the linebacker position. He would go on to a fifteen-year NFL career in which, as a center, he became an All-NFL First Team selection eight times, and the only offensive lineman ever named league MVP. Friedman quit the team following the season when Mara denied him an ownership stake, telling him "I'm sorry...but the Giants are for my sons." New York struggled in 1931 and 1932, finishing with a combined record of 11–12–3.
The Giants acquired
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
All-American
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
quarterback Harry Newman and versatile free agent halfback
Ken Strong
Elmer Kenneth Strong (April 21, 1906 – October 5, 1979) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and fullback. He also played minor league baseball. Considered one of the greatest all-around players in the early decade ...
before the 1933 season. New York finished 11–3, first in the new Eastern Division. Newman led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards), with his passing yardage total setting an NFL record.Gottehrer. pg. 107Harry Newman , football-reference.com, accessed December 6, 2010. New York's resurgence was led by some of the league's best linemen, such as Ray Flaherty and future Hall of Famers
Red Badgro
Morris Hiram "Red" Badgro (December 1, 1902 – July 13, 1998) was an American professional American football, football and baseball player. He played as an End (gridiron football), end in the National Football League (NFL). He was inducted into ...
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a ballpark on the North Side, Chicago, North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charl ...
versus the Bears, where they lost 23–21 in a game which had six lead changes.
In the 1934 NFL Championship Game, the Giants defeated previously unbeaten Chicago 30–13 at the
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 to 1963. The original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built for the ...
on an icy field with temperatures peaking at 25 degrees. Before the game, team treasurer John Mara talked with Owen and team captain Flaherty about the field conditions. Flaherty suggested the Giants wear sneakers on the frozen field, as he had played in a game under similar circumstances at Gonzaga, and the sneakers proved to be effective. Mara dispatched equipment manager Abe Cohen to get as many sneakers as he could get.Blauss, Bill. , ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'', October 4, 1986, accessed January 2, 2007. Due to traffic and the inability to find any athletic goods stores open on Sunday, Cohen was unable to return before the game started, and the Giants, wearing conventional footwear, trailed 10–3 at the end of the first half. Realizing time was short, Cohen went to
Manhattan College
Manhattan University (previously Manhattan College) is a private, Catholic university in New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers (Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools) as an academy fo ...
— where he had a key to the equipment and locker rooms — and returned to the Polo Grounds at halftime with nine pairs of basketball sneakers, saying that "nine pairs was all I could get." Players donned the sneakers and New York, after allowing Chicago another field goal late in the 3rd quarter, responded with 27 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to win their first NFL Championship game. The game would come to be known as " The Sneakers Game", and the 27 points the Giants scored in the 4th quarter set a single–quarter championship game scoring record that stood for decades. After the game, offensive tackle
Len Grant
Leonard T. "Fish" Grant (January 17, 1906 – August 6, 1938) was an American professional American football, football tackle (gridiron football position), tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants. He was a member of ...
expressed his sincere gratitude by stating "God bless Abe Cohen."
The Giants were unable to repeat as champions in 1935, as they fell to the Detroit Lions 26–7 in the NFL Championship game. The Lions staked a 13–0 lead before the Giants were able to cut the lead to 13–7 in the 3rd quarter. However, the Lions defense helped their team score two late touchdowns with a blocked punt and an interception.
The Giants were so successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States' entry into
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, that according to one publication, " om 1936 to 1941 the New York Giants annually fielded a collection of NFL all-stars." They added their third NFL championship in 1938 with a 23–17 win over Green Bay. The Giants blocked two Green Bay punts to establish an early advantage before the Packers came back to take a 17–16 lead. However, in the 4th quarter,
Ed Danowski
Edward Frank Danowski (September 30, 1911 – February 1, 1997) was an American football player and coach. He played quarterback and Halfback (American football), halfback in the National Football League (NFL) with the New York Giants from 1934 ...
threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar, and the Giants defense held the Packers scoreless.
The Giants made the championship game again the next year, but lost in a rematch to the Packers, 27-0 They also advanced to the championship game in 1941, losing to the Bears, 37–9. Both games were close early before their respective opponents went on an offensive surge to break the game open late. In 1944, the Giants reached the championship game, where they faced the Green Bay Packers for the third time in ten seasons. This 1944 Giants team is considered to have been the best defensive team in NFL history in terms of points per game allowed, "...a truly awesome unit". They gave up only 7.5 points per game (a record that still stands) and shut out five of their ten opponents. Nonetheless, they lost again in the championship game, this time 14–7 as
Ted Fritsch
Theodore Leo Fritsch (October 31, 1920 – October 4, 1979) was an American baseball, basketball, and American football, football player who played running back for the National Football League (NFL)'s Green Bay Packers from 1942 to 1950. He als ...
scored two touchdowns. The Packers defense held on to the lead despite a fourth-quarter touchdown by the Giants. Giants quarterback Arnie Herber (who previously had played for the Packers) threw no less than four interceptions in the game. The 1944 Giants were a mere No. 5 in scoring offense in the 10-team NFL. By 1946, Mara had given over complete control of the team to his two sons. Jack controlled the business aspects, while Wellington controlled the on-field operations. In 1946, the Giants again reached the Championship game, for the eighth time in 14 seasons. However, they were beaten by the Sid Luckman-led Bears, 24–14.
Before the 1948 season, the Giants signed
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
player in team history, and later the first African American inducted into the Hall of Fame. From 1947 to 1949, they never finished above .500, but came back with a 10–2 record in 1950. However, they lost to 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 ...
, whom they had beaten twice in the regular season, 8–3, in the 1950 divisional playoff game., databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007. In 1949, halfback Gene "Choo-Choo" Roberts scored a league-high 17 touchdowns, and in 1950, he set a team record that would stand for over 50 years, when he rushed for 218 yards on November 12.Lichtenstein. pg. 142
Jim Lee Howell and the Hall of Famers: 1954–1958
Following the 1953 season, an important transition in Giants history occurred. After being the team's coach for 23 years, Steve Owen was fired by Wellington and
Jack Mara
John V. Mara (March 21, 1908 – June 29, 1965) was an American co-owner of the New York Giants, an American football team that plays in the National Football League (NFL). Mara was the son of Elizabeth "Lizette" (née Barclay) and Tim Mara ...
, and replaced by Jim Lee Howell. Wellington later described the move by calling it "the hardest decision I'd ever made".Schwartz. pg. 95 New York went 7–5 in 1954 under Howell. In their 31st and final season playing their home games at the Polo Grounds in 1955, they went 5–1–1 over their final seven games to finish 6–5–1. They were led by rejuvenated running back
Frank Gifford
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 ...
, who played the entire season solely on offense for the first time in several years.
The Giants won their fourth NFL Championship in 1956. Playing their home games at Yankee Stadium for the first time, New York won the Eastern Division with an 8–3–1 record. In the NFL Championship Game on an icy field against the Chicago Bears, the Giants wore sneakers as they had 22 years previous. They dominated the Bears, winning 47–7. The 1956 Giants featured a number of future Hall of Fame players, including Gifford, Sam Huff, and Roosevelt Brown. Equally notable, the team featured as its coordinators future Hall of Fame head coaches
Tom Landry
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 ...
(defense) and
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas Lombardi ( ; June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American professional football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be among the greatest coaches and leaders in Ame ...
(offense).
The Greatest Game Ever Played: 1958
The Giants had another successful year in 1958. They tied for the Eastern Division regular season title with a 9–3 record by defeating the Cleveland Browns 13–10 on the last day of the regular season. They beat the Browns again a week later in a one-game playoff to determine the division winner. They advanced to play the Baltimore Colts in the NFL Championship Game.Championship Games 1950–present , giants.com, accessed January 12, 2007. This game, which would become known as "
The Greatest Game Ever Played
''The Greatest Game Ever Played'' is a 2005 American biographical sports film based on the early life of amateur golf champion Francis Ouimet and his surprise winning of the 1913 U.S. Open. The film was directed by Bill Paxton, and was his las ...
", is considered a watershed moment in league history, and marked the beginning of the rise of professional football into the dominant sport in the American market.
The game was competitive. The Giants got off to an early 3–0 lead, then the Colts scored two touchdowns to take a 14–3 halftime lead.Baltimore Colts at New York Giants – December 28th, 1958 football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010.
In the 3rd quarter, New York's defense made a goal line stand, which became a turning point in the game. New York, who had trouble mounting drives to that point, then had a 95-yard drive which culminated in a touchdown, making the score 14–10. They drove again in the 4th quarter, with quarterback Charlie Conerly throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford to take the lead, 17–14.Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 272
The Colts put together one last drive with less than two minutes left. The standout player was receiver Raymond Berry, who caught three passes for 62 yards, the last one for 22 yards to the New York 13-yard line. With seven seconds left in regulation,
Steve Myhra
Steve Myhra (pronounced "MY-ruh") (April 2, 1934 – August 4, 1994) was a professional American football player who played as a Placekicker, kicker, Guard (gridiron football), guard, and linebacker for five seasons for the Baltimore Colts of th ...
kicked a 20-yard field goal to tie the score 17–17, sending a game to
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
for the first time in NFL history.
After winning the
coin toss
A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by a ...
and receiving the ball, the Giants offense stalled and was forced to punt. From their own 20, the Colts drove the ball to the New York 1-yard line, where Alan Ameche ran for a touchdown to give the Colts the championship, 23–17.
More success: 1959–1963
New York's success continued in the 1960s. They finished 9–3 in 1959 and faced the Colts in a championship game rematch., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. They lost again, this time in a far less dramatic game, 31–16. Led by quarterback Y. A. Tittle and head coach Allie Sherman, the Giants won three consecutive Eastern Division titles from 1961 to 1963. In 1961, they were beaten 37–0 by the Packers. In 1962, they went into the championship game with a 12–2 record and a nine–game winning streak, but they lost to the Packers again, 16–7.
The Giants finished with an 11–3 record in 1963 and faced the Bears in the NFL championship game. On an icy field in Chicago, the Giants' defense played well, but the Bears newly invented
zone defense
Zone defense is a type of defensive system, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area (a zone) to cover.
...
intercepted Tittle five times and battered him throughout the game. Sherman resisted calls from players such as
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 ...
Sam Huff to replace the struggling Tittle. The Giants defense held the Bears in check, but they lost 14–10, their third straight NFL Championship Game defeat.
The Giants' run of championship game appearances combined with their large market location translated into financial success. By the early 1960s, the Giants were receiving $175,000 a game under the NFL's television contract with
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
— four times as much as small-market Green Bay, which was one of the most successful teams of the era. However, in the league's new contract, the Maras convinced the other owners that it would be in the best interest of the NFL to share television revenue equally, a practice which is still current, and is credited with strengthening the league.
Wilderness years begin: 1964–1972
After the 1963 season, the team fell apart. A roster filled with mostly older veterans plus some bad personnel moves (e.g. the dispatching of Rosey Grier, Sam Huff, and Don Chandler) lead to a quick exit from the top of the standings. The Giants finished 2–10–2 in 1964, beginning an 18-season playoff drought.
The seasons of 1964 through 1980 in team history have often been referred to as "the wilderness years" for several reasons: 1) The franchise lost its status as an elite NFL team by posting only two winning seasons, against twelve losing and three .500 seasons during this span; 2) The Giants became a "team of nomads," calling four different stadiums home in the 1970s (Yankee Stadium, the
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl Stadium is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, Connecticut, West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The ...
,
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium ( ), typically shortened to Shea Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City. The team rebounded with a 7–7 record in 1965, (mostly due to the acquisition of quarterback
Earl Morrall
Earl Edwin Morrall (; May 17, 1934 – April 25, 2014) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons, both a starter and reserve. He was the last remaining player from t ...
during the offseason) before compiling a league-worst 1–12–1 record and allowing over 500 points on defense in 1966., databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. This season also included a 72–41 loss to the rival
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 ...
at D.C. Stadium in the highest-scoring game in league history. Interest in the team was waning, especially with the rapid rise of the
New York Jets
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 ...
, with their wide-open style of play and charismatic quarterback
Joe Namath
Joseph William Namath (; ; born May 31, 1943), nicknamed "Broadway Joe", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 13 seaso ...
.
The Giants acquired quarterback
Fran Tarkenton
Francis Asbury Tarkenton (born February 3, 1940), nicknamed "the Scrambler", is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Minnesota Vikings. He is wi ...
from 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 ...
before the 1967 season in exchange for their 1st- and 2nd-round draft picks, and showed improvement. They finished 7–7 in 1967 and were 7–3 through ten games in 1968. Leaving them one game behind Capitol Division leader Dallas. However, New York dropped its final four games to again finish 7–7. Notably, in 1968, one of Tarkenton's favorite targets, wide receiver Homer Jones made the Pro Bowl; it wasn't until 2010 that another Giants receiver, ( Steve Smith), would make the Pro Bowl. Since Smith, Victor Cruz (2012) and Odell Beckham Jr. (2014–16) have made it to the Pro Bowl. Jones' average of 22.3 yards per reception for his career is still an NFL record.
During the 1969 preseason, the Giants lost their first meeting with the Jets, 37–14 at the
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl Stadium is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, Connecticut, West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The ...
in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...
. Following the game, Wellington Mara fired coach Allie ShermanWeinraub, Bernard Fans Show Mixed Emotions; Bad Trades Laid To Team's Pilot ''The New York Times'', September 13, 1969, accessed March 18, 2007. and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster. On opening day of the 1969 regular season, Tarkenton led New York to a 24–23 victory over his former team, the Vikings, by throwing two touchdown passes in the 4th quarter. The Giants went 6–8 that season. They showed marked improvement in 1970; after an 0–3 start, they rebounded to finish 9–5,, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. narrowly missing the playoffs by losing their final game to 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 ...
. Tarkenton had one of his best seasons as a Giant and made his fourth straight Pro Bowl. Running back
Ron Johnson
Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American businessman and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Rep ...
was also selected to the Pro Bowl; the halfback ran for 1,027 yards, becoming the first Giant to gain 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
In 1971, Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury, and New York dropped to 4–10, resulting in Tarkenton being traded back to the Vikings. The Giants rallied somewhat in 1972 to finish 8–6. Journeyman quarterback
Norm Snead
Norman Bailey Snead (July 31, 1939 – January 14, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, New ...
(acquired in the trade for Tarkenton) led the league in completion percentage and had his best season. Other standouts and Pro Bowl selections that year were running back Johnson, who rushed for 1,182 yards (breaking his own team record) and caught 45 passes, tight end Bob Tucker, who followed up his 1971 NFC-leading 59-catch season with 55 in 1972, and defensive stars Jack Gregory and John Mendenhall. The Giants boasted the top offense in the NFC and after a season-finishing 23–3 win at Dallas to secure their second winning campaign in three years, the future looked bright. However, after the 1972 season, New York would endure one of the worst periods in its history.
Leaving New York: 1973–1978
Desiring their own home stadium, in 1973, the Giants reached an agreement with the
New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) is an independent authority established by the State of New Jersey in 1971 to oversee the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Originally consisting of Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands Racetrack in ...
to play their home games at a new, state-of-the-art, dedicated football stadium.Giants stadium history before 1976 , giants.com, accessed October 5, 2010. Later named
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 ...
, it was to be built at a new sports complex in
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an inner suburb, inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 Unit ...
.
As the complex was being built, and their current home at Yankee Stadium was being renovated, they would be without a home for three years, and dubbed "the orphans of the NFL."Pervin. pg. 65–6 Their final full season at Yankee Stadium was 1972. After playing their first two games there in 1973, the Giants played the rest of their home games in 1973, as well as all of their home games in 1974, at the
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl Stadium is a college football stadium in the northeast United States, located in New Haven, Connecticut, on the border of West Haven, Connecticut, West Haven, about 1½ miles (2½ km) west of the main campus of Yale University. The ...
in
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is List ...
.The Giants Stadiums , giants.com/history, accessed May 12, 2007. This was done out of a desire to have their own home field, as opposed to having to share
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium ( ), typically shortened to Shea Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City. New York left the Yale Bowl after losing all seven home games played there in 1974 and compiling a home record of 1–11 over that two-year stretch.
One of the bright spots in this era was tight end Bob Tucker. From 1970 through 1977, Tucker was one of the top tight ends in the NFL. He amassed 327 receptions, 4,376 yards, and 22 touchdowns during his years as a Giant.
Despite their new home and heightened fan interest, New York still played subpar football in 1976 and 1977. In 1978, the Giants started the year 5–6, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. and on November 19, 1978, played 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 ...
kneel
Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. According to Merriam-Webster, kneeling is defined as "to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor". Kneeling with only one knee, and not both, is ca ...
the ball to end the game, as the Eagles had no time outs. However, instead of kneeling the ball,
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 ...
Bob Gibson
Robert Gibson (November 9, 1935October 2, 2020), nicknamed "Gibby" and "Hoot", was an American baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1959 to 1975. Known for his fiercely competi ...
ordered New York quarterback Joe Pisarcik to hand the ball off to fullback
Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka (; born December 25, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Miami Dolphins. He also played in the NFL for three years with the ...
. Csonka was unprepared to receive the handoff, and the ball rolled off his hip and bounced free. Eagles safety Herman Edwards picked up the loose ball and ran, untouched, for a score, giving the Eagles an improbable 19–17 victory. This play is referred to as "The Miracle in the Meadowlands" among Eagles fans, and "The Fumble" among Giants fans.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Gibson was fired, and the Giants lost three out of their last four games to finish out of the playoffs for the 15th straight season, leading them to let coach John McVay go as well. However, following the 1978 season came the steps that would, in time, return New York to the pinnacle of the NFL.
Building a champion: 1979–1985
New York decided to hire a general manager for the first time in franchise history following the 1978 season.Anderson, Dave Sports of the Times; Ten Giant Steps to Superdom ''The New York Times'', January 25, 1987, accessed March 22, 2008. The search grew contentious and fractured the relationship between owners Wellington and Tim Mara. Finally, the Maras asked NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to step in with a recommendation. Rozelle recommended George Young,Goldberg, Hank Giants owner Wellington Mara dies at age 89 ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'', October 25, 2005, accessed March 21, 2007. 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 ...
. Young was hired, but the rift between the Maras lasted for several years.
Young hired
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
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 ...
. The impact that Taylor had on the Giants' defense was immediate.LT best NFL rookie of all time espn.com, accessed February 3, 2007. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year, becoming, to date, the only rookie to ever win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. His arrival raised the Giants linebacking corps — which already included future Hall of FamerHarry Carson and Pro Bowler Brad Van Pelt — into one of the NFL's best. It also predicated New York's transformation from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981. Another bright spot was the rushing game; keyed by the acquisition (via trade from the ''Houston Oilers'') of running back Rob Carpenter in early October. Carpenter rushed for 748 yards and scored five touchdowns thru the balance of the season and the Giants went 9–7. They defeated the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs, 27–21, then lost 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 ...
38–24 in the divisional playoffs., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007.
In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Giants lost their first two games before the strike, and their first game upon returning., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. They won their next three games to even their record at 3–3. Perkins then announced that he was leaving to take the head coaching job at Alabama after the season (replacing the legendary
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 ...
in that capacity), and the team lost the next two games, effectively eliminating them from the playoffs (despite defeating the Eagles in the season finale to go 4–5). Taylor remained a bright spot, repeating as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Young chose
Bill Parcells
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 ...
, the Giants'
defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator (DC) is a coach responsible for a gridiron football team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's coaching structure, wit ...
, as the team's new head coach.
Parcells first year proved difficult. In his first major decision, he named Scott Brunner as his starting quarterback over Phil Simms. At first, it appeared his decision was justified, especially after a 27–3 Monday night victory over Green Bay gave New York a 2–2 record. But then they lost 10 of their final 12 games., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. Parcells ignored fans' protests and stuck with Brunner for most of the year, although Jeff Rutledge saw considerable late-season action. Simms finally played in a week six game against the Eagles, only to suffer a season–ending thumb injury.
Simms won the starting job back in 1984, and Brunner was traded. The Giants had a resurgent season, highlighted by a second-half stretch where they won five of six games. Despite losing their last two to finish 9–7, they still made the playoffs. In the first round, they defeated the highly favored Los Angeles Rams 16–13 on the road before losing 21–10 to the eventual Super Bowl champion
San Francisco 49ers
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 ...
., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. Simms threw for 4,044 yards, making him the first Giant to pass for 4,000 yards in a season.
The Giants success continued in 1985 by going 10–6.1985 New York Giants football-reference.com, accessed December 6, 2010. The defense carried the team and led the NFL in sacks with 68., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. They won their first-round playoff game, 17–3 over the defending champion 49ers. It was New York's first postseason win at home since 1958, and their first ever at Giants Stadium. In the divisional playoffs, they lost 21–0 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears. Many of the players that would play key roles on New York's Super Bowl teams emerged in 1985. Joe Morris became the feature back, running for 1,338 yards, scoring 21 touchdowns, and making the Pro Bowl. Second-year receiver Lionel Manuel led the Giants with 49 receptions, and rookie 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. Simms threw every pass for New York for the second consecutive season, and passed for over 3,800 yards. Defensive end Leonard Marshall recorded 15.5 sacks, and Taylor added 13.
Back on top: 1986–1990
1986: Super Bowl Champions
New York entered the 1986 season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They had their first test in a Monday Night game against the defending NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. They lost 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 ...
, 31–28. However, they won their next five in a row and 14 of their last 15, to finish the season with a 14–2 record. One of the signature plays of the season occurred during a Monday Night game in December. Here is a description of the play taken from a ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (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 ...
'' broadcast in 2005: "On December 1st, 1986...with the Giants trailing, (Mark) Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle. It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. Bavaro’s inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl." New York's defense allowed 236 points during the season, second fewest in the NFL, and Taylor set a team record with 20.5 sacks. He won a record third Defensive Player of the Year Award, and was named league MVP.
The Giants defeated San Francisco 49–3 in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, then Washington 17–0 in the NFC Championship Game., databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. The Giants advanced 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. After falling behind 10–9 at halftime, they came back to beat the Broncos 39–20. Simms was named the game's MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record.
1987–1989
In 1987, the Giants lost their first two games before the players strike. Unlike the players strike five years previous, NFL owners made a decision to use replacement players, but still lost all three replacement games, putting them at 0–5 when the strike ended. Though the Giants went 6–4 over their final 10 games, they finished out of the playoffs at 6–9. Bright spots for the season included tight end Mark Bavaro, who led the team in catches with 55, and three New York's linebackers making the Pro Bowl—Taylor, Carson, and Carl Banks.
New York's 1988 season got off to a turbulent start due an offseason scandal involving 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 ...
, violating the NFL's substance abuse policy and was suspended for the first four games of the season. Taylor's over-the-edge lifestyle was becoming an increasing concern for fans and team officials. After his return, however, Taylor recorded 15.5 sacks in 12 games. The intense worry and scrutiny would prove to be for naught as for the rest of his career Taylor would pass his drug tests.
Predictably, the Giants struggled to start the season. They were 2–2 when Taylor returned from his suspension.1988 New York Giants football-reference.com, accessed March 18, 2007. With Taylor back and playing well, however, they won six out of their next eight games. After two straight losses, the Giants won their next three contests to set up a win-or-go-home game against the Jets in the season finale. The Jets upset the Giants 27–21. When the Eagles beat the Cowboys, and the 49ers lost to the Rams later that night, the Eagles won the NFC East and the Rams clinched the final Wild Card berth. The Giants finished on the outside looking in despite a 10–6 record, because in the tiebreakers, they were swept in the season series by Philadelphia and had a worse conference record than the Rams.
The Giants' 12–4 record in 1989 was the NFC's second-best (only to San Francisco's 14–2 record)NFL History:1989 NFL Standings , NFL.com/history, accessed March 18, 2007. They lost their divisional playoff game in overtime to the Rams, 19–13., databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007. 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. After catching the ball, Anderson made a long run to the end zone, silencing the crowd in attendance. In 1989, free-agent acquisition
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 ...
ran for 1,023 yards and caught 28 passes. Rookie 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
The Giants won their first 10 games of the 1990 season, setting a record for the best start in the team's history.Litsky, Frank Giants Stay Perfect ''The New York Times'', November 19, 1990, accessed March 22, 2008. The San Francisco 49ers also got off to a strong start, matching New York with their own 10–0 start. Although both teams lost their next game, their Week 13 matchup was still eagerly anticipated. The Giants held the 49ers' vaunted offense to seven points, but scored just three themselves., databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007.
New York won the following week against Minnesota before facing the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
in their regular season home finale. Despite holding a significant advantage in
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 ...
, they lost 17–13, for their third loss in four games. To compound New York's problems, Phil Simms went down with an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year. His replacement, Jeff Hostetler, was an unproven career backup, who had thrown a mere 68 passes coming into the season.
The Giants won their final two games to secure a 13–3 record and a first-round playoff bye as the NFC's #2 seed. They defeated Chicago 31–3 in the Divisional Playoffs, setting up a rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC Championship. As they had in Week 13, the Giants' defense held San Francisco's offense in check. In the game's waning moments, nose tackle
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 Taylor recovered it. New York drove downfield into San Francisco territory, and on the game's last play, kicker
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr (born July 6, 1956) is an American former professional American football, football placekicker in the National Football League (NFL), and professional soccer player in the North American Soccer League (1968–84), North Americ ...
hit a 42-yard field goal to defeat the 49ers, 15–13.
The win set up another rematch, this time in the Super Bowl against the Buffalo Bills.
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. 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. The Giants got off to a quick 3–0 lead;Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 935 however, the Bills scored the next 12 points. The Giants responded by running a nearly eight-minute drive, which culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Hostetler to Stephen Baker.Super Bowl XXV footballreference.com, accessed October 5, 2010.
The Giants received the second-half kickoff and mounted a record-setting drive. The opening drive ran for over nine minutes (a Super Bowl record) and culminated in a 1-yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson, giving the Giants a 17–12 lead. On the first play of the 4th quarter, the Bills' Thurman Thomas ran for a 31-yard touchdown that put Buffalo back in front, 19–17. On the ensuing possession, the Giants drove down to the Buffalo 4-yard line, and Bahr made a 21-yard field goal, which gave the Giants a 20–19 lead. Both teams exchanged possessions before the Bills began one final drive, driving down to the Giants 29-yard line to set up what would be a potential 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 ...
. In what would become 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 marked the end of an era. After the Super Bowl, defensive coordinator Bill Belichick left to become head coach of 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 ...
. Parcells also decided to leave the Giants in the spring of 1991 to pursue a career in broadcasting. In addition, there was an ownership change in what had been one of the most stable front offices in professional sports. In February 1991, Tim Mara was diagnosed with cancer,Burke, Monte Turning $500 Into A $573 Million NFL Team forbes.com, August 29, 2003, accessed June 1, 2007. and he sold his 50% interest in the team to Bob Tisch for a reported $80 million. This marked the first time since their inception in 1925 that the Giants had not been wholly owned and controlled by the Mara family.History of the New York Giants , giants.com/history, accessed May 24, 2007.
After Parcells – the Handley era: 1991–1992
Following the departure of Parcells and Belichick — who many people saw as the likely successor to Parcells — the surprise choice as head coach was running backs coach Ray Handley. Handley, however, 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 22, 2008. * Pervin. pg. 119
As with Parcells eight years previous, one of Handley's first major decisions involved replacing Phil Simms as starting quarterback. Jeff Hostetler was named the team's starter. Though the Giants won their opening game in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the 49ers, 16–14,, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007. they lost three out of their next four games to drop to 2–3. Though they rallied to finish the season 8–8, and Simms reclaimed his starting job later in the year, the excitement that surrounded the Giants the previous year was gone. One of the few promising young players to emerge on the team was second–year running back Rodney Hampton, who led the Giants in rushing with 1,059 yards.
Through the 1991 season, it was clear that the team's core players on defense had aged quickly. This deterioration continued in 1992, when Lawrence Taylor ruptured his
Achilles tendon
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 ...
in the team's tenth game,Anderson, Dave Sports of the Times; Life Without L.T. Begins, and Giants Find It a Struggle ''The New York Times'', November 16, 1992, accessed March 22, 2008. and the Giants promptly lost six out of their last seven games to finish the year 6–10., databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. The defense continued its descent, finishing 26th in the league in points allowed after leading the league in that category in 1990. Handley, who had become unpopular with both players and fans, was fired after the end of the regular season.
Dan Reeves takes over: 1993–1996
Handley was 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 ...
head 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 ...
, who led the Broncos to three Super Bowls in four years, one against the Giants. After his dismissal from the Broncos, Reeves took the unusual step of lobbying for the job. After being rebuffed by a number of candidates, George Young was pleased that someone with Reeves's credentials wanted the job.
In
1993
The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as:
* International Year for the World's Indigenous People
The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
, Reeves' impact was immediate. As Parcells had done in 1984, Reeves named Simms his starting quarterback. The defense returned to form, and allowed more than 20 points once all season., databasefootball.com, accessed March 26, 2007. With two regular season games left, the Giants were 11–3 and appeared poised for a first-round playoff bye. They were upset by a Phoenix Cardinals team, who came into the game with just five wins, 17–6, in the next-to-last week of the season, setting up a winner–take–all contest against 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 the final regular season game. Though the Giants played well, it was Emmitt Smith's memorable performance with a separated shoulder that led the Cowboys to a 16–13 overtime win, giving the Cowboys a sweep of the season series and home-field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs. Despite the loss, the Giants made the playoffs as a Wild Card and won their first-round game, 17–10 over 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 ...
. However, they were defeated by 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 ...
44–3 in the divisional playoffs. Simms played in all 16 games, completing nearly 62% of his passes, and threw for over 3,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. Simms, Hampton, offensive linemen Jumbo Elliot and centerBart Oates made the 1994 Pro Bowl, and Reeves was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press. After the season, Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms, the two biggest figures of the late 1980s and early 1990s Giants teams, retired.
Before the
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
season, Reeves named Dave Brown, who had been a #1 supplemental draft choice in 1992, the Giants starting quarterback. Though Brown led the Giants to wins in their first three games, they lost their next seven. The Giants recovered to win their last six games of the season, but missed the playoffs. During the winning streak, they never allowed more than 20 points in a game.
The Giants regressed to a 5–11 record in
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
. Much of the blame for the Giants' poor performance was placed on Brown. He put up lackluster numbers for the second straight year. Though the Giants defense still played well, and young players like
Michael Strahan
Michael Anthony Strahan ( ; born November 21, 1971) is an American television host, journalist, and former professional American football, football player. He played his entire 15-year professional career as a defensive end for the New York Gian ...
and Jessie Armstead began to emerge, the Giants inspired tepid interest league-wide and sent no players to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year.
The Giants had another losing season in
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
, finishing 6–10. Though Brown again started every game for the Giants, he turned in one of the worst seasons of any starting quarterback in the NFL, throwing for just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions. The Giants' offense was one of the worst in the NFL and, unlike in previous years, the defense was unable to carry the team. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, Reeves was fired.
Jim Fassel era
1997–1999
The Giants hired former
Arizona 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) NFC West, West division. The ...
offensive coordinator
Jim Fassel
James Edward Fassel (August 31, 1949 – June 7, 2021) was an American college and professional football player and coach. He was the head coach of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1997 to 2003. He was offensive coo ...
as their head coach before the
1997
Events January
* January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States.
* January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis.
* January 1 ...
season. With the team's offense floundering once again and a 2–3 record after five games, Fassel turned to inexperienced Danny Kanell as the starting quarterback over Dave Brown. The Giants experienced a resurgent season, finishing 10–5–1 and winning the
NFC East
The National Football Conference – Eastern Division or NFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the National Football Conference (NFC) in the National Football League (NFL). It has four members: the Dallas Cowboys, New Yo ...
. They hosted a first–round playoff 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 ...
. The Giants led the Vikings for most of the game, including 22–13 in the 4th quarter, but following a muffed onside kick, the Vikings booted a last-second field goal to win 23–22., databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007. Following the season, George Young left the Giants. He was replaced by Ernie Accorsi, a veteran general manager who had successful stints building the
Baltimore Colts
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 ...
and
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 ...
.
The Giants regressed to an 8–8 record in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
. The strength of the team during the season was their defense, which featured two Pro Bowlers in Armstead and Strahan. However, the offense continued to struggle. Dave Brown had been released before the season and replaced by Kanell and Kent Graham. However, neither quarterback provided Pro Bowl-caliber play. Before the
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
season, the Giants signed quarterback
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panth ...
. Collins had been the first–ever draft choice of the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
The Sporting News
''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
'', March 8, 1999, accessed March 20, 2007. Accorsi was confident in Collins' abilities.
In 1999,
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber Sr. (; born April 7, 1975) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 10-year career as a running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college fo ...
emerged as a solid pass–catching running back, catching 66 passes., databasefootball.com, accessed March 18, 2007. Wide receiver Amani Toomer also had a breakout season, accumulating over 1,100 yards receiving and six touchdowns, and Ike Hilliard finished just shy of 1,000 yards receiving. The defense rebounded, ranking 11th in the league, and Armstead and Strahan again were selected to the Pro Bowl. Though the Giants stood at 7–6 and poised for a playoff berth, they lost their final three games to miss the playoffs.
2000: Super Bowl season
The 2000 season was considered a make-or-break year for Fassel. The conventional wisdom was that Fassel needed to have a strong year and a playoff appearance to save his job. After back-to-back losses at home against the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
and
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 Giants fell to 7–4,2000 New York Giants , pro-football-reference.com, March 21, 2007. and their playoff prospects were in question. At a press conference following the loss to Detroit, Fassel guaranteed that " is team is going to the playoffs." The Giants responded, winning the next week's game against Arizona and the rest of their regular season games to finish the season 12–4 and earn a bye and home-field advantage as the NFC's top seed.
The Giants won their first playoff game against 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 ...
, 20–10, and then defeated 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 ...
41–0 in the NFC Championship game. They advanced to play the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
in
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion 2000 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion 2000 New York Giants season, New York Giant ...
. Though the Giants kept the game close early and went into halftime down only 10–0,Super Bowl XXXV football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010. the Ravens dominated the second half. The Ravens' defense harassed Kerry Collins all game long, and he had one of the worst games in Super Bowl history. Collins completed only 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and four interceptions, and the Ravens won the game, 34–7. The Giants' only score came on a Ron Dixon 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late in the 3rd quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, the Ravens' Jermaine Lewis scored a touchdown on an 84-yard return.
2001–2003
The Giants were unable to build on their Super Bowl appearance. They ended the
2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
season 7–9 and out of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. Collins continued his success as the team's quarterback, throwing for over 3,700 yards and 19 touchdowns,, databasefootball.com, accessed March 20, 2007. and Strahan broke the NFL record by recording 22.5 sacks In
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
, Collins had one of the best seasons of his career, throwing for over 4,000 yards,, databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. and Barber rushed for 1,386 yards and caught 69 passes for 597 yards. Rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey caught 74 passes for a total of 894 yards. The team started 6–6, but made the playoffs as a wild card by winning their last four regular season games.
In the wild card playoffs, the Giants built a 38–14 3rd-quarter lead against 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 ...
.Associated Press Garcia, 49ers erase 24-point deficit espn.com, January 5, 2003, accessed March 22, 2007. However, the 49ers rallied, scoring a field goal, and three touchdowns to take a 39–38 lead with a minute left in the game. Collins then drove the Giants down to the 49ers 23-yard line with six seconds left, setting up a potential game winning 41-yard field goal attempt for
Matt Bryant
Steven Matt Bryant (born May 29, 1975), nicknamed "Money Matt", is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Baylor Bears, and was signed as ...
. On the final play of the game, 40-year-old long snapper Trey Junkin — who had just been signed for this playoff game — snapped the ball low, and punter Matt Allen could not spot the ball properly for the attempt. Allen picked the ball up and threw an unsuccessful pass downfield to offensive lineman Rich Seubert as time expired, and the Giants lost 39–38.
The Giants started the
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
season 4–4, but lost their final eight games., databasefootball.com, accessed March 17, 2007. With two games remaining in the season, Jim Fassel requested a meeting with team management, and asked, if he was to be fired, that they do so now rather than wait until the end of the season.Associated Press Fassel wants another coaching job espn.com, December 19, 2003, accessed March 23, 2007. Management complied with his request, formally firing Fassel on (or around) December 17, 2003, but allowing him to coach the team's final two games.
Eli Manning era: 2004–2019
2004–2006
After a brief search, Ernie Accorsi hired former
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
coach Tom Coughlin to be the Giants' head coach. Coughlin was considered a disciplinarian, in contrast to the departed Fassel, whose lenient style was criticized in his final years with the club. Accorsi coveted quarterback
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
San Diego Union-Tribune
''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868. Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'', September 21, 2005, accessed March 21, 2007. The Giants released
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins (born December 30, 1972) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Collins was a member of six NFL teams, most notably the Carolina Panth ...
, who was unhappy with a backup role, and signed veteran quarterback
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene Warner (born June 22, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, whi ...
. The plan was for Warner to be the starter, while the team groomed Manning to ultimately take over the job. After losing 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 ...
in the
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
season opener, the Giants, with Warner at quarterback, won five of their next six games, making them 5–2., databasefootball.com, accessed March 21, 2007. After losing two close games, to the
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 ...
and
Arizona 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) NFC West, West division. The ...
, to drop to 5–4, Coughlin announced that Manning would start the rest of the season. Manning struggled, and the Giants did not score more than 14 points in their next four games. He performed better later in the season, but the Giants finished the season 6–10. Barber established a career-high in rushing with 1,518 yards. He also had 52 catches and a total of 15 touchdowns.
The Giants started 4–2 in
2005
2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
., databasefootball.com, accessed March 16, 2007. Then, on October 25, patriarch
Wellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara (August 14, 1916 – October 25, 2005) was an American professional football executive. He was the co-owner of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1959 until his death. He was the younger son o ...
died after a brief illness at the age of 89.Goldstein, Richard Wellington Mara, the Patriarch of the N.F.L., Dies at 89 ''The New York Times'', October 26, 2005, accessed April 17, 2007. Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was nine years old, when he worked for them as a
ball boy
Ball boys and ball girls, also known as ball kids, are individuals, usually human youths, but sometimes dogs, who retrieve and supply balls for players or officials in sports such as association football, American football, bandy, cricket, tenn ...
. Except a tour of duty in the military during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Mara spent his entire adult life with the team. He was beloved by many of the players, and was noted for making an effort to get to know each of them.Pervin. pg. 113 The Giants dedicated their next game to Mara, and defeated 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 ...
36–0. Just twenty days after Mara's death, on November 15, the other Giants Executive Officer, Bob Tisch, died at the age of 79. The Giants honored Tisch by 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 ...
27–17 in their next game. Barber set a new team single-game rushing record with 220 yards, and the team's single-season record with 1,860 yards in a victory over the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
. The Giants finished 11–5 and hosted the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
in the wild card playoffs, but lost 23–0.
The Giants regressed to an 8–8 record in
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
. The season was characterized by inconsistent play, criticism of the coaching by the media and players, and Manning's struggles. They won five straight following a 1–2 start, giving them a two-game lead in the NFC East,2006 New York Giants Schedule football-reference.com, accessed March 21, 2007. but they lost six of their last seven games, and the players publicly clashed with Coughlin. One of the team's worst losses was a 24–21 defeat to the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
, in which the team surrendered a 21-point 4th-quarter lead. Following a season-ending win against 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 ...
, the Giants made the playoffs as a wild card despite their record, but were defeated 23–20 by 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 ...
.
Barber led the Giants with 1,662 yards rushing and over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, Manning threw for 3,244 yards and 24 touchdowns, and Jeremy Shockey led the team in receptions.2006 New York Giants player stats espn.com, accessed March 21, 2007. Defensively, the team struggled against the pass (28th in the league) and gaining a consistent pass rush (tied for 23rd in the league in sacks).
2007: Third Super Bowl Championship
In 2007, the Giants made the playoffs for the third consecutive season.New York Giants football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010. In a September game against 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 tied the NFL record for most sacks in a game by sacking Philadelphia quarterback
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb (born November 25, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college ...
12 times, with
Osi Umenyiora
Ositadimma "Osi" Umenyiora (born November 16, 1981) is a British-Nigerian former professional American football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Troy Trojans and was select ...
recording six of those sacks. They became the third NFL franchise to win 600 games when they defeated 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 ...
31–10 in October. That same month, they also played in the NFL's first regular season game outside of North America, in London's Wembley Stadium, where they beat 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 ...
13–10. They ended the regular season 10–6 and defeated the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
24–14 in the first round of the playoffs, earning Manning and Coughlin their first playoff victories with the Giants.2007 New York Giants football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010. The next week, the Giants won their ninth consecutive road game by beating the top-seeded 2007 Dallas Cowboys season, Dallas Cowboys 21–17. In the NFC Championship Game, Lawrence Tynes kicked an overtime field goal to give them a 23–20 road victory over the 2007 Green Bay Packers season, Green Bay Packers.
In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants defeated the previously unbeaten 2007 New England Patriots season, New England Patriots 17–14. The signature play of the game came on a 3rd-and-5, with the Giants on their own 44-yard line, down 14–10, and 1:15 remaining in the 4th quarter. Manning dropped back to pass, but was surrounded by New England pass rushers. Escaping three tackles, he threw a long pass to David Tyree, Helmet Catch, who caught the ball against his own helmet, while being covered by Patriots safety Rodney Harrison. Four plays later, Manning threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left. Manning won the game's MVP award by completing 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns.New York Giants 17 vs. New England Patriots 14 football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010. The Giants' win is considered one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
Michael Strahan retired after the game as the team's all-time leader in sacks.
2008–2016
The Giants' 12–4 record in 2008 New York Giants season, 2008 earned them the number one seed in the NFC and a first-round bye in the playoffs. They won 11 of their first 12 games before stumbling to lose four of their last five, including a 23–11 loss to the 2008 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Divisional Playoffs.2008 New York Giants football-reference.com, October 5, 2010. Manning threw for 3,238 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, and was named to the 2009 Pro Bowl after the season. Other standouts included Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward who both rushed for 1,000 yards (who helped the Giants lead the NFL in rushing yards2008 NFL Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010.); Justin Tuck, who led the team with 12 sacks; and Antonio Pierce, who was the team's leading tackler. The Giants featured a balanced offense with no receiver topping 600 receiving yards.
The Giants won their first five games in 2009 New York Giants season, 2009, but lost their next four. After beating the 2009 Atlanta Falcons season, Atlanta Falcons 34–31 in overtime, they lost badly to the 2009 Denver Broncos season, Denver Broncos 26–6 on NFL on Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Day. They defeated the 2009 Dallas Cowboys season, Dallas Cowboys 31–24 in Week 13, then lost 45–38 to the 2009 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles the next week.2009 New York Giants football-reference.com, October 5, 2010. At 8–6, they still had a chance to make the playoffs, but losses to the 2009 Carolina Panthers season, Carolina Panthers and the 2009 Minnesota Vikings season, Minnesota Vikings to finish the season left them out of the playoffs at 8–8.2009 NFL Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics football-reference.com, accessed October 5, 2010.
In the spring of 2010, construction on the New Meadowlands Stadium (now MetLife Stadium) was completed, and the Giants and Jets opened it in August with their annual preseason game.Mascarenhas, Rohan New Meadowlands Stadium opens to Giants, Jets fans in East Rutherford ''The Star-Ledger'', August 17, 2010, accessed October 5, 2010. In the 2010 New York Giants season, 2010 regular season, they won their home opener against the 2010 Carolina Panthers season, Carolina Panthers, 31–18, avenging their late-season loss from the previous year. They went on the road to play the 2010 Indianapolis Colts season, Indianapolis Colts in the second "Manning Bowl" in Week 2. Peyton outplayed Eli (who threw for just 161 yards) in a 38–14 Colts victory. Discipline became a growing problem for the Giants during the season.Garofolo, Mike Penalty problems plaguing Giants even as coach Tom Coughlin preaches discipline ''The Star-Ledger'', October 3, 2010, October 5, 2010. In the Colts game, Jacobs threw his helmet into the stands, and in the next game, offensive tackle David Diehl ripped off the helmet of 2010 Tennessee Titans season, Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan.
During the 2011 New York Giants season, 2011 preseason, the Giants lost tight end Kevin Boss, wide receiver Steve Smith (wide receiver, born 1985), Steve Smith, guard Rich Seubert, linebacker Keith Bulluck, wide receiver Derek Hagan, and Pro Bowl center Shaun O'Hara to free agency. However, the 2011 season also saw the emerging of second-year wide receiver Victor Cruz (American football), Victor Cruz and second-year tight end Jake Ballard. The Giants opened the season against the 2011 Washington Redskins season, Washington Redskins on the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, with both New York City and Washington being a target of the attacks. The Redskins beat the Giants 28–14, but the Giants won their next three games, against the 2011 St. Louis Rams season, St. Louis Rams, 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles, and 2011 Arizona Cardinals season, Arizona Cardinals. After a loss against the 2011 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks, they went on another three-game winning streak.NY Giants: 2011 season game by game ''The Star-Ledger'', February 5, 2012, accessed May 2, 2017. A key victory was an upset of the 2011 New England Patriots season, New England Patriots 24–20 at Gillette Stadium. The victory ended the Patriots' NFL record home-game winning streak, after a touchdown pass from Manning to Ballard with 15 seconds left. However, the Giants lost their next three games, before regaining their position atop the NFC East with a tightly contested 37–34 win over the 2011 Dallas Cowboys season, Dallas Cowboys on December 11. After splitting their next two games against the Redskins and 2011 New York Jets season, New York Jets, a victory over the Cowboys in the last game of the regular season clinched a postseason appearance for the Giants.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Giants defeated the 2011 Atlanta Falcons season, Atlanta Falcons 24–2. After giving up an early safety in the first half, Eli Manning threw three consecutive touchdowns. Running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs combined for 172 yards rushing, a season-high for the Giants. With the victory, the Giants advanced to the second round against the top-seeded 2011 Green Bay Packers season, Green Bay Packers.
The following week, the Giants defeated the Packers 37–20. Manning threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. This earned the Giants a spot in the NFC Championship Game against the 2011 San Francisco 49ers season, San Francisco 49ers. They won that game in overtime, 20–17 with Lawrence Tynes scoring the game-winning field goal as he did four years earlier in the same game against the Green Bay Packers.
The New York Giants won Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots by a score of 21–17. The winning touchdown drive began with a 38-yard reception by wide receiver Mario Manningham. As in Super Bowl XLII, Eli Manning was the game's MVP, defeating Tom Brady for a second time in the Super Bowl.
Despite winning 2 Super Bowl championships in 5 years, the 2012 New York Giants season, 2012 (9–7), 2013 New York Giants season, 2013 (7–9), and 2014 New York Giants season, 2014 (6–10) seasons saw the Giants missing the playoffs 3 years in a row. A bright spot of the 2014 season was rookie Odell Beckham Jr., who burst onto the scene catching 91 passes on 132 targets, for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, and in doing so winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Giants struggled in 2015 New York Giants season, 2015, finishing 6–10 again and third in the NFC East due to the Giants defense blowing the lead in the final minutes in 6 of their 10 games. Despite their defensive struggles, quarterback Eli Manning threw for a career-high 35 touchdown passes and also set career highs in attempts and completions. After the season, head coach Tom Coughlin resigned after 12 seasons.
In 2016 New York Giants season, 2016 with new head coach Ben McAdoo, the Giants began a rocky 2–3 start after starting 2–0. The Giants rebounded their rocky start and went on a 6-game winning streak for the first time since 2010 which lasted from Week 6 to Week 13. In that span, the Giants improved from their last two season. The Giants clinched a 10 win season for the first time since 2010 with their Week 15 win over the 2016 Detroit Lions season, Detroit Lions. Despite losing to the 2016 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16, the Giants clinched a playoff trip when the 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the 2016 New Orleans Saints season, New Orleans Saints on Christmas Eve ending the Giants' 5 year playoff drought. They eventually finished 11–5 and second in the NFC East, but lost to the 2016 Green Bay Packers season, Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round.
2017–2018: Major struggles
Going into the 2017 season the Giants had high expectations to challenge for the NFC East title against the Dallas Cowboys. The Giants however would get to an awful start going 0–5 with major injuries to the team on both sides of the team including losing Odell Beckham Jr. for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. The Giants would get their first win of the season in week 6 against 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 ...
. However, the Giants would proceed to lose five of their next six games and after a loss to the Oakland Raiders in week 13, head coach Ben McAdoo along with general manager Jerry Reese were fired. Steve Spagnuolo would be named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The Giants would end up finishing the season 3–13 which is their worst record since 2003 (4–12).
For the 2018 season the Giants hired Pat Shurmur as their next head coach who was the offensive coordinator for 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 ...
and last head coached for 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 ...
in 2012. The Giants would draft with their second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft running back Saquon Barkley from Penn State. The Giants would struggle throughout the season starting 1–7 before their bye week, but would rally to win four of their next five games. They would end up finishing the season 5–11 and miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Despite the losing season, Barkley was seen as a bright spot for their offense and was named 2018 NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Daniel Jones era: 2019–present
2019: Daniel Jones' rookie season
During the 2019 off-season the Giants would trade Odell Beckham Jr. to 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 ...
for a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers. The Giants would draft with their sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft quarterback Daniel Jones (American football), Daniel Jones from Duke.
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning family, he is the youngest ...
would start the first two games of the season, losing both. Head coach Pat Shurmur made the decision to bench Manning and replaced him with Jones as quarterback. In his first career start in week 3, Jones would rally the team in a comeback win against the 2019 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his first win. Jones would also win his first divisional game against the 2019 Washington Redskins season, Washington Redskins, evening the team's record at 2–2. Despite the promising start, the Giants would then lose their next nine games, and finished the season with a record of 4–12. Shurmur was fired after the season.
Joe Judge era (2020–2021)
2020
2020 was the first year since 2003 that Eli Manning wasn't on the roster, as he retired following the 2019 season. For the 2020 season, the Giants hired former Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge (American football), Joe Judge to be their new head coach. The Giants, however, lost their first five games, three of which were decided by one score. Their first win came at the hands of the 2020 Washington Football Team season, Washington Football Team, as the Giants held off a late rally by Washington to win 20–19. They would lose their next two games against the Eagles and the Buccaneers by one and two points, respectively. They would then win four straight games, including a 17–12 upset over the 2020 Seattle Seahawks season, Seattle Seahawks, and sat at 5–7, tied with the Washington Football Team for best with the division, but the Giants owned the tiebreaker due to a head-to-head sweep. The Giants proceeded to lose their next three games by two or more scores. A 23-19 Week 17 victory over the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, Dallas Cowboys put the Giants at 6-10 and in contention for the NFC East title. All they needed to happen was for the 6-9 Washington Football Team to lose to the 4-10-1 2020 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles that night, and the Giants would be in. However, the Eagles would end up being criticized for Tanking (sports), tanking, allowing Washington to get away with a 20–14 victory, eliminating the Giants from the playoffs and from contention of claiming the worst record in NFL history for a team that qualified for the playoffs (the worst record was 7–9 by the 2010 Seattle Seahawks season, 2010 Seattle Seahawks and the aforementioned Washington Football Team).
2021
The Giants tanked during the 2021 season. The Giants started 0–3, with the last two games against the Washington Football Team and the Atlanta Falcons being lost due to game-winning kicks. They were unable to improve on their record, and despite three midseason wins which allowed the Giants a chance to comeback at 3–6, they won only one of their next 8 games, and fell to 4–13, causing them to miss the playoffs and fail to meet their record from the previous year. Following the season, Dave Gettleman announced his retirement and Joe Judge was fired.
Brian Daboll era
In the offseason, the Giants hired Bills front office assistant Joe Schoen to become their general manager, who in turn hired Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll to become the 22nd head coach in franchise history.
The Giants started 2–0 for the first time since 2016 New York Giants season, 2016 and had their best start since 2008 New York Giants season, 2008. The Giants surpassed their 2021 win total after a Week 6 win over the 2022 Baltimore Ravens season, Baltimore Ravens. With a win over the 2022 Washington Commanders season, Washington Commanders in Week 15, they guaranteed their first non-losing season since 2016, and their first season since 2009 New York Giants season, 2009 in which they never had a losing record at any stage. Despite struggling in the second half of the season, the Giants clinched a playoff spot and a winning record for the first time since 2016 with a Week 17 win over the 2022 Indianapolis Colts season, Indianapolis Colts and finished 9–7–1.
As the sixth seed in the NFC, the Giants beat the 2022 Minnesota Vikings season, Minnesota Vikings 31–24 in the Wild Card round, getting their first playoff win since Super Bowl XLVI in 2011 New York Giants season, 2012. However, the Giants' season would end the following week with a 38–7 loss to the Eagles–Giants rivalry, division rival and eventual NFC champion 2022 Philadelphia Eagles season, Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round.
The 2023 season would be less successful as they had failed to improve on their 9–7–1 record from the previous season. A historically poor offensive line and numerous injuries, particularly losing starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a torn ACL in a Week 9 loss against the Raiders, plagued the team throughout the year. One highlight featured the Giants trailing 20–0 at halftime against the 2023 Arizona Cardinals season, Arizona Cardinals. The Giants would later make an improbable comeback to win the game 31–28. They would later finish at 6–11. This was their final season with Saquon Barkley, as he would sign a three-year deal with the division rival Eagles during the 2024 offseason.
In the 2024 season, the Giants deteriorated further to a 3-14 record. The season was plagued by poor quarterback play, numerous key injuries (particularly losing starting tackle Andrew Thomas (American football), Andrew Thomas to a Lisfranc injury), and poor pass protection similar to the previous season. The Giants also had a 10-game losing streak and were swept by all of their division rivals, both for the first time in franchise history. This was the final season with quarterback Daniel Jones on the team as he was released on November 22, a few days after being benched in favor of Tommy DeVito (American football), Tommy DeVito due to his poor performance. The ACL tear that ended his previous season as well as the return of several neck injuries played a significant factor in limiting his passing abilities. There were a few bright spots for the Giants, such as their rookie class, which was led by wide receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers broke the Giants franchise record and NFL rookie record for receptions in a season. Another bright spot was the Week 17 home game against the Indianapolis Colts, being one of the Giants best offensive performances in years as they won 45-33, preventing the Giants from becoming the first team ever to lose nine home games in a season (since the NFL expanded to 17 games in 2021 NFL season, 2021) and going winless at home for the first time since 1974. The win also eliminated the Colts from playoff contention.
Timeline
See also
*List of New York Giants seasons
*Logos and Uniforms of the New York Giants
*List of New York Giants players
Notes
Sources
*Pete Axthelm, Axthelm, Pete. "The Giants go to Jersey, or, Father Mara knows best." ''New York (magazine), New York'', New York Media, LLC Vol. 4, No. 44 November 1, 1971, issue, ISSN 0028-7369 available online
*Buckley, James Jr. ''Great Moments in Football.'' Milwaukee: Gareth Stevens, 2000
*Carroll, John Martin. ''Grange and the Rise of Modern Football.'' Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999
*Cavanaugh, Jack. ''Giants Among Men: How Robustelli, Huff, Gifford, and the Giants Made New York a Football Town and Changed the NFL.'' New York: Random House, 2008
*Eskenazi, Gerald. ''There Were Giants in Those Days.'' New York: Grosset & Dunlap 1976
*Gottehrer, Barry. ''The Giants of New York, the history of professional football's most fabulous dynasty.'' New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1963 OCLC 1356301
*Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M., and Korch, Rick. ''The Complete History of Professional Football from 1892 to the Present.'' New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994
*Pellowski, Steve. ''The Little Giant Book of Football Facts.'' New York: Sterling Publishing, 2005
*Pervin, Lawrence A. ''Football's New York Giants: A History.'' McFarland 2009
*Schwartz, John. ''Tales from the New York Giants Sideline.'' Champaign: Sports Publishing LLC, 2004
*Sprechman, Jordan and Shannon, Bill. ''This Day in New York Sports.'' Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC. 1998
*Walsh, Chris. ''New York Giants Football: Guide and Record Book.'' Illinois: Triumph Books 2009
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:History Of The New York Giants
History of the New York Giants,