National Football League
New York Giants
NFC/East
(Opens a New Window)
New York Giants History
In 1925 businessman Tim Mara purchased an National Football League Franchise for the city of New York for $500 and named them after the NY MLB team NY Giants. Mara also signed Jim Thorpe who was cut after 3-games. The Giants lost their first game, played at the Polo Grounds, to the Frankford Yellow Jackets. They would complete the season at 8-4. The franchise would win their first title two years later in 1927 with an 11-1-1 record.
The ‘30’s saw some changes to the franchise as Jack and Wellington Mara, sons of original owner Tim Mara, take over the franchise. In December of 1930, the Giants played a team of former Notre Dame All-Stars which were coached by legendary player Knute Rockne. Over 50,000 fans would show up at the Polo Grounds to watch the Giants win 22-0. All proceeds, $115,153 went to the NY Unemployment Fund to aid those suffering through the Great Depression. 1938 saw the team win their 2nd championship with a 23-17 win over the Green Bay Packers.
The 1940’s saw turmoil in the United States with the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Though the Giants made it into the NFL Championship game, only 13,341 fans came out to watch the Giants lose to Chicago 37-9. Due to the war, the league was pared down to only 9 teams. Afterwards, the franchise made no significant moves and continued to finish without making it into the playoffs.
The 1950’s saw the encroachment of the Canadian Football League into the NFL by signing the top players away from the NFL. Giants owner Wellington Mara then goes out and signs the CFL’s top player, HB Alex Webster. The team continued to compete but would not make it back to the playoffs until 1958 when they faced Jim Brown and the Cleveland Browns. Brown, who had rushed for an NFL Record 1,527 yards was held to only 8-yards by the Giants defense en route to a 10-0 victory advancing them into the NFL Title Game against the Baltimore Colts in what would forever be referred to as “The Greatest Game Ever Played” as the NFL used the first Sudden Death Overtime in a Championship game. The Giants would lose 10-0. In 1959, Assistant Offensive Coach Vince Lombardi leaves the team to join the Green Bay Packers as their new Head Coach.
The 1960’s saw movement in the league as Defensive Coach Tom Landry leaves the Giants to become the Head Coach of the expansion team Dallas Cowboys. 1961 saw the Giants again compete for the championship, losing to the Green Bay Packers 37-0. In 1962 the team returned to the NFL Title game against the Green Bay Packers which the Packers won 16-7. In 1965, Giants Team President Jack Mara dies and QB Y.A. Tittle retires.. In 1966, PK Pete Gogolak becomes the first AFL Player to cross over to the NFL.
1970 saw Giants RB Ron Johnson becomes the Giants 1st 1,000-yard rusher with 1,027 yards. Fran Tarkenton, who was acquired from the Vikings in the 1967 season, demands to be traded and the franchise obliges sending him back to Minnesota for QB Norm Snead and two other players and draft choices. In 1979, the Giants draft Phil Simms.
The 80’s saw franchise return to greatness as the 1986 team, led by Head Coach Bill Parcells and QB Phil Simms, the team posted a 14-2 record and marched into Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos which they dispatched with a 39-20 victory.
1990 saw the team again compete for the NFL Title with a 13-3 record that led them to Super Bowl XXV against the Buffalo Bills. The Giants win with a stirring 20-19 victory and their 2nd Super Bowl Title.
The team would again approach greatness when in 2007, led by Eli Manning, the team took on the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots, looking to become the 2nd team in NFL History to go undefeated, found themselves in a knock down drag out fight with the Giants who prevailed with a 17-14 victory earning the Franchise their 3rd Super Bowl Title.
The team has had 27 Hall of Famers on their rosters: Morris "Red" Badgro, Roosvelt Brown, Harry Carson, Larry Csonka, Ray Flaherty, Benny Friedman, Frank Gifford,
Joe Guyon, Mel Hein, Wilbur "Pete" Henry, Arnie Herber, Cal Hubbard, Sam Huff, Tuffy Leemans, Tim Mara Owner, Wellington Mara Owner, Don Maynard, Hugh McElhenny, Steve Owen Coach, Andy Robustelli, Ken Strong, Fran Tarkenton, Lawrence Taylor, Jim Thorpe, Y.A. Tittle, Emlen Tunnell and Arnie Weinmeister.
The team has retired 11 jerseys: #1 Ray Flaherty, #4 Tuffy Leemans, #7 Mel Hein, #11 Phil Simms, #14 Y. A. Tittle, #16 Frank Gifford, #32 Al Blozis, 40 Joe Morrison, #42 Charlie Conerly, #50 Ken Strong and #56 Lawrence Taylor.
Team Awards include 5 Coach of the Year Awards (1950 Steve Owens, 1956 Jim Lee Howell, 1986 Bill Parcels, 1993 Dan Reeves and 1997 Jim Fassel), 1 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (1981 Lawrence Taylro), 3 Defensive Player of the year Awards (1981, 82, 86 Lawrence Taylor and 2001 Michael Strahan)
| Stadium Seating Chart |
|---|
MetLife Stadium
|
ALL NFL TEAMS
AFC
