The New York Giants are one of the classic teams in the NFL. They have a rich history of success led by all time players, coaches, and executives.
While names like Dave Gettleman, Ben McAdoo, and Pat Shurmur have changed that narrative over the past few seasons, the history of the franchise cannot be forgotten. And it is a long one. The Giants have won four Super Bowls and three NFL Championships in their history.
This is a list that stretches time. New York has had legends in the program since the beginning. Here are the five biggest names to be associated with Big Blue.
5. Tom Coughlin
There have been many legendary players to wear a Giants' uniform, but it was difficult to find one to put in this spot over Coughlin. The impact he had on the franchise was incredible.
Coughlin was brought to be the head coach in 2004 after the Giants suffered a 4-12 season. In just his second year, Coughlin had turned the Giants into an 11-5 team with an NFC East title. He led the Giants to the postseason in four of his first five years. In 2007, he led the Giants on one of the most incredible playoff runs in recent memory. They won three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XLII, they took down the undefeated New England Patriots and held the dynamic offense to 14 points.
Just four years later, Coughlin was back in the big one against the Patriots. Once again, the Giants got the better of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. This Super Bowl victory put Coughlin's name among the all time greats. He is one of 13 NFL head coaches in history with multiple Super Bowl victories.
Coughlin and the Giants parted ways mutually in 2015 after four straight seasons out of the playoffs. He is a top two coach in Giants' history and one of the best football men of his generation.
4. Wellington Mara
Players and coaches are visible when the games are going on. In the Giants' case, a lot of their success came from the absolute highest point. In 1925, Tim Mara bought the New York Giants for $500.
Mara began his tenure with the Giants in 1937 and was the general manager making day-to-day football decisions. His father passed away in 1959 leaving Mara, along with his brother Jack, as co-owners. In 1974, Mara turned over the general manger duties to Andy Robustelli. Mara was involved in four NFL Championships and two Super Bowls.
Mara was a huge figure around the NFL until his death in 2005. He passed away at the age of 89 to Lymphoma. Just five days after receiving the news, the Giants were set to host the Washington Redskins. The team honored Mara in the best way they could. This was by torching the Redskins 36-0 led by Tiki Barber. The legendary back for the Giants' carried the ball 24 times for 206 yards and a touchdown. At the time, this was good for the Giants' single-game rushing record.
From ball boy in 1925 at the age of nine to one of the most well-known and respected owners in football at the time of his death. Mara is a legendary figure in Giants' history but most importantly, NFL history.
3. Bill Parcells
Parcells inherited a poor team in 1983. It did not take him long to turn the Giants into contenders. After a 3-12-1 campaign in year one, Parcells had the Giants in the postseason in 1984.
In 1986, Parcells led one of the most dominant teams in franchise history. They finished 14-2 and entered the playoffs on a mission. The team took down the San Francisco 49ers 49-3 before shutting out the Redskins 17-0 in the NFC Championship Game. They took home their first Super Bowl in franchise history with a 39-20 win over the Denver Broncos.
Parcells led the Giants to the postseason five times in eight years as head coach. He won double-digit games five times and won another Super Bowl in 1990. Parcells is listed with Coughlin as one of 13 NFL head coaches with multiple Super Bowl championships. He was named NFL Coach of the Year in 1986.
Parcells went on to coach the Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Jets after leaving the Giants. He was successful in his future endeavors, but Parcells is best known for his time as coach of the Giants.
2. Eli Manning
Manning made it clear prior to the 2004 NFL Draft that he would not play for the San Diego Chargers. This did not stop them from selecting the Ole Miss quarterback first overall. That night, Manning was traded to the Giants for Philip Rivers, who they selected with the fourth pick, along with three draft selections.
The rest is history. Manning started seven games as a rookie before taking over as the full time starter in 2005. Manning went on to not miss a start until the 2017 season when McAdoo made the disgusting decision to bench him for Geno Smith. Manning's consecutive start streak of 210 is third all time in the NFL.
Manning is one of the top figures in Giants' history on and off the field. In 2016, Manning was named Co-NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, along with Larry Fitzgerald. On the field, he led the Giants to two Super Bowls and was named MVP after both games. He delivered some incredible Super Bowl memories including the escape act that led to the David Tyree catch in 2007 and the Mario Manningham completion in 2011. More miraculously, he has two head-to-head victories over Brady in the Super Bowl.
Manning announced his retirement from the league in January after playing just four games in 2019. There is an ongoing debate whether Manning should be in the Hall of Fame when eligible. There should not be a doubt. Manning was a winning player and one of the best men in football during his career.
1. Lawrence Taylor
When you ask longtime football fans about the best player they have ever seen, Taylor's name could be brought up. If you ask about the best defensive player, they will certainly talk about Taylor. The Giants selected the North Carolina linebacker with the second pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.
Taylor came in and made an immediate impact. He was named to the Pro Bowl over the first 10 years of his career. In 1981, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. This is an award he would win three times. Taylor was an All-Pro during his first six seasons and in eight of his first nine.
In 1986, Taylor went nuts on the field. He led the league with 20.5 sacks and was simply unblock-able. He was named Defensive Player of the Year once again and league MVP. Taylor is one of just two defensive players to win MVP, joining Alan Paige who won in 1971.
To this day, Taylor's impact on the game is felt. He is the best defensive player in the history of the NFL. Giants' football in the 80's would not have been the same without No. 56.
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