Why the Giants?
In order to appreciate the New York Giants highlights, it’s best to look back in history and see some of the key players who made them the successful team they are today.
In the Giants’ long NFL history, dating back to 1925, they have won 4 Super Bowl titles, along with 4 pre-Super Bowl NFL championships. They have also played at least one kind of playoff game in 25 other seasons. Players, coaches, and staff deserve credit for the Giants’ success in each instance.
Let’s take a closer look at the quarterbacks throughout the Giants’ history who have helped them get to where they are today.
The Best Quarterbacks
- Charlie Conerly (1948 — 1961)
At the beginning of this list is one of the more ‘forgotten about’ quarterbacks in the New York Giants’ history, but vital for the early success of the team. Charlie Conerly has had one of the best touchdown pass percentages of his era. His career in passing consists of 173 touchdown passes, all of which were with the Giants and ranking third all-time for the franchise. Although Conerly wasn’t the starting quarterback for the 1956 Championship New York Giants team, he was the best quarterback on that team and played a great role in the Giants winning the NFL championship season that year.
- Fran Tarkenton (1967 — 1971)
Throughout his career, Tarkenton played five seasons with the New York Giants and made 4 Pro-Bowls. This stat makes him tied for the most in NFL History for any quarterback. Given The Giants’ history, they didn’t win much with Tarkenton at quarterback. At this point, they could be considered somewhat mediocre as a team. Tarkenton played a key role in keeping The Giants both competitive and respected within the industry. Later in 1967, Tarkenton made his career-high in Touchdown Passes when throwing 29. His best years went on to be when he was with the Vikings, but he will always be remembered as a grounding force for the Giants.
- Y.A. Tittle (1961 — 1964)
Across all of the players in the New York Giants, Y.A. Tittle holds the record for the most touchdowns, with 36 in a single season. This is very impressive, considering it was done throughout the 1963 season. His achievements in the Giants are even more remarkable because he was only with them for four seasons. When you consider all of the other winners and quarterbacks of Giants’ history, Tittle is up there with some of the supreme winners. In 3 out of the 4 seasons he played, Tittle also led the Giants to a 31-5-1 QB record. Although his time with the Giants was short and sweet, it was highly effective for the development of the team.
- Phil Simms (1979 — 1993)
Simms can be considered to be almost the lesser version of Eli Manning in the 1980s. Similar to Manning, Simms knew all too well what it was like to be constantly under the heat of the New York City press and was consistently scrutinized after each game. Despite all of the backlash, Simms stood firm and delivered some serious results for the Giants more often than not. Throughout his time, he was both a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP. Although he isn’t in the Hall of Fame as a player, he was incredibly close to it. His 199 Career Touchdown passes are 2nd all-time. He is known for his calm and collected gameplay, making him one of the most beloved old-school NY athletes.
- Eli Manning (2004 — 2019)
It should be no surprise to any real Giants fan why Eli Manning is at the top of this list. He will be retired in the Giants Hall of Fame forever. Throughout his time, he holds almost every New York Giants career passing record. He has beaten Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl and is a two-time Super Bowl MVP. He has had his ups and downs for the Giants, just like any player, but he was everything the team could have asked for when they made the trade back in 2004 NFL Draft day to New York. This trade will go down as one of the best in New York Giants’ History.