New York Giants

Lore & Background

The Giants were one of five teams that joined the NFL in 1925, and they are the only one of that group still existing, as well as the league's longest-established team in the Northeastern United States. The team ranks third among all NFL franchises with eight NFL championship titles: four in the pre-Super Bowl era (1927, 1934, 1938, 1956) and four since the advent of the Super Bowl (XXI, XXV, XLII, and XLVI), along with more championship appearances than any other team, with 19 overall appearances. Their championship tally is surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers (13) and the Chicago Bears (9). Throughout their history, the Giants have featured 29 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor. To distinguish themselves from the professional baseball team of the same name, the football team was incorporated as the 'New York National League Football Company, Inc.' in 1929 and then changed to 'New York Football Giants, Inc.' in 1937. While the baseball team moved to San Francisco after the 1957 season, the football team continues to legally use it as its corporate name, which the team is often referred to by fans and sportscasters alike. The team has also acquired several nicknames, including 'Big Blue', the 'G-Men', and the 'Jints', an intentionally mangled contraction seen frequently in the New York Post and New York Daily News, originating from the baseball team when they were based in New York. In addition, the team as a whole is occasionally referred to as the 'Big Blue Wrecking Crew', even though this moniker primarily and originally refers to the Giants defensive unit during the 1980s and early-1990s. Since 2011, the team has struggled to find success in recent years, only having three winning seasons in 2012, 2016, and 2022, as well as two playoff appearances and no division titles. As of 2025, the Giants currently hold the longest active division title drought in the NFC, with a total of 14 seasons. The team's heated rivalry with the Philadelphia Eagles is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating back to 1933, and has been called the best rivalry in the NFL in the 21st century.

In Their Own Story

The fog at Candlestick Park didn't just obscure the field; it swallowed sound, turning the stadium into a cavern of vibrating tension and biting cold that seeped through leather gloves to settle deep in the bones. On the sideline, Bill Parcells watched with a predator's stillness, his gaze locked on Joe Montana as the Giants' defensive line, anchored by the terrifying Lawrence Taylor, coiled like a viper ready to strike. The snap came, and the pocket dissolved instantly under a tide of blue jerseys. Montana spun, evading a sack that would have ended the drive, and launched a spiral into the swirling gray mist. For a heartbeat, the white ball hung suspended against the sky before finding its mark in the end zone. It was just another brutal chapter in a war where every yard was carved out with blood, sweat, and an unyielding refusal to yield.

Reader's Guide

The Giants were founded on August 1, 1925, when Timothy Mara and Will Gibson were granted a franchise by the NFL. Their first game was an exhibition against All New Britain on October 4, 1925, which they won 26–0. Their first NFL game was a loss to the Providence Steam Roller on October 11, 1925. The team finished its first season with an 8–4–0 record. In 1927, under Earl Potteiger, the Giants finished 11–1–1 and were awarded the NFL title. In 1930, the Giants played a team of Notre Dame All Stars at the Polo Grounds, winning decisively and raising $100,000 for the unemployed; this game is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of professional football. Under Steve Owen (1931–1953), the Giants won NFL championships in 1934 (the 'Sneakers Game' against the Chicago Bears) and 1938 (against the Green Bay Packers). The 1944 Giants are ranked as the #1 defensive team in NFL history, giving up only 7.5 points per game. Under Jim Lee Howell (1954–1960), the Giants won the 1956 NFL championship at Yankee Stadium, with a coaching staff that included Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry. From 1958 to 1963, the Giants played in five NFL Championship Games but lost each time, including the 1958 'Greatest Game Ever Played' against the Colts. Under Allie Sherman (1961–1968), the Giants lost championship games to the Packers in 1961 and 1962, and to the Bears in 1963. The team declined after 1963, beginning a 15-year stretch with only two winning seasons and no playoff appearances.

Did You Know?

• The Giants' 1944 defense gave up only 7.5 points per game, a record that still stands.
• The Giants' 1934 championship game is known as the 'Sneakers Game' because the team wore sneakers for better traction on an icy field.
• The Giants' 1930 exhibition game against Notre Dame All Stars raised $100,000 for the unemployed and is credited with legitimizing professional football.
• The Giants' 1956 championship team had a Hall of Fame coaching staff including Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry.