Top 10 New York Giants of All-Time

By Levi Coovert September 29, 2024 16:17

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The New York Giants might be laughed out now, but the team has had its fair share of legends throughout its historic past. Let’s check out the top-ten players in Giants history.

10. Fran Tarkenton, QB, 1967-1971

While Fran Tarkenton’s best years may have come with the Vikings, he also spent five years with the Giants, and was a terrific QB in the Big Apple.

As a Giant Tarkenton went 33-36, throwing for 13,905 yards and 103 TDs. He completed 55.4% of his throws for a passer rating of 81, which is very good by 1960’s standards.

Tarkenton was a Pro Bowler in four of his five years with the Giants, and finished third in MVP voting in 1970 when he tossed 19 touchdowns and led the team to a 9-5 record.

9. Odell Beckham Jr, WR, 2014-2018

The flashy NFL star was not with the Giants for long, but still earns a spot on this list in large part due to “The Catch,” referring to OBJ’s sppectacular one-handed grab against the Cowboys that immediately made him a household name.

Odell was the Rookie of the Year in 2014, catching 12 touchdowns and going for 1,305 yards. He would follow that up with a 1,450 yard, 13 TD performance in year two, and a 1,367 yard, 10 TD statline in year three. After one of the greatest three-year stretches to begin an NFL career, Odell’s career tailed off due to injuries. It will always be a mystery of what he could have become had he been able to stay healthy.

8. Amani Toomer, WR, 1996-2008

Across 13 years with the Giants, Amani Toomer had a fantastic career.

He caught 668 passes and 54 touchdowns, totalling 9,497 receiving yards. Although he never achieved accolades such as Pro Bowls, he did win a Super Bowl ring toward the tail end of his career, cementing the Giants all-time leading receiver as a winner.

Toomer averaged 14.2 yards-per-reception, and totalled an Approxomite Value of 88. He was also a dangerous punt returner, as he racked up over 1,000 return yards in three seasons as the Giants returner, while bringing three returns into the end zone.

7. Keith Hamilton, DT, 1992-2003

Keith Hamilton did it all as a defensive tackle for the Giants. His 63 sacks rank eighth all-time in Giants history, and his 411 tackles rank seventh. He also recovered 14 fumbles and forced eight across his twelve years with the Giants.

Hamilton never made a Pro Bowl, but he accumulated 90 approximate value, placing him seventh all-time in Giants history. Defensive tackles often go unappreciated, and Hamilton certainly felt that in his career.

6. Phil Simms, QB, 1979-1993

Before Eli Manning came around, there was no question as to who the best QB in Giants history was. Kids these days may know him as an announcer on Madden, but in the 1980’s Simms was a top QB in the NFL.

He was never recognized by awards, only being named to a pair of Pro Bowls in his 14-year career, but Simms achieved a far greater accomplishment, winning the Super Bowl in 1987 and being named Super Bowl MVP.

Sims compiled a 95-64 record, including five 10+ win seasons. His 199 touchdown passes rank second in Giants history, as do his 33,462 passing yards. He finished his career with a 55.4% completion rate and a 78.5 passer rating.

5. Eli Manning, QB, 2004-2019

Manning is often maligned, perhaps because he is compared to the other great QB’s in his era such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and his brother Peyton.

In fact, Eli Manning was a great NFL QB who won a pair of Super Bowls and was always best when under the most pressure.

Eli is tenth all-time in league history with 57,023 passing yards. He also ranks tenth in touchdowns, with 366. He led 37 game-winning drives, 27 fourth quarter comebacks, an 84.1 passer rating and a 60.3 completion percentage.

Much of Manning’s criticism comes from his 117-117 record, although there is a caveat. In his prime, from 2005-2012, Manning went on an eight-year stretch without a losing record. It wasn’t until the later stages of his career that the Giants stopped winning, and Manning was not the only problem during that time, with coaching and defense also holding some of the blame.

Still, he was an all-time talent, and just because he wasn’t as good as his brother does not mean Eli should go unappreciated.

4. Harry Carson, ILB, 1976-1988

Harry Carson spent thirteen years with the Giants, and put together one of the most impressive careers of any Giants defender.

The inside linebacker caught 11 interceptions and recovered 14 fumbles, making him a force to be reckoned with when it comes to causing turnovers. He played at a time before stats like tackles, QB hits, and pressures were tracked, so it will be hard to completely quantify his value, but there are two key numbers that stand out.

Carson’s 126 AV ranks fourth in Giants history. He also went to nine Pro Bowls in a span of ten years, speaking to his respect and dominance around the league.

3. Tiki Barber, RB, 1997-2006

Tiki Barber is the Giants all-time leading rusher, totalling 10,449 yards and 55 touchdowns in his ten-year career with the Giants.

His best season was 2005, when he finished fourth in MVP voting and was a first-team All-Pro selection.

He averaged 67.9 yards-per-game and 1,153 yards-per-season, getting better as his career went on. He was also dangerous as a recieving back, catching 12 touchdowns and going for 5,183 receiving yards. He topped 2,000 yards from scrimmage twice, in both 2004 and 2005, and led the league in both of those seasons. He would finish his career with 15,632 yards from scrimmage, 68 total touchdowns, and 122 AV.

2. Michael Strahan, DE, 1993-2007

One of the most dominant edge rushers of his era, Strahan leads the Giants all-time in tackles (666), assists (188) and tackles-for-loss (131). He is also just half-a-sack behind Lawrence Taylor for the Giants all-time lead in sacks, as he totaled 141.5 as a Giant, which is also tenth all-time.

Strahan was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2001, when he led the league with 22.5 sacks. He led the league again in 2003, with 18.5 sacks.

Strahan also knew how to punch the ball out. He 24 fumbles, recovered 15, and returned one for a touchdown, in his DPOY 2001 campaign. He also secured four interceptions, including a pair of pick-sixes.

He capped off his legendary career with a Super Bowl ring in 2008, when he led all defenders with two postseason sacks. The six-time All-Pro went out on top. He is now a member of the Hall-of-Fame, and a host of NFL Gameday for Fox.

1. Lawrence Taylor, OLB, 1981-1993

Taylor went down as one of the best edge rushers of all-time. The second overall pick of the 1981 draft, LT, compiled 142 sacks, ninth all-time and first in Giants history.

LT began his career by winning Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, and being named a first-team All-Pro. In 1982, he won DPOY for a second year in a row, and was again first-team All-Pro. In fact, Taylor was first-team All-Pro in each of his first six seasons, and again in his eighth and ninth seasons, only stopping for a second-team selection in years seven and ten.

Taylor’s best season came in 1986, when he led the league with 20.5 sacks. He became the first player to win three DPOY awards, and also secured an MVP award. The Giants won the Super Bowl that year, and LT was a big reason why. His AV of 192 is not only the best in Giants history, it’s the fifth best of any defensive player in NFL history.