History of the New York Giants
There have been three professional football franchises called the New York Giants, and the first two have nothing to do with the third, which is the team we know today.
In 1919, in pre-NFL professional football, the owner of the baseball New York Giants created a new football team that he creatively named the New York Giants. But he got ahead of himself. New York’s “blue laws” had changed to allow baseball on Sunday, but still didn’t allow football, and the Polo Grounds were booked for college football on Saturday.
So those New York Giants folded before ever playing a game.
Two years later we had the New York Brickley Giants, named for their coach, Charles Brickley. But they played just two games in the American Professional Football Association (now the NFL) before they folded, a 55-0 loss to the Buffalo All-Americans and a 17-0 loss to the Cleveland Tigers.
New Team to Help Struggling League
The NFL still wanted a team in New York to help the new and struggling league, and in 1925 the push to add a franchise eventually led them to New York bookmaker Tim Mara. He agreed to pay the $500 franchise fee, and that October the new New York Giants played their first game.
By 1927 the Giants were NFL Champions. They won again in 1934 and 1938, and played in the Championship Game another eight times by 1950. And another run began in 1956 with an NFL title and five more Championship Game appearances by 1963.
In the Super Bowl era the Giants have lifted four Lombardi Trophies – Super Bowls XXI, XXV, XLII, and XLVI.
Almost every era of Giants dominance is represented in the Hall of Fame. From the early championship days, Mel Hein, Ken Strong, and Tuffy Leemans are in the Hall. From the 50s and 60s there is Frank Gifford, Y.A. Tittle, and Rosey Brown. More recent Hall of Famers include Lawrence Taylor, Michael Strahan, and former head coach Bill Parcells.
NFL Big Changes from Last Season – New York Giants
The Giants are one of the teams who changed their head coach after the 2021 season. Out is Joe Judge, after only 10 wins in two seasons, and in is former Bills offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll.
The big turnaround for Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, from inaccurate and overrated, to this year’s MVP favorite, is largely credited to his work with Daboll. Expectations for what he can do with Giants quarterback Daniel Jones aren’t nearly that high, as he is far more physically limited than Allen. But Daboll, teamed with new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, the former quarterback coach of Patrick Mahomes, does have fans excited.
Eagles Offense is the Biggest Change
On offense the biggest personnel changes are along the line. The team has a new right guard in Mark Glowinski, who signed as a free agent from Indianapolis. The new center with the Giants is Jon Feliciano, who signed a three-year contract extension with the Bills in 2021, but was made a free agent in March of 2022. The Giants used one of their two first round picks on Alabama’s Evan Neal, who takes over at right tackle.
The Giants also used a second round pick on wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. Last season at Kentucky he caught 104 passes and had 1,445 yards from scrimmage.
On defense there are big changes along the line, with number five overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon. The EDGE rusher averaged 4.2 quarterback pressure per game last season for the Ducks.
In the secondary, cornerback James Bradbury is gone, but a third round pick was used on Cor’Dale Flott, from LSU. He’s small, but versatile, which is what new defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale likes in his defensive backs.
* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
NFC East
