Who are the best quarterbacks in the NY Giants’ team history? A bold question to be asking but it is a necessary one that will see us reminiscing on some of the NFC East’s greatest talent to don the NFL gear. Over the years, the New York Giants have had a credible group of quarterbacks that their fans can be proud of. Let’s get into the best New York Giants’ quarterbacks throughout the team’s history.
5. Kerry Collins (1999-2003)
Kerry Collins is one of the quarterbacks that enjoyed a long career playing for six teams during his time in the NFL spanning over 17 years. In his five seasons with the Giants, he started 68 games and led the team to the playoffs twice. He joined the Giants in 1999 as the backup to starter Kent Graham. In Week 5, he got to start a game and by Week 12, he took over the starting role for good.
In 2000, under Collins’ leadership, the Giants played spectacular football winning their first three games of the season. Eventually, they ended the season with five wins in a row and they won the NFC East 12-4-0. As of 2018, Collins held at least seven Giants’ records, including the most passing yards (playoff game) – 381, and most 300+ yard passing games (playoffs) – 2. Collins also boasts the highest passer rating in the Giants’ history.
4. Y.A. Tittle (1961-1964)
Y.A. Tittle led the Giants to three consecutive NFL championship title games during his career with the East Coast team. Despite being discarded by the San Francisco 49ers because he was considered to be getting too old and slow, Tittle proved all his critics wrong. In August 1961, both the 49ers and Giants considered the 34-year-old to be past his prime. Initially, Tittle was meant to share the quarterback role with Charlie Conerly, Tittle went on to secure the primary duties as the Giants’ starting quarterback.
Between 1961 and 1963, he led the team to three consecutive Eastern Conference championships. Unfortunately, the team lost in each championship game. On an individual level, Tittle excelled with the Giants and received MVP awards for all three years amongst many other incredible accolades. In 1963, Tittle set the NFL record with 36 touchdown passes – it lasted for more than 20 years and it is still the record at the Giants.
3. Charlie Conerly (1948-1961)
Probably one of the more forgotten quarterbacks in the NY Giants’ history, Charlie Conerly boasts one of the best touchdown passes of his NFL era. What’s even more impressive is that he played for the Giants during his entire 14-year long NFL career. The Giants had not won an NFL Championship since 1936. With his offense, the team went on to secure the 1956 NFL Championship.
During the championship game, he came off the bench and completed 7 of 10 passes for 195 yards and secured two second-half touchdown passes which saw the Giants take a 47-7 win. Conerly was inducted into the inaugural 2010 class of the Giants Ring of Honor
2. Phil Simms (1979-1993)
During Phil Simms’ entire NFL career, 15 years to be exact, he was the Giants quarterback. Phil Simms stands tall in the Giants’ history books. During the 1986 season, Simms and the Giants achieved a 14-2 record on their way to the Super Bowl. His incredible 88% pass completion percentage and 150.9 passer rating were, and still are, Super Bowl records.
Phil Simms’ Giants legacy entails career passes for 33,462 yards and 199 touchdowns. He was named the Super Bowl MVP during the 1986 season as well as being named a first-team All-Pro in 1986.
1. Eli Manning (2004-2019)
One of football’s most famous players, Eli Manning began his professional football career with the NY Giants. After playing college football at the University of Mississippi, he spent his entire 16-year career with the Giants. During the Giants’ 2005 season, Manning started every game and passed for 3,762 yards and 24 touchdowns, leading the Giants offense that scored 422 points.
Manning’s incredible Giants legacy includes passes for 57,023 yards and 366 touchdowns. He started as the quarterback in 210 consecutive regular-season games and 12 playoff games. Manning incredibly led the NY Giants to the playoffs in six seasons. He also earned two Super Bowl MVP awards. Eli Manning certainly has cemented himself as one of the best Giants and overall NFL quarterbacks.
NY Giants current quarterback – the verdict
Even after numerous losses this season, the Giants are not giving up on the 23-year-old quarterback, Daniel Jones.
Jones said, “I’m always learning and improving. I don’t think you use that ever as an excuse. I’m expected to play well, to understand what we’re trying to do, and to execute it. I’m certainly learning, always learning and trying to improve, but we can’t see it as an excuse – and I certainly don’t.”
Only in his second season, he has already adapted and mastered the art of not letting anyone see him sweat as this is the mentality that all quarterbacks need to survive the game. It’s been a frustrating time for the Giants’ quarterback. However, the 23-year-old is not letting his recent performance discourage him and he is mindful of how important it is to refocus.