History of the New York Giants ( 1925 – 1978 ) The history of the New York Giants from 1925 to 1978 covers the American football franchise from the team ' s inception until the conclusion of their tumultuous 1978 season . Currently members of the NFL ' s National Football Conference , the Giants were founded in 1925 by original owner Tim Mara in the then five - year - old NFL . Mara gave control of the team over to his two sons — Wellington and Jack — early in their lives . During this period in their history the Giants acquired four NFL championships , but also suffered some down times , including consecutive non - playoff seasons from 1964 to 1978 . In just its third season , the team finished with the best record in the league at 11 – 1 – 1 and was awarded the NFL title . In a 14 - year span from 1933 to 1946 , New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times , winning twice . They did not win another league title until 1956 , aided by a number of future Pro Football Hall of Fame players such as running back Frank Gifford , linebacker Sam Huff , and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown . The Giants 1956 Championship team not only comprised players who would eventually find their way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame , but it also had a Hall of Fame coaching staff . Head coach Jim Lee Howell ' s staff had Vince Lombardi coaching the offense and Tom Landry coaching the defense . From 1958 to 1963 , New York played in the NFL championship game five out of those six years , but failed to win . The 1958 NFL Championship game , in which they lost 23 – 17 in overtime to the Baltimore Colts , is credited with increasing the popularity of the NFL in the United States . From 1964 to 1978 , the Giants registered just two winning seasons and were unable to advance to the playoffs . During this period the team also traded away quarterback Fran Tarkenton , who would later lead the Minnesota Vikings to three Super Bowl s and end up in the Hall of Fame . This period was characterized by the front office ' s bad decisions in the college draft , several ill - advised trades , and the team ' s fans ' growing disappointment . It was not until the 1980s that the Giants would develop a consistent playoff team . Birth and success : 1925 - 1930 . In 1925 , the NFL was in need of a franchise in a large city market that could be used to showcase the league . To achieve this , NFL President , Joseph Carr traveled to New York City to offer boxing promoter Billy Gibson , a franchise . Gibson was chosen by Carr since he had owned the league ' s last New York franchise , the New York Brickley Giants , in 1921 . However , Gibson refused the offer for a new franchise , but he did refer Carr to a friend of his , Tim Mara . Mara , a bookmaker ( then a legal profession ) , businessman , and promoter , with an investment of US $ 500 , then established the modern - day New York Giants franchise . Other than the name , there is no relation between the Brickley Giants and the modern New York Giants franchise . Mara decided to invest the $ 500 in the Giants as opposed to heavyweight boxer Gene Tunney in a spur - of - the - moment decision , and started the team with the statement , " an exclusive franchise for anything in New York is worth $ 500 . " Mara owned the team until his death in 1959 , when it was passed on to his sons Wellington and Jack Mara . Legally named " New York Football Giants " to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name , the Giants played their first game against All New Britain in New Britain , Connecticut , on October 4 , 1925 . They defeated New Britain 26 – 0 in front of a crowd of 10 , 000 . Mara soon realized that his purchase of the team did not yield a home field nor any players , coaches , or equipment . Harry March , who was part of the group that convinced Mara to buy the team from the league , helped him establish the team by taking a job as the team ' s secretary . March guiding him through the team ' s early years , handling the personnel decisions . Mara rented the Polo Grounds as the team ' s stadium , and March developed a strategy that hinged on acquiring college stars such as Jim Thorpe . At 37 years old , Thorpe was a shadow of his former self , and although he signed with the team , his contract required that he only play parts of games during the early portion of the season , until he got into shape , at which point he would play full games . He played only the first regular season game however , before ending his Giants career due to injury . His absence would severely hurt the team ' s monetary outlook for the season . Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season , going 8 – 4 in 1925 , their financial status was a different story . The players ' salaries were so low that they could not fully dedicate themselves to the game as most of them had to work other jobs . The team ' s abbreviated practices , held at 4 : 30 PM each day so as not to conflict with work schedules , also allowed for little in - season improvement . Overshadowed by baseball , boxing , and college football , professional football was not a popular sport in 1925 . Mara had to spend $ 25 , 000 of his own money during the season just to keep the franchise alive . This struggle continued until the 11th game of the season when Red Grange and the Chicago Bears came to town , attracting more than 73 , 000 fans — a pro football record . The game attracted such attention that 20 , 000 fans were turned away at the gates . This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue , and perhaps altered the history of the franchise . New York went 8 – 4 – 1 in 1926 , and withstood a challenge from an upstart American football league led by a team featuring Grange . Grange and his agent had formed the American Football League and placed their flagship team , the Yankees , in New York . Grange ' s agent , C . C . Pyle , had tried to get the franchise admitted into the NFL using Yankee Stadium but was blocked by Mara , who asserted his territorial rights clause . Angered , Pyle swore revenge , saying " I am now ready to put the National Football League , and Mr . Mara out of business . " According to a story published by " The New York Times " in December 1926 , the Giants lost over $ 50 , 000 during the season . Grange ' s league lasted one season however , and was subsumed into the NFL . Grange went back to playing for the Bears before the 1928 season , and the Yankees folded a year later . The Giants had a very successful season in 1927 , finishing 11 – 1 – 1 . Mara had instructed March to spend freely to acquire talent , and he signed Cal Hubbard , a 6 ' 5 " 245 lb . two - way end , who had led small Geneva College to a victory over then - powerful Harvard the previous year . Led by team captain , defensive tackle Steve Owen , they held their opponents to 20 points on the season , with their league best defense posting 10 shutouts in 13 games . On offense they were led by halfback Jack McBride , whose 57 points led the league in scoring , and his versatile backfield partner Hinkey Haines . New coach Earl Potteiger led the team into a game against the Chicago Bears late in the season with first place on the line . New York won 13 – 7 in what Owen called , " the toughest , roughest football game I ever played . " From then on it was an easy trip to the championship , as they had a 2 game lead over the Bears by virtue of their head to head tiebreaker ( note : the championship was determined by record in that era ; it was not until 1933 that the NFL had a championship game ) . Despite solid performances by linemen Hubbard and Steve Owen , New York finished a disappointing 4 – 7 – 2 in 1928 . Following the season , the team released 18 players and Potteiger was fired and replaced by LeRoy Andrews . Before the 1929 season Mara purchased the entire squad of the Detroit Wolverines , including star quarterback Benny Friedman , a team which had finished in third place the year before . The rosters of the two teams were combined under the Giants name and this led to immediate improvement as the Giants record soared to 13 – 1 – 1 in 1929 . Friedman ' s arrival in particular boosted tickets sales and fan interest , which more than covered the expense of his high salary ( $ 10 , 000 ) . However , their only loss was a 20 - 6 defeat in November to the Green Bay Packers who by virtue of this win , and their 12 – 0 – 1 record , won the NFL title . That Packers team featured Hubbard who Green Bay had bought from New York after he expressed a desire to play there . Before the season , Mara had transferred ownership of the team over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors , and during the season the team added star Army halfback Red Cagle who helped whose drawing power helped the team ' s financials , but whose performance aided their on - field product . In 1930 , there were still many who questioned the quality of the professional game , claiming the college " amateurs " played with more intensity . In December 1930 , the Giants played a team of Notre Dame All Stars at the Polo Grounds to raise money for the unemployed of New York City . It was also an opportunity to establish the superiority of the pro game . Knute Rockne reassembled his Four Horsemen along with the stars of his 1930 Championship squad and told them to score early , then defend . Rockne , like much of the public , thought little of pro football and expected an easy win . But from the beginning it was a one way contest , with Friedman running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran passing for another . Notre Dame failed to score , and New York played its backups in the second half . When it was all over , Coach Rockne told his team , " That was the greatest football machine I ever saw . I am glad none of you got hurt . " The game raised $ 115 , 183 for the homeless , and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game . Steve Owen era : 1931 - 1953 . Following the 1930 season , Friedman retired to become an assistant coach at Yale , and the team hired lineman Steve Owen as the team ' s new head coach . Owen worked for Mara as a supervisor in his Harlem River area coalyard in the offseason . Mara said that his leaderships skills displayed in that job earned him the top position . Owen was decidedly blue collar ; he grew up on a farm in Oklahoma where he was raised by a " prairie schoolmarm and a Cherokee strip farmer " , and spent his summer vacations in high school working as a roughneck in a Burkburnett , Texas oil field . An accomplished player who was noted for his toughness and physical strength , Owen had to learn on the job as a head coach . He became an innovator who was responsible for introducing the A formation on offense , and the Umbrella defense , the latter of which helped the team control several high power passers during his tenure . Pre – World War II era : 1931 – 1940 . Friedman was lured back halfway through the 1931 season , and , but the Giants struggled the next two seasons , finishing with a combined record of 11 – 12 – 3 . They rebounded in 1933 finishing 11 – 3 , and narrowly losing to the Chicago Bears 23 – 21 in the championship game . New York ' s resurgence was led by some of the league ' s best linemen , such as Ray Flaherty , and future Hall of Famers Red Badgro , and Mel Hein . Hein , the team ' s center , was acquired in 1931 , and also played the linebacker position . He would go on to a fifteen year NFL career in which , as a center , he became an All - NFL first team selection eight times , and the only offensive lineman ever named league MVP . They also were aided by strong seasons from halfback s Ken Strong , whose 64 points paced the team , and Kink Richards who averaged 6 . 8 yards per carry on the season . The Giants started 1 – 5 – 1 in 1932 , leading Owen to re - enlist McBride , who had been recently released by the Brooklyn Dodgers for lax practice habits , as the team ' s starting quarterback . McBride restored them to respectability by leading the team to a 3 – 1 – 1 finish that season . Before the 1933 season the team acquired University of Michigan All - American quarterback Harry Newman , and versatile free agent halfback Ken Strong . The Giants finished 11 – 3 , first in the new " Eastern Division " , and Newman , Hein , and Badgro were named first team All - NFL . Newman led the NFL in passes completed ( 53 ) , passing yards ( 973 ) , touchdown passes ( 11 ) , and longest pass completion ( 78 yards ) , with his passing yards total setting an NFL record . They advanced to play the league ' s first championship game in Chicago ' s Wrigley Field versus the Bears . The game was the teams third meeting of the season . The Bears won the first one , 14 – 10 , and the Giants the second , 3 – 0 . Both teams used several trick plays , and the contest was described at the time as " probably the most spectacular game of the year " and " a brilliant display of offensive power " by the Associated Press . The Bears won 23 – 21 via a successful hook and ladder play with under two minutes remaining in a game which had six lead changes . Badgro scored the first touchdown in NFL Championship Game history on a 29 yard pass reception from Newman in the second quarter . The core of New York ' s 1933 team returned intact in 1934 and they added talented quarterback Ed Danowski who had played collegiately at Fordham the previous year . Owen played Danowski sparingly , ignoring chants from the spectators for the quarterback . The New York fan base consisted of many Long Islanders and Fordham graduates who were eager to see Danowski play . Newman carried the ball a then - record 39 times in a 17 – 3 victory against Green Bay , but suffered a severe injury to his back in a late season game against Chicago , and his backup , Stu Clancy , was still out due to an elbow injury from a mid - season game . Because of these injuries , Danowski , by default , became the team ' s starting quarterback . The team finished 8 – 5 , which placed them first in the Eastern Division . Without Newman , Clancy , and Badgro — who was also out due to injury — Owen knew the team was undermanned going into the playoffs , but said " I know it doesn ' t look good , but we ' ll give ' em a battle . " Although they signed McBride , who had spent the 1934 season playing on a semi - pro team , before the game , the Western Division champion Bears were still 2½ – 1 favorites . The Giants defeated the previously unbeaten Bears , however , 30 – 13 at the Polo Grounds on an icy field with temperatures peaking at 25 degrees . Before the game , team treasurer John Mara talked with Owen and captain Ray Flaherty about the frozen field conditions . Flaherty suggested the Giants wear sneakers on the frozen field , as he had played in a game under similar circumstances at Gonzaga and the sneakers proved to be effective . Mara dispatched equipment manager Abe Cohen to get as many sneakers as he could get . Due to traffic and the inability to find any athletic goods stores open on Sunday , Cohen was unable to return before the game started and New York , wearing conventional footwear , trailed 10 – 3 at the end of the first half . Realizing time was short , Cohen went to Manhattan College — where he had a key to the equipment and locker rooms — and returned to the Polo Grounds at halftime with nine pairs of basketball sneakers , saying that " nine pairs was all I could get . " Players donned the sneakers and the Giants , after allowing the Bears another field goal late in the third period , responded with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win their first NFL Championship game . When they took the lead 17 – 13 on a touchdown run by Strong , the game had to be stopped because hundreds of fans ran onto the field to celebrate . The game would come to be known as " The Sneakers Game " , and the 27 points the Giants scored in the fourth quarter set a single - quarter championship game scoring record that stood for decades . Fans converged on the field after the game , tearing down one of the goal posts . After the game offensive tackle Len Grant expressed his gratitude , saying " God bless Abe Cohen . " Oddly , the team ' s performance was also aided by the consumption of alcohol . The team ' s trainer felt that whiskey could warm the players up , and he put some into their paper cups . Strong scored a touchdown on the next play , and the trainer did the same thing on the next drive , which again ended in a touchdown . Fearing drunkenness , water was returned to their cups once the team had the lead . Before the 1935 season the NFL ' s roster limit was increased from 20 to 24 players . The Giants filled the extra spots with players such as end Tod Goodwin , who played for coach Greasy Neale at West Virginia University the previous season , and running back Leland Shaffer , another rookie , this time out of Kansas State . Newman retired rather than come back from his back injury when the team refused to raise his salary . Goodwin led the league in receptions ( 26 ) and yards per catch ( 16 . 6 ) , while finishing second behind the Boston Redskins Charley Malone in receiving yards ( 433 – 432 ) , and Danowski led the league in passing yards , passes attempted , and passes completed . They were unable to repeat as champions however , as they fell to the Lions 26 – 7 in the NFL Championship game . Goodwin was knocked out for the game with two broken ribs early in the first quarter . The Lions staked a 13 - 0 lead before the Giants were able to cut the deficit to 13 – 7 in the third quarter . The Lions defense helped their team score two late touchdowns with a blocked punt and an interception to give them the win . By 1935 19 year old Wellington had become the team ' s secretary , and he started to exert influence over personal decisions . Wellington was a fan of George Washington University ' s Alphonse " Tuffy " Leemans , and he selected the obscure running back in the second round of the NFL ' s first draft in 1936 . Leemans led the league in rushing with 830 yards , and posted 118 in the second hald of a come - from - behind victory against the Chicago Cardinals . Hubbard came out of retirement to help the team ' s line towards the end of the season , but despite his solid performance , the Giants finished 5 – 6 – 1 , losing out on a chance to win the Eastern Division when they lost to eventual Division champion Boston in the final game of the season . The Giants were very successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States entry into World War II . According to one publication , " [ f ] rom 1936 to 1941 the New York Giants annually fielded a collection of NFL all - stars . " Danowski led the league in passing in 1935 and 1936 . They added their third NFL championship in 1938 with a 23 – 17 win over the Green Bay Packers in front of over 48 , 000 fans at the Polo Grounds . The game was a close one with New York having ridden two blocked Green Bay punts to an early lead , before the Packers came back to take a 17 – 16 lead . In the fourth quarter however , Danowski threw a 23 – yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar , and the defense held the lead to give the Giants their third NFL championship . The Giants made the championship game again the following year , losing to the Packers in a rematch 31 – 16 . World War II era : 1941 – 1944 . They finished 8 – 3 in 1941 , and held a ceremony to honor the future Hall of Famer Leemans in the final regular season game on December 7 , 1941 . Leemans had been with the Giants since 1936 , when he led the league in rushing as a rookie with 830 yards . A versatile performer , he rushed for over 3 , 000 yards , and passed for over 2 , 300 in his career . During the course of the game the stadium announcer paged Colonel William Joseph Donovan to answer a call from Washington D . C . , and told all servicemen to return to their units , but it was only when the game concluded that players and spectators learned of the attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor earlier that day . New York advanced to the championship game following the season , in which they lost to the Bears 37 – 9 . Both the 1940 and 1941 championship games were close early before their respective opponents went on an offensive surge to break the games open late . In 1942 and 1943 , the Giants totalled an 11 – 8 – 2 record and failed to make the postseason . In 1944 , led by standout halfback Bill Paschal , whose 737 rushing yards and 54 points led the team , the Giants reached the championship game where they faced the Green Bay Packers for the third time in 10 seasons . They lost again , this time 14 – 7 as Ted Fritsch scored two touchdowns and the Packers defense was able to hold on to the lead despite a fourth quarter touchdown by the Giants . Post World War II era : 1945 – 1953 . By 1946 , Mara had given over complete control of the team to his two sons . Jack , the older son , controlled the business aspects , while Wellington controlled the on - field operations . NBC televised the Giants game versus the Green Bay Packers on September 20 , 1946 , — the first televised game in league history . The Giants advanced to their eighth championship game in fourteen seasons , where they were beaten by the Sid Luckman led Bears 24 – 14 . Before the 1948 season , New York signed defensive back Emlen Tunnell , who became the first African American player in team history , and who would later become the first African American inducted into the Hall of Fame . They struggled from 1947 to 1949 , never finishing above . 500 , but came back with a solid 10 – 2 record in 1950 . However , they lost to the Cleveland Browns , whom they had beaten twice in the regular season , 8 – 3 in the 1950 divisional playoff game . In 1949 , halfback Gene " Choo - Choo " Roberts scored a league high 17 touchdowns , and in 1950 he set a team record that would stand for over 50 years , when he rushed for 218 yards on November 12 . During this period quarterback Charlie Conerly emerged . Conerly was the team ' s starting quarterback from 1948 to 1960 , and had a franchise - record string of 12 consecutive seasons in which he led the team in passing . A former US Marine , Conerly was renowned among his teammates for his toughness . " There was a time my rookie year when I really saw it " , recalled running back Frank Gifford . " He broke his nose really badly , they literally called a timeout and then they called another one while they stopped the bleeding , they stuck stuff up there until it would stop bleeding . You try to get them to do that today . They ' d be yelling , ' Get my agent ! ' " . In 1951 , the Giants finished 9 – 2 – 1 , but their inability to beat division rival Cleveland cost them an opportunity to play in the Championship Game . Fullback Eddie Price led the league in rushing and set a league record for rushing attempts in a season , and defensive linemen Arnie Weinmeister and Al Derogatis , linebacker Jon Baker , and offensive tackle Tex Coulter all made the All - Pro team . The following year New York fell to 7 – 5 , but Tunnell continued to impress . " Tunnell returned interceptions , punts , and kickoffs with such electric flair that he actually outgained the league rushing leader in yards gained " according to one publication . Tunnell amassed 924 yards , while never lining up on offense , whereas the league rushing leader totalled 894 . The Giants offense struggled in 1953 , and they fell to a 3 – 9 record . Gifford was forced to play both ways due to a depleted roster , and in the second to last game of the season they lost 62 – 14 to division rival Cleveland . Jim Lee Howell and the Hall of Famers : 1954 - 1958 . Following the 1953 season , an important transition in Giants history occurred . Steve Owen was fired by Wellington and Jack Mara , and replaced by Jim Lee Howell . Owen had coached the Giants for 23 seasons , and compiled a 153 – 108 – 17 record . He is credited with introducing several innovations to football , including inventing the " Umbrella defense " , which was the first to use four defensive backs . Wellington , who was beginning to take a more active role in the team by this period , later described the move by calling it " the hardest decision I ' d ever made " . The change would have a profound impact on Gifford . A multi - talented player who could run , catch , and throw , Gifford was a star at the University of Southern California as a quarterback and runner , and while at the school he had bit parts in some Hollywood films . After clashing with Owen , whom he considered a taskmaster , and inspiring jealousy in some of his teammates who despised his " glamour boy " status , Gifford thrived under Howell . Lombardi switched him from defensive back , where he was already a pro bowl performer , to halfback , and Gifford made seven pro bowls at the position . The Giants went 7 – 5 in 1954 under Howell . In their thirty - first and final season playing their home games at the Polo Grounds in 1955 , they went 5 – 1 – 1 over their final seven games to finish 6 – 5 – 1 . They were led by the rejuvenated Gifford who played the entire season solely on offense for the first time in several years . The Giants won their fourth NFL Championship in 1956 . Playing their home games at Yankee Stadium for the first time , New York won the Eastern Division with an 8 – 3 – 1 record . In the NFL Championship Game on an icy field against the Chicago Bears , the Giants wore sneakers as they had 22 years previous . They dominated the Bears winning the championship by a score of 47 – 7 . The 1956 Giants featured a number of future Hall of Fame players , including 1956 league MVP Gifford , Sam Huff , and Roosevelt Brown . Equally notable , the team featured as its coordinators future Hall of Fame head coaches Tom Landry ( defense ) and Vince Lombardi ( offense ) . Combined , the pair would later win 7 NFL championships as head coaches . Howell wisely let his assistants do most of the coaching , and acted mostly as an administrator . During his time in New York , Landry ( who had been a defensive back for the team ) invented the 4 - 3 defense . This unit , led by middle linebacker Huff and defensive end Andy Robustelli , is credited with " bringing status to the defensive side of the ball " , and Giants ' fans of this particular team are credited with inventing the " De - fense " chant . Landry used Huff in his middle linebacker position to key in on star Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown , and this was most effective in a 1958 playoff game where New York held Brown to eight yards in a victory . In addition , those Giants featured Gifford , Kyle Rote , and Pat Summerall , who would go on to highly successful second careers as football announcers . In 1957 , the Giants lost their final three games to compile a 7 – 5 record , finishing second in the NFL ' s Eastern Division to Cleveland . The Greatest Game Ever Played : 1958 . The Giants had another successful year in 1958 . They tied for the Eastern Division regular season title with a 9 – 3 record , and beat the Cleveland Browns 10 – 0 in a one - game playoff to determine the division winner . In the victory they held Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown to a career low eight yards rushing . They then played in the NFL Championship Game against the Baltimore Colts on December 28 , 1958 , in front of 64 , 185 fans at Yankee Stadium . This game , which would become known as " The Greatest Game Ever Played " , was a event in the history of the NFL and marked the beginning of the rise of football into the dominant sport in the American market . The game itself was highly competitive . New York got off to a quick 3 – 0 lead ; however Baltimore scored two touchdowns to take a 14 – 3 halftime advantage . Late in the third quarter , the Colts appeared ready to put the game out of reach by driving deep into Giants ' territory . However , they were stopped and turned the ball over on downs . This would be a turning point of the game , as the Giants , who had trouble mounting many drives to that point , came back with a 95 – yard drive . The key play of the drive was Conerly ' s pass to Kyle Rote , who after a 62 – yard gain , fumbled at the Colts ' 25 – yard line , where Alex Webster picked up the ball and ran it to the 1 – yard line . New York then scored a touchdown , to make the score 14 – 10 . The Giants drove again , with quarterback Charley Conerly throwing a 15 – yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford to take the lead , 17 – 14 . With just over two minutes left the Giants punted the ball to the Colts , pinning them on their own 14 yard line . The Colts put together one last , desperate drive . The star of this drive was receiver Raymond Berry , who caught three passes for 62 yards , the last one for 22 yards to the Giant 13 – yard line . With seven seconds left in regulation , Steve Myhra kicked a 20 – yard field goal to tie the score 17 – 17 , sending the game to overtime for the first time in NFL history . After winning the toss and receiving the ball , the Giants offense stalled and was forced to punt . From their own 20 , the Colts drove the ball down the field , with Alan Ameche finally scoring from the 1 – yard line to give the championship to the Colts , 23 – 17 . More success : 1959 - 1963 . The Giants enjoyed a run of success over the next several years . Led by league MVP quarterback Charlie Conerly , who passed for 1 , 706 yards , 14 touchdowns , and four interceptions , they finished 9 – 3 in 1959 and faced the Colts in a championship game rematch . They lost again , this time in a far less dramatic game , 31 – 16 . Conerly struggled with age and injuries in 1960 , and was replaced by George Shaw . Gifford was concussed in a vicious hit by Chuck Bednarik during a November game versus the Eagles , and missed the rest of the season , and the following season , as a result . The hit was so devastating , that after being taken to the locker room , Gifford was given his last rites . The team still finished with a winning record at 6 – 4 – 2 , but were led to acquire former San Francisco 49ers quarterback YA Tittle in the offseason . Led by Tittle and new head coach Allie Sherman , New York won three consecutive Eastern Division titles from 1961 to 1963 . In 1961 they were beaten by the Packers , 37 – 0 in the championship game . In 1962 , they went into the championship game with a 12 – 2 record , and a nine - game winning streak ; but lost to the Packers again , 16 – 7 . Nonetheless , the Giants had captivated New York by this time , even though the sold out game was played in single digit weather with 35 mph winds , only 299 of the 65 , 000 + fans who bought tickets stayed home . Before the 1962 season , Gifford came out of his injury forced retirement , saying he missed the game too much . He changed positions from halfback to flanker . During the season , Tittle and wide receiver Del Shofner set still - standing team records when Tittle threw for seven touchdowns and Shofner amassed 269 receiving yards in the same game on October 28 . After the season , the team traded two - time pro bowl defensive lineman Roosevelt Grier to the Los Angeles Rams at his request ; Grier wanted to move to LA to start his singing career . Led by league MVP Tittle , who passed for over 3 , 000 yards and 36 touchdowns , the Giants had an 11 – 3 record in 1963 . They set what remains the NFL ' s record for most points in a 14 game season by scoring 448 . They advanced to face the Chicago Bears in the NFL championship game . On an icy field , New York ' s defense played well , but Chicago ' s newly invented zone defense intercepted Tittle five times ( including one returned for a score ) and injured Tittle in the first half ( though he finished the game ) . Several Giants players including linebacker Huff pleaded with Sherman to replace the hobbled Tittle , who the players felt was pressing and committing too many turnovers , from playing the second half . Sherman however , had little alternative . " The old man kept saying ' I can do it . I feel a little better ' " Sherman recalled . " We had a young quarterback ( Glynn Griffing ) , he had gone to get married a couple of weeks earlier but failed to come back in the days he said he would . We couldn ' t use him . " The Giants defense led by Hall of Famer Huff held the Bears in check , but they lost 14 – 10 , their third straight NFL Championship Game defeat . New York had a chance to take a 14 – 0 lead in the first quarter but wide receiver Del Shofner dropped a potential touchdown in the end zone , a drop he said in 2010 , that he feels would won have won the Giants the game . " I was alone in the end zone — ball right into my hands , nobody around me — and I dropped the ball . . . as good a defense as we had that year , I don ' t think the Berar would have ever come back from being down 14 – 0 . " On the next play , Tittle threw an interception to Chicago linebacker Larry Morris , which he returned to the New York five yard line . Two plays later the Bears tied the game . New York ' s run of championship game appearances combined with their large market location translated into financial success . By the early 1960s , the Giants were receiving $ 175 , 000 a game under the NFL ' s television contract with CBS — four times as much as small - market Green Bay , which was one of the most successful teams of the era . However , in the league ' s new contract , the Maras convinced the other owners that it would be in the best interest of the NFL to share television revenue equally , a practice which is still current , and is credited with strengthening the league . Wilderness years begin : 1964 - 1972 . After the 1963 season , the team fell apart . Partly due to trades but also due to poor drafting . Sherman traded away key players on the team ' s defense — such as Huff and defensive tackle Dick Modzelewski — which was their strongest unit , and Wellington Mara , who came in the 1960s with a reputation as a shrewd judge of talent , exited the decade carrying a sub - par one according to a writer for " New York " magazine . Modzelewski went on to make the pro bowl in Cleveland in 1964 , while Huff did the same in Washington . First round draft choices such as running backs Joe Don Looney , Tucker Frederickson , and Rocky Thompson were disappointments . Frederickson was selected as the first overall draft choice in 1965 ( over Hall of Famers Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers ) , but never rushed for more than 659 yards in a season during his injury - shortened career . This period in team history is often referred to as " the wilderness years " . The Week two game of the 1964 season was played in Pittsburgh . Tittle was brutally tackled by Steelers defensive end John Baker during the second quarter . It was here that Morris Berman , a photographer for the Pittsburgh Gazette , snapped a now famous picture of the injured quarterback kneeling on the ground with blood running down his scalp . Tittle spent that night in a hospital , then returned to play the following week . But it was clear that he was not the same player , and the Giants finished with a disappointing 2 - 10 - 2 record . Tittle retired the following summer , and in 1971 was inducted into the Hall of Fame . Following the season Gifford and Alex Webster announced their retirement , and Jack Mara , who had been President of the team for since he was 22 , died at the age of 57 . The team rebounded with a 7 – 7 record in 1965 , before compiling a league - worst 1 – 12 – 1 record in 1966 , with their defense setting a new league record by allowing over 500 points . This season also included a 72 – 41 loss to the rival Redskins at D . C . Stadium in the highest - scoring game in league history . Interest in the team was waning , especially with the rise of the AFL ' s New York Jets , who featured a wide - open style of play and a charismatic young quarterback in Joe Namath . Looking to improve their on - field product , and also to find a player with talent and star power to better compete with the Jets for New York fans ' affections , the Giants acquired quarterback Fran Tarkenton from the Minnesota Vikings before the 1967 season and showed improvement . They finished 7 – 7 in both the 1967 and 1968 seasons . In those seasons , one of Tarkenton ' s favorite targets , wide receiver Homer Jones made the Pro Bowl by amassing over 2 , 200 yards and 21 touchdowns . The team also upset the division champion Dallas Cowboys 27 – 21 in one of their biggest wins in years , and the Giants ' jubilant players carried Sherman off the field on their shoulders . After the game , Wellington Mara said he expected Sherman to remain the team ' s coach for several more seasons , however , after starting 7 – 3 they lost their final four games . During the 1969 preseason , the Giants lost their first meeting with the Jets , 37 – 14 , in front of 70 , 874 fans at the Yale Bowl in New Haven , Connecticut . Three weeks later , Wellington Mara fired Sherman , and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster . Sherman was a lax disciplinarian , who Gifford later said " wanted to be loved and that ' s deadly for a coach . " The firing was welcomed by fans : a writer from " The New York Times " commented , " [ t ] he Giants last winning season was 1963 and since then the fans ' s sing - song chant " Good - by Allie ! " has mounted to a crescendo . " On opening day of the 1969 regular season , Tarkenton led the Giants to a 24 – 23 victory over his former team , the Vikings , by throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter . New York finished 6 – 8 in the 1969 season under Webster . In 1970 , Tarkenton ' s fourth with the Giants , New York showed marked improvement , fielding their most competitive team since 1963 . After an 0 – 3 start the Giants won 9 out of their next 10 , and went into their season finale against the Los Angeles Rams with a chance to win the NFC East Division . Though New York took an early 3 – 0 lead , the Rams scored the next 31 points , dashing the Giants hopes and leaving them out of the playoffs . Tarkenton had his best season as a Giant in 1970 and made the Pro Bowl . Much of the team ' s success was credited to him . Teammate Fred Dryer later commented , " [ w ] ithout Tarkenton , I don ' t think we would have won any games . " Running back Ron Johnson also made the Pro Bowl and ran for 1 , 027 yards , becoming the first Giant ever to gain 1 , 000 yards rushing in a season , and Webster was named NFL Coach of the Year . Meanwhile , the Jets , much as the Giants had in 1964 , fell apart , dropping to a 4 – 10 record after several consecutive seasons of success , with Namath breaking his wrist in a Super Bowl III rematch with the Baltimore Colts and missing the final eight games . New York was unable to build on their 1970 success . Tarkenton left the team ' s 1971 training camp in a salary dispute , before coming back a few days later after signing a one year contract . In place of a salary increase , Tarkenton had asked for a large loan to get a tax break , but the Maras turned it down , and made sure the press knew the raise and loan were denied . Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury , and the Giants dropped to 4 – 10 . Before the 1972 season they traded Tarkenton , who frequently feuded with Webster , back to the Vikings . Initially the trade produced positive results , as New York rallied to finish 8 – 6 in 1972 . The 1972 team was led by veteran journeyman quarterback Norm Snead ( acquired in the trade for Tarkenton ) , who led the league in passing and had the best season of his career . They set a still - standing team record on November 26 when they scored 62 points via eight touchdowns and two field goals . After the 1972 season however , the Giants suffered one of the worst prolonged stretches in their history . Meanwhile , Tarkenton would lead the Vikings to three Super Bowls and establish a Hall of Fame resume . Leaving New York : 1973 - 1978 . Desiring their own home stadium , in the early 1970s the Giants reached an agreement with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to play their home games at a brand - new , state - of - the - art , dedicated football stadium . The stadium , which would be known as Giants Stadium , was to be built at a brand new sports complex in East Rutherford , New Jersey . As the complex was being built , and their current home at Yankee Stadium was being renovated , they would be without a home for three years . Their final full season at Yankee Stadium was 1972 . After playing their first two games there in 1973 , the Giants played the rest of their home games in 1973 , as well as all of their home games in 1974 , at the Yale Bowl in New Haven , Connecticut . This was done out of a desire to have their own home field , as opposed to having to share Shea Stadium with the Jets . However , between access problems , neighborhood issues , the fact that the Yale Bowl was not ideally suited for pro football ( the stadium did not have lights , nor does it have lights today ) , the age of the stadium ( it was built in 1914 ) and the lack of modern amenities , the Giants reconsidered their decision and ultimately agreed to share Shea Stadium with the Jets for the 1975 season . The Giants left Yale Bowl after losing all seven home games played at Yale in the 1974 season and compiling a home record of 1 – 11 over that two year stretch . After the 1973 season the team fired Webster , who later admitted his heart was never in head coaching , and said he more enjoyed life as an assistant . They hired retired star defensive end Andy Robustelli to run their football operations , and he picked Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger as the team ' s head coach . Arnsparger had built an envious reputation as the architect of the Dolphins defense which helped the team to two Super Bowl championships . Robustelli traded their 1975 first round draft choice to the Cowboys ( who used it to select Hall of Fame defensive lineman Randy White ) for quarterback Craig Morton in the middle of the 1974 season . One of the bright spots in this era was the play of tight end Bob Tucker who , from 1970 through part of the 1977 season was one of the top tight ends in the NFL . He led the league with 59 receptions in 1971 , becoming the first Giant ever to do so . Tucker amassed 327 receptions , 4 , 322 yards and 22 touchdowns during his years as a Giant . Despite their new home and heightened fan interest , New York suffered posted a 3 - 11 season in 1976 . After compiling a 7 – 28 record Arsnparger was fired during the middle of that year . They traded the struggling Morton to the Denver Broncos following the season for quarterback Steve Ramsey . Morton led the Broncos to Super Bowl XII in his first season there , while Ramsey never started for the Giants , or any NFL team , after the trade . They went 5 - 9 in 1977 , featuring the unusual choice of three rookie quarterbacks on the roster . In 1978 , New York started the year 5 – 6 and played the Eagles at home with a chance to solidify their playoff prospects . However , the season imploded on November 19 , 1978 , in one of the most improbable finishes in NFL history . Playing their arch rival the Philadelphia Eagles the Giants were leading 17 – 12 and had possession of the ball with only 30 seconds left . They had only to kneel the ball to end the game , as the Eagles had no time outs . However , instead of kneeling the ball , offensive coordinator Bob Gibson ordered Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik to run play " pro 65 up " , which was designed to hand the ball off to fullback Larry Csonka . Pisarcik never gained control of the ball after the snap however , and gave a wobbly handoff to Csonka . " I never had control of the ball " Pisarcik later recalled . It rolled off Csonka ' s hip and bounced free . Eagles safety Herman Edwards picked up the loose ball and ran , untouched , for a score , giving the Eagles an improbable 19 – 17 victory . After the game Giants coach John McVay stated " [ t ] hat ' s the most horrifying ending to a ball game I ' ve ever seen . " This play is referred to as " The Miracle at the Meadowlands " among Eagles fans , and " The Fumble " among Giants fans . In the aftermath of the defeat , Gibson was fired ( the next morning ) . New York lost three out of their last four games to finish 6 - 10 and out the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season , leading them to let McVay go as well . Two games after " The Fumble " , angry Giants fans burned tickets in the parking lot . Protests continued throughout the remainder of the season , reaching a crescendo in the final home game . A group of fans hired a small plane to fly over the stadium on game day carrying a banner that read : " 15 years of Lousy Football — We ' ve Had Enough . " Fans in the stadium responded , chanting " We ' ve had enough . . . We ' ve had enough " after the plane flew overhead . The game had 24 , 374 no - shows , and fans hanged an effigy of Wellington Mara in the Stadium parking lot . However , following the 1978 season came the steps that would , in time , lead the Giants back to the pinnacle of the NFL .