History of the New York Giants The history of the New York Giants , an American football team which currently plays in the NFL ' s National Football Conference , comprises more than 80 seasons . The Giants were founded in 1925 by Tim Mara in the then five - year - old NFL . Mara owned the team until his death in 1959 , when it was passed on to his sons Wellington and Jack . During their history the Giants have acquired seven NFL championships , three of which came in Super Bowl s . 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 fourteen year span beginning in 1933 , New York qualified to play in the NFL championship game eight times , winning twice . They did not win another championship until 1956 , aided by several future Hall of Fame players such as running back Frank Gifford , linebacker Sam Huff , and offensive tackle Roosevelt Brown . From 1958 to 1963 , the Giants played in the NFL championship game five times , 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 . The Giants registered just two winning seasons from 1964 to 1980 and were unable to advance to the playoffs . But from 1981 to 1990 , the team qualified for the postseason seven times in ten seasons . During that period , they won Super Bowls XXI ( 1987 ) and XXV ( 1991 ) . The team ' s success during the 1980s was aided by head coach Bill Parcells , quarterback Phil Simms , and Hall of Fame linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson . New York struggled throughout much of the 1990s as Parcells left the team and players such as Simms and Taylor declined and eventually retired . They returned to the Super Bowl in 2001 , where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens , and in 2007 , they upset the heavily favored New England Patriots , 17 - 14 , in Super Bowl XLII . Birth and success : 1925 - 1930 . The Giants were founded in 1925 by original owner Tim Mara with an investment of $ 500 . Legally named " New York Football Giants " ( which they still are to this day ) to distinguish themselves from the baseball team of the same name , they became one of the first teams in the then five - year old NFL . The Giants played their first game against All New Britain in New Britain , Connecticut , on October 5 , 1925 . Although the Giants were successful on the field in their first season , going 8 – 4 , their financial status was a different story . Overshadowed by baseball , boxing , and college football , professional football was not a popular sport in 1925 . They were in dire financial straits until the eleventh game of the season when Red Grange and the Chicago Bears came to town , attracting over 73 , 000 fans . This gave the Giants a much needed influx of revenue , and perhaps altered the history of the franchise . New York finished 11 – 1 – 1 in 1927 . Their league - best defense posted 10 shutouts in 13 games . New coach Earl Potteiger led the team into a late season game against Chicago with first place on the line . New York won 13 – 7 in what lineman Steve Owen called " the toughest , roughest football game I ever played . " Then , they won their final two regular season games to secure their first championship . Following a disappointing 4 – 7 – 2 season the next year , Potteiger was 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 . Led by Friedman , New York ' s record soared to 13 – 1 – 1 . Their lone loss occurred in a November 20 – 6 game to the Green Bay Packers however , who , by virtue of this win , and their 12 – 0 – 1 record , won the NFL title . Following the season , Mara transferred ownership over to his two sons to insulate the team from creditors . At the time Jack was just 22 , and Wellington only 14 . In 1930 , the quality of the professional game was still in question , with many 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 other Notre Dame legends , and told them to score early , then defend . But from the beginning it was a one - sided contest , with Benny Friedman running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran passing for another . Notre Dame failed to score . When it was over , Rockne told his team , ' " [ t ] hat 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 . The Giants hired All - Pro offensive tackle Steve Owen to be their new player - head coach prior to the 1931 season . He coached the team for the next 23 years , including two NFL championships , and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966 . Owen never had a contract with the Mara family , he coached his entire tenure on a handshake basis . Before the 1931 season , New York acquired center Mel Hein , who 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 . Friedman quit the team following the season when Mara denied him an ownership stake , telling him " I ' m sorry . . . but the Giants are for my sons . " New York struggled in 1931 and 1932 , finishing with a combined record of 11 – 12 – 3 . The Giants acquired University of Michigan All - American quarterback Harry Newman , and versatile free agent halfback Ken Strong before the 1933 season . New York finished 11 – 3 , first in the new " Eastern Division " . 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 . 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 Hein . They advanced to play the league ' s first championship game in Chicago ' s Wrigley Field versus the Bears , where they lost 23 – 21 in a game which had six lead changes . In 1934 , the team defeated previously unbeaten Chicago 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 team captain Flaherty about the 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 the Giants , wearing conventional footwear , trailed 10 to 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 New York , after allowing Chicago another field goal late in the third period , responded with 27 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win their first NFL Championship game . 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 . After the game offensive tackle Len Grant expressed his sincere gratitude by stating " God bless Abe Cohen . " The Giants were unable to repeat as champions in 1935 as they fell to the Lions 26 – 7 in the NFL Championship game . The Lion staked a 13 – 0 lead before the Giants were able to cut the lead to 13 – 7 in the third quarter . However , the Lions defense helped their team score two late touchdowns with a blocked punt and an interception . The Giants were so successful from the latter half of the 1930s until the United States entry into World War II , that according to one publication , " [ f ] rom 1936 to 1941 the New York Giants annually fielded a collection of NFL all - stars . " They added their third NFL championship in 1938 with a 23 – 17 win over Green Bay . The Giants blocked two Green Bay punts to establish an early advantage , before the Packers came back to take a 17 – 16 lead . In the fourth quarter however , Ed Danowski threw a 23 – yard touchdown pass to Hank Soar , and the Giants defense held the Packers scoreless . The Giants made the championship game again the next year , and lost in a rematch to the Packers 31 – 16 . They also advanced to the championship game in 1941 , losing to the Bears 37 – 9 . Both games were close early before their respective opponents went on an offensive surge to break the game open late . In 1944the Giants reached the championship game where they faced the Green Bay Packers for the third time in ten 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 . By 1946 , Mara had given over complete control of the team to his two sons . Jack controlled the business aspects , while Wellington controlled the on - field operations . In 1946 , the Giants again reached the Championship game , for the eighth time in 14 seasons , where they were beaten by the Sid Luckman led Bears 24 – 14 . Before the 1948 season , the Giants signed defensive back Emlen Tunnell , the first African American player in team history , and later 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 , who 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 . Jim Lee Howell and the Hall of Famers : 1954 - 1958 . Following the 1953 season , an important transition in Giants history occurred . After being the team ' s coach for 23 years , Steve Owen was fired by Wellington and Jack Mara , and replaced by Jim Lee Howell . Wellington later described the move by calling it " the hardest decision I ' d ever made " . New York 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 rejuvenated running back Frank 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 47 – 7 . The 1956 Giants featured a number of future Hall of Fame players , including 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 ) . 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 by defeating the Cleveland Browns 13 - 10 on the last day of the regular season , and beat them again a week later in a one game playoff to determine the division winner . They advanced to play the Baltimore Colts in the NFL Championship Game . This game , which would become known as " The Greatest Game Ever Played " , is considered a moment in league history , and marked the beginning of the rise of professional football into the dominant sport in the American market . The game was competitive . The Giants got off to an early 3 – 0 lead , then the Colts scored two touchdowns to take a 14 – 3 halftime lead . New York ' s defense made a goal line stand in the third quarter which became a turning point of the game . New York , who had trouble mounting drives to that point , then had a 95 - yard drive which culminated in a touchdown , making the score 14 - 10 . They drove again in the fourth quarter , with quarterback Charley Conerly throwing a 15 - yard touchdown pass to Frank Gifford to take the lead , 17 – 14 . The Colts put together one last drive with less than two minutes left . The standout player was receiver Raymond Berry , who caught three passes for 62 yards , the last one for 22 yards to the New York 13 - yard line . With seven seconds left in regulation , Steve Myhra kicked a 20 - yard field goal to tie the score 17 – 17 , sending a game to overtime for the first time in NFL history . After winning the coin toss and receiving the ball , the Giants offense stalled and was forced to punt . From their own 20 , the Colts drove the ball to the New York one yard line , where Alan Ameche ran for a touchdown to give the Colts the championship , 23 – 17 . More success : 1959 - 1963 . New York ' s success continued in the 1960s . 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 . Led by quarterback Y . A . Tittle and head coach Allie Sherman , the Giants won three consecutive Eastern Division titles from 1961 – 1963 . In 1961 they were beaten by the Packers , 37 – 0 . In 1962 , they went into the championship game with a league best 12 – 2 record , and a nine – game winning streak ; but lost to the Packers again , 16 – 7 . They finished with an 11 – 3 record in 1963 , and faced the Bears in the NFL championship game . On an icy field in Chicago , the Giants ' defense played well , but the Bears newly invented zone defense intercepted Tittle five times , and battered him throughout the game . Sherman resisted calls from players such as linebacker Sam Huff to replace the struggling Tittle . The Giants defense held the Bears in check , but they lost 14 – 10 , their third straight NFL Championship Game defeat . The Giants 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 . A roster filled with mostly older veterans plus some bad personnel moves ( the dispatching of Rosey Grier , Sam Huff and Don Chandler for instance ) lead to a quick exit from the top of the standings . They finished 2 – 10 – 2 in 1964 , beginning an 18 - season playoff drought . The seasons of 1964 through 1980 in team history have often been referred to as " the wilderness years " for several reasons : 1 ) The franchise lost its status as an elite N . F . L . team by posting only two winning seasons , against twelve losing and three . 500 seasons during this span . 2 ) The Giants became a " team of nomads , " calling four different stadiums home in the 70 ' s ( Yankee Stadium , The Yale Bowl , Shea Stadium , and finally Giants Stadium in 1976 ) . 3 ) New York tried several head coach and quarterback combination during this period , but with almost no success ( beginning in 1964 though the 1983 season no coach or starting QB could boast even a . 500 record ) . The team rebounded with a 7 – 7 record in 1965 , ( mostly due to the acquisition of QB Earl Morall during the off season ) before compiling a league - worst 1 – 12 – 1 record , and allowing over 500 points on defense in 1966 . This season also included a 72 – 41 loss to the rival Washington Redskins at D . C . Stadium in the highest - scoring game in league history . Interest in the team was waning , especially with the rapid rise of the New York Jets , with their wide - open style of play and charismatic quarterback Joe Namath . The Giants acquired quarterback Fran Tarkenton from the Minnesota Vikings before the 1967 season in exchange for their first and second round draft picks , and showed improvement . They finished 7 – 7 in 1967 and were 7 - 3 through ten games in 1968 . Leaving them one game behind division leader Dallas . However , New York dropped its final four games to again finish 7 – 7 . Notably , in 1968 , one of Tarkenton ' s favorite targets , wide receiver Homer Jones made the Pro Bowl ; it would until 2010 that another Giants receiver ( Steve Smith ) would make the pro bowl . Through the 2007 season , no other Giants receiver has been selected for the Pro Bowl . As of the completion of the 2008 season , Jones ' average of 22 . 3 yards - per - reception for his career is still an N . F . L . record . During the 1969 preseason , New York lost their first meeting with the Jets , 37 – 14 , at the Yale Bowl in New Haven , Connecticut . Following the game , Wellington Mara fired coach Allie Sherman and replaced him with former Giants fullback Alex Webster . On opening day of the 1969 regular season , Tarkenton led New York to a 24 – 23 victory over his former team , the Vikings , by throwing two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter . The Giants went 6 – 8 in the 1969 season . They showed marked improvement in 1970 ; after an 0 – 3 start they rebounded to finish 9 – 5 , narrowly missing the playoffs by losing their final game to the Los Angeles Rams . Tarkenton had one of his best seasons as a Giant and made his fourth straight Pro Bowl team , running back Ron Johnson made the team as well . The halfback ran for 1 , 027 yards , becoming the first Giant to gain 1 , 000 yards rushing in a season . In 1971 , Johnson missed most of the season with a knee injury and New York dropped to 4 – 10 , resulting in Tarkenton being traded back to the Vikings . The Giants rallied somewhat the following season to finish 8 – 6 . Journeyman quarterback Norm Snead ( acquired in the trade for Tarkenton ) led the league in completion percentage and had his best season . Other stand - outs and Pro Bowl selections that year were running back Johnson who rushed for 1 , 182 yards ( breaking his own team record ) and caught 45 passes , tight end Bob Tucker who followed up his 1971 N . F . C . leading 59 catch season with 55 in ' 72 , and defensive stars Jack Gregory and John Mendenhall . The Giants boasted the top offense in the N . F . C . and after a season finishing 23 - 3 win at Dallas to secure their second winning campaign in three years , the future looked bright . After the 1972 season however , New York would endure one of the worst periods in their history . Leaving New York : 1973 – 1978 . Desiring their own home stadium , in 1973 New York reached an agreement with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to play their home games at a new , state - of - the - art , dedicated football stadium . Later named Giants Stadium , it was to be built at a 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 , and dubbed " the orphans of the NFL . " Their final full season at Yankee Stadium was 1972 . After playing their first two games there in 1973 , New York 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 today ) , the age of the stadium ( it was built in 1914 ) and the lack of modern amenities , the Giants reconsidered their decision and agreed to share Shea Stadium with the Jets for the 1975 season . New York left the Yale Bowl after losing all seven home games played there in the 1974 season and compiling a home record of 1 – 11 over that two year stretch . One of the bright spots in this era was tight end Bob Tucker . From 1970 through 1977 Tucker was one of the top tight ends in the NFL . He amassed 327 receptions , 4376 yards and 22 touchdowns during his years as a Giant . Despite their new home and heightened fan interest , New York still played subpar football in 1976 and 1977 . In 1978 , the Giants started the year 5 – 6 and played the Philadelphia 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 . The Giants were leading 17 – 12 and had possession of the ball with only 30 seconds left . They had just 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 New York quarterback Joe Pisarcik to hand the ball off to fullback Larry Csonka . Csonka was unprepared to receive the handoff , and the ball rolled off his 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 . This play is referred to as " The Miracle in the Meadowlands " among Eagles fans , and " The Fumble " among Giants fans . In the aftermath of the defeat , Gibson was fired , and the Giants lost three out of their last four games to finish out of the playoffs for the 15th straight season , leading them to let coach John McVay go as well . However , following the 1978 season came the steps that would , in time , return New York to the pinnacle of the NFL . Building a champion : 1979 - 1985 . New York decided to hire a General Manager for the first time in franchise history following the 1978 season . The search grew contentious and fractured the relationship between owners Wellington and Tim Mara . Finally , the Maras asked NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to step in with a recommendation . Rozelle recommended George Young , who worked in personnel for the Miami Dolphins and had been an assistant coach for the Baltimore Colts . Young was hired , but the rift between the Maras lasted for several years . Young hired San Diego Chargers assistant Ray Perkins as head coach , and drafted unknown quarterback Phil Simms from Morehead State University to the surprise of many . New York continued to struggle , finishing 6 – 10 in 1979 and 4 – 12 in 1980 . With the second overall draft pick in the 1981 draft , the Giants drafted linebacker Lawrence Taylor . The impact that Taylor had on the Giants ' defense was immediate . He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year , becoming to date the only rookie to ever win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award . His arrival raised the Giants linebacker corps — which already included future Hall of Famer Harry Carson , and pro bowler Brad Van Pelt — into one of the NFL ' s best . It also predicated New York ' s transformation from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981 . They went 9 – 7 , and defeated the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs 27 – 21 , then lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers 38 – 24 in the next round . In the strike shortened 1982 season , the Giants lost their first two games before the strike , and their first game upon returning . They won their next three games to even their record at 3 – 3 . Perkins then announced that he was leaving to take the head coaching job at Alabama after the season , and the team lost the next two games , effectively eliminating them from of the playoffs ( despite defeating the Eagles in the season finale to go 4 - 5 ) . Taylor remained a bright spot , repeating as the league ' s Defensive Player of the Year . Young chose Bill Parcells , the Giants ' defensive coordinator , as the team ' s new head coach . Parcells first year proved difficult . In his first major decision , he selected Brunner over Simms at quarterback . At first it appeared his decision was justified , especially after a 27 – 3 Monday night victory over Green Bay gave New York a 2 – 2 record . But then they lost 10 of their final 12 games . Parcells ignored fans ' protests and stuck with Brunner for most of the year , although Jeff Rutledge saw considerable late - season action . Simms finally played in a week six game against the Eagles , only to suffer a season – ending thumb injury . Simms won the starting job back in 1984 and Brunner was traded . New York had a resurgent season , highlighted by a second half stretch where they won five of six games . Despite losing their last two to finish 9 – 7 they still made the playoffs . In the first round , they defeated the highly favored Los Angeles Rams 16 – 13 on the road before losing , 21 – 10 , to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers . Simms threw for 4 , 044 yards , making him the first Giant to pass for 4 , 000 yards in a season . The Giants success continued in 1985 ( 10 – 6 ) . The defense carried the team , and led the NFL in sacks with 68 . They won their first round playoff game , 17 – 3 over the defending champion 49ers . It was New York ' s first post - season win at home since 1958 , and their first ever at Giants Stadium . In the divisional playoffs they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Bears 21 – 0 . Many of the players that would play key roles on New York ' s Super Bowl teams emerged in 1985 . Joe Morris became the feature back , running for 1 , 338 yards , scoring 21 touchdowns , and making the Pro Bowl . Second year receiver Lionel Manuel led the Giants with 49 catches , and tight end Mark Bavaro , a rookie , had 37 . Simms threw every pass for New York for the second consecutive season , and passed for over 3 , 800 yards . Defensive end Leonard Marshall recorded 15 . 5 sacks , and Taylor added 13 . Back on top : 1986 - 1990 . 1986 : Super Bowl Champions . New York entered the 1986 season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl . They had their first test in a Monday Night game against the defending Eastern division champion Cowboys . They lost at Texas Stadium 31 – 28 . However , they won their next 5 in a row and 14 of their last 15 , to finish the season with a 14 – 2 record . One of the signature plays of the season occurred during a Monday Night game in December . Here is a description of the play taken from a " Monday Night Football " broadcast in 2005 : " On Dec . 1 1986 . . . with the Giants trailing , ( Mark ) Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle . It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down , some of which are carried for almost 20 yards , including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott . Bavaro ’ s inspiring play jump starts the Giants , who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl . " New York ' s defense allowed 236 points during the season , second fewest in the NFL , and Taylor set a team record with 20 . 5 sacks . He won an unprecedented third Defensive Player of the Year Award , and was named league MVP . The Giants defeated San Francisco 49 – 3 in their first playoff game , then Washington 17 – 0 in the NFC Championship Game . New York advanced to play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI in front of 101 , 063 fans at the Rose Bowl . After falling behind 10 – 9 at halftime , they came back to beat the Broncos 39 – 20 . Simms was named the game ' s MVP after completing 22 of 25 ( 88 % ) of his passes — a Super Bowl record . 1987 - 1989 . The Giants lost their first two games before the 1987 players strike . Unlike the players strike five years previous , NFL owners made a decision to use replacement players , but still lost all three replacement games , putting them at 0 – 5 when the strike ended . Though they went 6 – 4 over their final 10 games , they finished out of the playoffs at 6 – 9 . Bright spots for the season included tight end Mark Bavaro , who led the team in catches with 55 , and three New York ' s linebackers making the Pro Bowl — Taylor , Carson , and Carl Banks . New York ' s 1988 season got off to a turbulent start due an offseason scandal involving Taylor . Taylor had abused cocaine , violating the NFL ' s substance abuse policy and was suspended for the first four games of the season . Taylor ' s over the edge lifestyle was becoming an increasing concern for fans and team officials . After his return , however , Taylor recorded 15 . 5 sacks in 12 games . The intense worry and scrutiny would prove to be for naught as for the rest of his career Taylor would pass his drug tests . Predictably , the Giants started the season struggling . They were 2 – 2 when Taylor returned from his suspension . With Taylor back and playing well however , they won six out of their next eight games . After two straight losses , the Giants won their next three contests to set up a win - or - go - home game against the Jets in the season finale . The Jets defeated the Giants 27 – 21 . When the 49ers lost to the Rams the following night , the Giants were out of the postseason despite a 10 – 6 record . The Giants ' 12 – 4 record in 1989 was the NFC ' s second best . They lost their divisional playoff game in overtime to the Rams 19 – 13 . The highlight of the game was wide receiver Flipper Anderson catch of the game winning touchdown pass . After catching the ball , Anderson made a long run to the endzone , silencing the crowd in attendance . In 1989 , free agent acquisition Ottis Anderson ran for 1 , 023 yards and caught 28 passes . Dave Meggett also emerged as a threat on third downs and special teams , catching 34 passes for 531 yards , and making the Pro Bowl . 1990 : Champions again . The Giants won their first 10 games of the 1990 season , setting a record for the best start in the team ' s history . The San Francisco 49ers also got off to a strong start , matching New York with their own 10 – 0 start . Although both teams lost their next game , their week 13 matchup was still eagerly anticipated . New York held the 49ers vaunted offense to seven points , but scored just three themselves . New York won the following week against Minnesota before facing the Buffalo Bills in their regular season home finale . Despite a significant in time of possession , they lost 17 – 13 , for their third loss in four games . To compound New Yorks ' problems , Simms went down with a injury that would sideline him for the rest of the year . His replacement , Jeff Hostetler , was an unproven career backup , who had thrown a mere 68 passes coming into the season . New York won their final two games to secure a 13 – 3 record , and the playoff bye as the NFC ' s second seed . They defeated Chicago 31 – 3 in the divisional playoff round , setting up a rematch with the 49ers in San Francisco for the NFC Championship . As they had in Week 12 , the Giants defense held San Francisco ' s offense in check . In the game ' s waning moments Erik Howard caused a Roger Craig fumble , and Taylor recovered it . New York drove down into San Francisco territory , and in the game ' s last play , Bahr hit a 42 – yard field goal to defeat the 49ers 15 – 13 . The win set up another rematch , this time in the Super Bowl against the Bills . Super Bowl XXV . Super Bowl XXV took place amidst a background of war and patriotism . The Persian Gulf War had begun less than two weeks previous and the nation rallied around the Super Bowl as a symbol of America . New York got off to a quick 3 – 0 lead , however , the Bills scored the next 12 points . The Giants responded by running a nearly eight minute drive , which culminated in a 14 yard touchdown pass from Hostetler to Stephen Baker . The Giants received the second half kickoff and mounted a record - setting drive . The opening drive ran for over nine minutes ( a Super Bowl record ) and culminated in a 1 - yard touchdown run by Ottis Anderson , giving New York a 17 – 12 lead . On the first play of the fourth quarter , the Bills ' Thurman Thomas ran for a 31 - yard touchdown that put the Bills back in front , 19 - 17 . A few possessions later , the Giants drove down to the Bills 4 yard line and kicked a 21 - yard field goal which gave them a 20 – 19 lead . Both teams exchanged possessions before the Bills began one final drive , driving down to the Giants 30 yard line to set up what would be a potentially game - winning 47 - yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood . In what would become the game ' s signature moment , Norwood ' s attempt missed wide right , and New York won their second Super Bowl , 20 – 19 . The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with a mark of 40 : 33 , and Ottis Anderson was named MVP of the game after rushing for 102 yards and a touchdown . End of an era . The 1990 season marked the end of an era . After the Super Bowl , defensive coordinator Bill Belichick left to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns . Parcells also decided to leave the Giants in the spring of 1991 to pursue a career in broadcasting . In addition , there was an ownership change in what had been one of the most stable front offices in professional sports . In February 1991 , Tim Mara was diagnosed with Cancer , and he sold his 50 % interest in the team to Bob Tisch for a reported $ 80 million . This marked the first time since their inception in 1925 that the Giants had not been wholly owned and controlled by the Mara family . After Parcells - The Handley era : 1991 - 1992 . Following the departure of Parcells and Belichick — who many people saw as the likely successor to Parcells — the surprise choice as head coach was running backs coach Ray Handley . Handley , however , was a somewhat reluctant coach , whose approach stood in stark contrast to the passionate and emotional style employed by Parcells . As with Parcells eight years previous , one of Handley ' s first major decisions involved replacing Phil Simms as starting quarterback . Jeff Hostetler was named the team ' s starter . Though the Giants won their opening game in an NFC Championship Game rematch against the 49ers 16 – 14 , they lost three out of their next four games to drop to 2 – 3 . Though they rallied to finish the season 8 – 8 , and Simms reclaimed his starting job later in the year , the excitement that surrounded the Giants the previous year was gone . One of the few promising young players to emerge on the team was second – year running back Rodney Hampton , who led the Giants in rushing with 1 , 059 yards . Through the 1991 season it was clear that the team ' s core players on defense had aged quickly . This deterioration continued in 1992 , when Lawrence Taylor ruptured his achilles tendon in the team ' s tenth game , and the Giants promptly lost six out of their last seven games to finish the year 6 – 10 . The defense continued its descent , finishing 26th in the league in points allowed after leading the league in that category in 1990 . Handley , who had become unpopular with both players and fans , was fired after the end of the regular season . Dan Reeves takes over : 1993 - 96 . Handley was replaced by Dan Reeves , the successful former head coach of the Denver Broncos who led the Broncos to three Super Bowls in four years , one against the Giants . After his dismissal from the Broncos , Reeves took the unusual step of lobbying for the job . After being rebuffed by a number of candidates , George Young was pleased that someone with Reeves ' s credentials wanted the job . Reeves ' s impact was immediate . As Parcells had done in 1984 , Reeves named Simms his starting quarterback . The defense returned to form , and allowed more than 20 points once all season . With two regular season games left , the Giants were 11 – 3 and appeared poised for a first round playoff bye . They were upset by a Cardinals team , who came into the game with just five wins , 17 – 6 , in the next to last week of the season , setting up a winner – take – all contest against Dallas in the final regular season game . Though the Giants played well , it was Emmitt Smith ' s memorable performance with a separated shoulder that led the Cowboys to a 16 – 13 overtime win , giving the Cowboys a sweep of the season series . Despite the loss , the Giants made the playoffs as a Wild Card and won their first round game 17 – 10 over the Vikings . They were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers 44 – 3 in the second round however . Simms played in all 16 games , completing nearly 62 % of his passes , and threw for over 3 , 000 yards , and 15 touchdowns . Simms , Hampton , offensive linemen Jumbo Elliot and center Bart Oates made the Pro Bowl , and Reeves was named Coach of the Year by the Associated Press . After the season , Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms , the two biggest figures of the late 1980s and early 1990s Giants teams , retired . Before the 1994 season Reeves named Dave Brown , who had been a No . 1 supplemental draft choice in 1992 , the Giants starting quarterback . Though Brown led the Giants to wins in their first three games , they lost their next seven . The team recovered to win their last six games of the season , but missed the playoffs . During the winning streak they never allowed more than 20 points in a game . The Giants regressed to a 5 – 11 record in 1995 . Much of the blame for the Giants ' poor performance was placed on Brown . He put up lackluster numbers for the second straight year . Though the Giants defense still played well , and young players like Strahan and Armstead began to emerge , the Giants inspired tepid interest league - wide and sent no players to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year . The Giants had another losing season in 1996 , finishing 6 – 10 . Though Brown again started every game for the Giants he turned in one of the worst seasons of any starting quarterback in the league , throwing for just 12 touchdowns against 20 interceptions . The Giants offense was one of the worst in the NFL and , unlike in previous years , the defense was unable to carry the team . After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons , Reeves was fired . Jim Fassel era . 1997 - 1999 . The Giants hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Jim Fassel as their head coach before the 1997 season . With the team ' s offense floundering once again and a 2 - 3 record after five games , Fassel turned to inexperienced Danny Kanell as the starting quarterback over Brown . The Giants experienced a resurgent season , finishing 10 – 5 – 1 , and winning the NFC East . They hosted a first – round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings . The Giants led the Vikings for most of the game , including 22 - 13 in the fourth quarter , but following a muffed onsides kickoff , the Vikings booted a last second field goal to win , 23 – 22 . Following the season George Young left the Giants . He was replaced by Ernie Accorsi , a veteran General Manager who had successful stints building the Baltimore Colts and Cleveland Browns . The Giants regressed to an 8 – 8 record in 1998 . The strength of the team during the season was their defense , which featured two Pro Bowlers in Armstead and Strahan . However , the offense continued to struggle . Brown had been released before the season and replaced by Kanell and Kent Graham . However , neither quarterback provided Pro Bowl caliber play . Before the 1999 season , the Giants signed quarterback Kerry Collins . Collins had been the first – ever draft choice of the Carolina Panthers and in his second season led them to the NFC Championship game . However , problems with alcohol abuse , conflicts with his teammates , and questions about his character led to his release from the Panthers . Although many people questioned the wisdom of Accorsi and the Giants giving Collins a $ 16 . 9 million contract , Accorsi was confident in Collins abilities . In 1999 , Tiki Barber emerged as a solid pass – catching running back , catching 66 passes . Amani Toomer also had a breakout season , accumulating over 1100 yards receiving and six touchdowns , and Ike Hilliard finished just shy of 1000 yards receiving . The defense rebounded , ranking 11th in the league , and Armstead and Strahan again were selected to the Pro Bowl . Though the Giants stood at 7 – 6 and poised for a playoff berth , they lost their final three games to miss the playoffs . 2000 : Super Bowl season . The 2000 season was considered a make - or - break year for Fassel . The conventional wisdom was that Fassel needed to have a strong year and a playoff appearance to save his job . After two back - to - back losses at home against the St . Louis Rams and Detroit Lions , the Giants fell to 7 – 4 and their playoff prospects were in question . At a press conference following the Giants ' loss to Detroit , Fassel guaranteed that " [ t ] his team is going to the playoffs . " The Giants responded , winning the next week ' s game against Arizona and the rest of their regular season games to finish the season 12 – 4 and earn a bye as the NFC ' s top seed . The Giants won their first playoff game against the Eagles 20 – 10 , and then defeated the Vikings 41 – 0 in the NFC Championship game . They advanced to play the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV . Though the Giants kept the game close early , and went into halftime down only 10 – 0 , the Ravens dominated the second half . The Ravens defense harassed Collins all game long , and he had one of the worst games in Super Bowl history . Collins completed only 15 of 39 passes for 112 yards and four interceptions , and the Ravens won the game 34 – 7 . The Giants only score came on a Ron Dixon kickoff return for a touchdown . On the very next kickoff , the Ravens ' Jermaine Lewis also returned a kickoff for a score . 2001 – 2003 . The Giants were unable to build on their Super Bowl appearance . They ended the next season 7 – 9 , and out of the playoffs for the third time in four seasons . Collins continued his success as the team ' s quarterback , throwing for over 3 , 700 yards and 19 touchdowns , and Strahan broke the NFL record by recording 22 . 5 sacks In 2002 , Collins had one of the best seasons of his career , throwing for over 4 , 000 yards , and Barber rushed for 1 , 386 yards and caught 69 passes for 597 yards . Rookie tight end Jeremy Shockey caught 74 passes for a total of 894 yards . The team started 6 - 6 , but made the playoffs as a wild card by winning their last four regular season games . In the playoffs , they built a 38 – 14 lead against the 49ers . San Francisco rallied however , scoring a field goal , and three touchdowns to take a 39 – 38 lead with a minute left in the game . Collins then drove the Giants down to the 49ers 23 - yard line with six seconds left , setting up a potentially game winning 41 - yard field goal attempt . On the final play of the game , 40 - year old long snapper Trey Junkin — who had just been signed for this playoff game — snapped the ball low , and punter Matt Allen could not spot the ball properly for the attempt . Allen picked the ball up and threw an unsuccessful pass downfield to offensive lineman Rich Seubert as time expired and the Giants lost 39 – 38 . The Giants started 2003 4 – 4 , but lost their final eight games . With two games remaining in the season , Fassell requested a meeting with team management , and asked , if he was to be fired , that they do so now rather than wait until the end of the season . Management complied with his request , formally firing Fassel on ( or around ) December 17 , 2003 , but allowing him to coach the team ' s final two games . Eli Manning era : 2004 - Present . 2004 - 2006 . After a brief search , Accorsi hired former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Tom Coughlin to be the Giants Head Coach . Coughlin was considered a disciplinarian , in contrast to the departed Fassel , whose lenient style was criticized in his final years with the club . Accorsi coveted quarterback Eli Manning , brother of Peyton and son of Archie , in the 2004 NFL Draft . Manning had indicated before the draft that he did not want to play for the Chargers who held the top pick . The Chargers drafted him nonetheless , and traded to the Giants for their first round picks in 2004 and 2005 . The Giants released Kerry Collins who was unhappy with a backup role , and signed veteran quarterback Kurt Warner . The plan being for Warner to be the starter , while the team groomed Manning to ultimately take over the job . After losing to the Eagles in the 2004 season opener , the Giants , with Warner at quarterback , won five of their next six games , making them 5 – 2 . After losing two close games , to the Bears and Cardinals , to drop to 5 – 4 , Coughlin announced that Manning would start the rest of the season . Manning struggled , and the Giants did not score more than 14 points in their next four games . He performed better later in the season , but the Giants finished the season 6 – 10 . Barber established a career high in rushing with 1 , 518 yards . He also had 52 catches and a total of 15 touchdowns . The Giants started 4 – 2 in 2005 . Then , on October 25 , patriarch Wellington Mara died after a brief illness at the age of 89 . Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was nine years old , when he worked for them as a ball boy . Except a tour of duty in the military during World War II , Mara spent his entire adult life with the team . He was beloved by many of the players , and was noted for making an effort to get to know each of them . The Giants dedicated their next game to Mara , and defeated the Redskins 36 – 0 . Just twenty days after Mara ' s death , on November 15 , the other Giants Executive Officer Bob Tisch died at the age of 79 . The New York Giants honored Tisch by defeating the Eagles 27 – 17 on in their next game . Barber set a new team single game rushing yard record with 220 yards , and the team ' s single season record with 1 , 860 yards in a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs . The Giants finished 11 – 5 , and hosted the Carolina Panthers in the playoffs , but lost 23 - 0 . The Giants regressed to an 8 – 8 in 2006 . The season was characterized by inconsistent play , criticism of the coaching by the media and players , and Manning ' s struggles . They won five straight following a 1 – 2 start , giving them a two - game lead in the NFC East , but they lost six of their last seven games , and the players publicly clashed with Coughlin . One of the team ' s worst losses was a 24 – 21 defeat to Tennessee , in which the team surrendered a 21 - point fourth - quarter lead . Following a season - ending win at Washington , the Giants made the playoffs as a wild card in spite of their record , but were defeated 23 – 20 by Philadelphia . Barber led the Giants with 1 , 662 yards rushing and over 2 , 000 yards from scrimmage , Manning threw for 3 , 244 yards and 24 touchdowns and Jeremy Shockey led the team in receptions . Defensively the team struggled with pass defense ( 28th in the league ) , and gaining a consistent pass rush ( tied for 23rd in the league in sacks ) . 2007 : Third Super Bowl Championship . In 2007 , the Giants made the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season . In a September game against the Eagles , they tied the NFL record for most sacks in a game by sacking Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb 12 times , with Osi Umenyiora recording six of those sacks . They became the third NFL franchise to win 600 games when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons 31 - 10 in October . That same month they also played in the league ' s first regular season game outside of North America , in London ' s Wembley Stadium , where they beat Miami 13 – 10 . They ended the regular season 10 – 6 , and defeated Tampa 24 - 14 in the first round of the playoffs , earning Manning and Coughlin their playoff victories . The next week , the Giants won their ninth consecutive road game by beating top seeded Dallas . In the NFC championship game , Lawrence Tynes kicked an overtime field goal to give them a 23 - 20 road victory over the Packers . In Super Bowl XLII , the Giants defeated the previously unbeaten New England Patriots 17 - 14 . The signature play of the game came on third down , with the Giants on their own 44 - yard line , down 14 – 10 , and 1 : 15 remaining on the clock . Manning dropped back to pass , but was surrounded by New England pass rushers . Escaping three tackles , he threw a long pass to David Tyree , who caught the ball against his own helmet , while being covered by Patriot safety Rodney Harrison . A few plays later Manning threw a game - winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left in the game . Manning won the game ' s MVP award by completing 19 of 34 passes for 255 yards , and two touchdowns . The Giants win is considered one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history . Strahan retired after the game as the team ' s career leader in sacks . 2008 - present . New York ' s 12 – 4 record in 2008 earned them a first round bye in the playoffs . They won 11 out for their first 12 games before stumbling to lose four of their final five , including a 23 - 11 loss to the Eagles in the NFC Divisional Round . Manning threw for 3 , 238 yards , 21 touchdowns , and 10 interceptions , and was named to the Pro Bowl after the season . Other standouts included Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward who both rushed for 1 , 000 yards ( who helped the Giants lead the NFL in rushing yards ) , Justin Tuck , who led the team with 12 sacks , and Antonio Pierce , who was the team ' s leading tackler . The Giants featured a balanced offense with no receiver topping 600 receiving yards . New York won their first five games in 2009 , but lost their next four . After beating the Falcons in overtime , they lost badly to Denver on Thanksgiving . They defeated Dallas 31 – 24 in week 13 , then lost 45 - 38 to Philadelphia the next week . At 8 – 6 they still had a chance to make the playoffs but losses to Carolina , and Minnesota to finish the season left them out of the playoffs at 8 - 8 . In the spring of 2010 , construction on New Meadowlands Stadium was completed , and the Giants and Jets opened it in August with their annual preseason match . In the regular season , they won their home opener against Carolina , 31 - 18 , avenging their late season loss from the previous year . They went on the road to play Indianapolis in the second " Manning Bowl " in week two . Peyton outplayed Eli ( who threw for just 161 yards ) , in a 38 - 14 Colts victory . Discipline became a growing problem for the Giants during the season . In the Colts ' game Jacobs threw his helmet into the stands , and in the next game offensive tackle David Diehl ripped off the helmet of Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan .