The New York Giants were a dominant force in the NFL during the late 1950s and early 1960s, with a championship win under their belt. However, the incredible contributions of one of their star players, Jimmy Patton, have largely been forgotten over time.

Patton's skills on the field were undeniable, and he really began to shine during the Giants' 1956 championship win. He continued to improve and impress, leading the league in interceptions with an outstanding 11 in 1958. This marked the first of his five consecutive First Team All-Pro selections and five Pro Bowl appearances, with Patton playing a pivotal role in the Giants' impressive six post-seasons.

Despite his impressive achievements, including a championship title, Jimmy Patton's once-illustrious football career has faded with time. Despite being a standout player with 51 career picks, he has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the odds of that happening seem slim, especially given that he was never even a finalist.

Very few players could be viewed as the total athletic package. Neil Smith may have been one of those rare exceptions as scouts felt with his skills there was little he couldn’t do on the football field.  Those scouts would be right.

Neil Smith was a multi-faceted Defensive End who was equally adept at stuffing the run as defending against the pass.  His true gift may have been sacking the Quarterback as he led the NFL in that category in 1993.  Smith was a six-time Pro Bowler and though his skills were slightly diminished in the second half of his career, he was able to aid the Denver Broncos in their two consecutive Super Bowl wins in the late 90’s.

What points do you get for being one of the best players to come out of Vermont?  Okay, not that much, but regardless of what state Steve Wisniewski came from, there was no doubt that he was one of the finest Offensive Linemen of the 1990s.

Steve Wisniewski was the de facto leader of the Silver and Black’s O-Line for over a decade.  Many considered him a dirty player and too many he was the embodiment of the Silver and Black.  Regardless of whatever tactics the “Wiz” would use, there was no doubt that he was a talented Left Guard and in addition to eight Pro Bowls, he was named to the prestigious NFL 1990’s All-Decade team.

The hard-luck Cincinnati Bengals have yet to win a Super Bowl, but it was Boomer Esiason who brought them closer than anyone else had when they lost to the San Francisco 49ers on a last-minute drive in Super Bowl XXIII.  Fortunately for Esiason, his career did not need a Super Bowl Ring to be considered great.

Replacing the productive Ken Anderson, the powerful southpaw became one of the premier Quarterbacks in the league.  During his time in Cincinnati, Esiason was a consistent producer and he turned the Bengals into a high powered attack.  Mastering the play-action pass, Boomer used his strength and speed and was always producing high yardage games.