Playing his entire career with the New York Giants (2003-13), David Diehl was a starter in his rookie season after being drafted in the Fifth Round out of Illinois.

Jessie Armstead clawed his way to NFL stardom after he plummeted to the Eighth Round of the 1993 Draft.  Armstead was a two-time NCAA Champion at Miami, but a torn ACL as a sophomore was in the minds of many in the NFL, and he had to prove himself all over again.

The history of Tiki Barber is a little complicated, but even his biggest detractors have to admit that one time he was the best Running Backs in the game.

Playing his entire career with the New York Giants (1955-66), Jimmy Patton is one of the most prolific ballhawks in franchise history.

Undrafted from BYU, Bart Oates found a home in the USFL where he played in all three of their seasons, all with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars.  Oates won two the two championships there and established himself as a player that should have been selected in the NFL all along. The Giants rectified that when he signed with them in 1985.

There were pro teams that were afraid that Justin Tuck's knee injury would make the Notre Dame player a risky draft pick.  As such, he fell to the Third Round, where the New York Giants were more than happy to take him.

Beginning his career in 1948 with the Baltimore Colts of the All-America Football Conference, Y.A. Tittle played for the San Francisco 49ers throughout the 1950s, where he was a UPI MVP in 1957 and a four-time Pro Bowler.  The Quarterback was traded straight up to the New York Giants for second-year Lineman, Lou Cordileone.  Both players were offended that they were traded for the other.  Only one of them was right.

You could never say that George Martin did not make the most of his opportunity in professional football.

Mel Hein was a two-sport star (football and basketball) at Washington State, and it was on the gridiron where he sought his professional status as an athlete.

After playing at Toledo, a stint with the Coast Guard, and another college football run with Iowa, Emlen Tunnell would make Giants' history as the first African-American they signed.  As it would turn out, Tunnell would also become the best signing they ever did.

Frank Gifford was a former star at USC, and the Giants were lucky to grab him with their 11^thOverall Pick in 1952.

Michael Strahan was a star at Texas Southern, and the Giants took him in the Second Round of the 1993 Draft.  It turned out to be one of their best picks ever.

Brad Van Pelt was a two-time All-American at Michigan State, thus bringing a successful resume to the New York Giants who drafted him in the Second Round in 1973.

Rosey Brown played at Morgan State, a historically black college in Baltimore. The NFL was in the infancy of scouting HBCUs, and the New York Giants landed him in the 27^thRound. This selection resulted in the greatest value pick in franchise history.

Eli Manning is one of the most polarizing players in Giants history, but that is predominantly the thought outside of New York.  For the most part, Giants fans will always celebrate the Quarterback who was at the helm of two Super Bowls, upsetting Tom Brady and the New England Patriots each time.

In Pro Football, the genius of football coaches cannot be undervalued.

There are a lot of great players who competed in the National Football League, though only a select few can be called legends.  Only a few of those legends can be called game-changers.  Let's meet Lawrence Taylor, one of the few who fits this description

Andy Robustelli was a superstar with the Los Angeles Rams, and they were in the 1955 NFL Championship Game.  Robustelli asked for time off when his child was born, and when it was refused, he demanded a trade, which happened before the 1956 season.

Before the New York Giants drafted Lawrence Taylor, they already had a feared Linebacker in Harry Carson, who they stole in the Fourth Round in 1976.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB. Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives.  As such, it is news to us that New York Giants co-owner, John Mara, stated in a recent interview that Eli Manning and Michael Strahan will have their numbers retired.

Sort of.

This is what he said about Eli’s number:

“It’s retired.”

When asked to clarify, Mara responded:

“Not yet.  We’ll do Michael’s (Strahan) announcement another day, but Eli’s will be retired.”

As for when that will happen is anyone’s guess.  

Wearing #10, Manning announced his retirement this past Friday.  Playing at Quarterback, Manning threw for 57,034 Yards and 366 Touchdowns, and led the Giants to two Super Bowl Championships, both over the New England Patriots.  He was named the MVP in both of those games, and he is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.

As for Strahan, he has already been inducted into Canton, which occurred in 2014.  Like Manning, Strahan played his entire career with the Giants and he was the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year.  The seven-time Pro Bowl won a Super Bowl in his last game in the league.  He wore #92, which has never been issued since his retirement.

At present, the Giants have retired the numbers of Ray Flaherty (#1), Tuffy Leemans (#4), Mel Hein (#7), Phil Simms (#11), Y.A. Tittle (#14), Frank Gifford (#16), Al Blozis (#32), Joe Morrison (#40), Charlie Conerly (#42), Ken Strong (#50) and Lawrence Taylor (#56).

We here at Notinhalloffame.com are looking forward to these events in the future and are hopeful that the Giants will move on this action soon.