The Sporting News marked its 140th anniversary by ranking the 140 greatest players in NFL history, a list that stretches from the league’s earliest decades to the present. Hall of Famers, record-setters, and a few still-active stars were placed from No. 140 to No. 1, with selections drawn from individual honors, championship impact, and lasting influence at every position.
Six New York Giants appear on that board. They cover multiple eras and both sides of the ball, from the two-way years through later Super Bowl defenses. Their placements range widely, a snapshot of how often Big Blue has produced players who belong in any conversation about the league’s all-time best.
Here are the six Giants included among The Sporting News' 140 greatest players
of all time.
136. Sam Huff, LB
Huff was one of the first star linebackers thriving for the Giants and Washington in the 1950s and '60s. He was a classic hard-nosed leader in the middle, often taking on tough tackling assignments such as Jim Brown. Huff's personality playing in New York also gave him a lot of off-field appeal.
98. Roosevelt Brown, OT
"Rosey" looked awesome in the Giants' Big Blue during 13 seasons from 1953-'65. The consistent rock at left tackle was rewarded for that smashing play with six first-team All-Pro nods.
90. Mel Hein, C/LB
Hein is the only offensive lineman in NFL history to win league MVP, which he did in 1938, in the middle of his 15-year career all with the Giants. He also played linebacker at a high level in the two-way era. Hein was named All-Pro first- or second-team nine times and was part of the 11-player first class enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1963.
81. Michael Strahan, EDGE
Strahan comes in at No. 6 with his official career sack total of 141.5. He was a consistent force from left defensive end for his 15 seasons all with the Giants from 1993-'07. He ended his prolific career by being part of the New York pass rush that sparked the massive upset of Tom Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl 42.
76. Emlen Tunnell, S
Tunnell played 14 total seasons with the Giants and Packers and posted 79 interceptions, the second-highest total in NFL history behind Paul Krause. He was a big and durable tough cover man at 6-1, 187 pounds and earned nine Pro Bowl trips for his efforts.
4. Lawrence Taylor, EDGE
Taylor at 6-3, 237 pounds, was the premier pass-rushing force in the 1980s and helped the Giants win Super Bowl 21. His intimidating presence and fierce finishes still create nightmares. LT even deserves more credit for how he also punished running backs.
Taylor’s No. 4 ranking is the statement on the board. Only Tom Brady, Jerry Rice and Jim Brown sit ahead of him, which puts a Giants linebacker in the thinnest air in league history. That placement is not a lifetime-achievement nod. It is Sporting News putting the most disruptive defender the NFL has ever seen in the same sentence as the players most often called the greatest.
The case has not moved. Taylor changed how offenses were built, how left tackles were paid, and how a single player could tilt a championship. He remains the only modern defender who belongs in a straight argument with the offensive icons at the top of every all-time list. Fourth on this one does not close that debate. It keeps him in it.
Additional note: Jim Thorpe, who played in three games for the Giants (1925), was ranked No. 114.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: 6 Giants among The Sporting News' 140 greatest players of all time
