Getty The New York Giants are adding seven franchise legends to the Ring of Honor in 2022.
On Tuesday, the New York Giants announced seven franchise legends who are headed to the Ring of Honor in 2022.
There have only been six classes of inductees since the Giants opened MetLife Stadium back in 2010, and the 2022 class will be the team’s largest since 30 franchise legends were enshrined with the charter class. The only person inducted in the past five seasons was quarterback Eli Manning in 2021.
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To celebrate the new class, let’s rank all seven iconic members.
7. Ronnie Barnes, Sr. VP of Medical Services (1976-present)
Barnes has offered a lifetime of service to the Giants. He has been with the organization for nearly five decades and was the team’s head athletic trainer for all four Super Bowl victories. Barnes is well-respected for his longevity, but since he never actually played or coached for the Giants, it’s tough to rank him above the other names on the list. Also, let’s be honest, the Giants haven’t been the healthiest team in the NFL over the past few seasons.
6. Kyle Rote, Halfback/Wide Receiver (1951-61)
Rote was a very useful offensive playmaker for the Giants during the pre-Super Bowl era. He made four straight Pro Bowls (1953-56), and he caught a touchdown pass in New York’s win over the Chicago Bears in the 1956 NFL Championship. Rote was used more as a pass-catcher than as a ball-carrier for most of his Giants career, and he still ranks second in franchise history behind only Amani Toomer for career touchdown receptions (48).
5. Ottis Anderson, Running Back (1986-92)
Anderson is a legendary running back, but he spent the prime of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent the last six-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Giants and made the most of them. Anderson was on the 1986 team that beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI, and he was the Super Bowl MVP in the win over the Buffalo Bills four years later. Although he’s largely responsible for 25 percent of the franchise’s Lombardi Trophies, Anderson only eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground once with the Giants (1989).
4. Joe Morris, Running Back (1982-89)
Morris did not have a long career with the Giants, but his peak was extraordinary. In 1985, he led the entire NFL with 21 rushing touchdowns (franchise record). A year later, he was named first-team All-Pro while rushing for a career-high 1,516 yards and helping push the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXI. Morris gets the nod over Anderson in this ranking since he started over him until a foot injury effectively ended his career in New York before the 1989 season.
3. Jimmy Patton, Defensive Back (1955-66)
Patton is long overdue for the Ring of Honor. With five straight first-team All-Pro distinctions (1958-62), he is one of the greatest defensive backs in Giants history. He won an NFL title in his second professional season (1956) and appeared in a total of six league championship games. Patton led the entire NFL with 11 interceptions in 1958 and retired with 52 picks to his name. To this day, he is one of just 39 players in NFL history with over 50 career interceptions.
2. Rodney Hampton, Running Back (1990-97)
Hampton didn’t have as much playoff success as the other two running backs heading into the Giants’ Ring of Honor this year, but his talent level was undeniable. He had five straight 1,000-yard seasons from 1991-1995 and still ranks second in franchise history behind only Tiki Barber for career rushing yards (6,897). Hampton made the Pro Bowl in 1992 and 1993, and he also has a Super Bowl ring from his rookie season. He suffered a knee injury before the 1997 season and ultimately retired before his 30th birthday.
1. Leonard Marshall, Defensive End (1983-92)
Of all the legends on this list, Marshall takes the top spot. He played 10 seasons with the Giants and was a major contributor in both of New York’s runs to Super Bowl XXI and XXV. His peak was from 1985-86, when he made back-to-back Pro Bowls and amassed 27.5 sacks over a two-season stretch. The most famous of Marshall’s seven career postseason sacks was the hit that knocked San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana out of the 1990 NFC Championship Game. He ranks fifth all-time in franchise history with 79.5 career sacks.