The 10 Best New York Giants QBs of All Time, Ranked

Established in 1925, the New York Giants are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL.

Successful nearly right out of the gate, they won their first NFL Championship after the 1927 season and went on to win three more championships along with four Super Bowls (1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011). It’s fair to say one of the things that’s made the franchise so successful is outstanding quarterback play.

The Giants are one of the few teams to have two different quarterbacks (both of whom made this list, of course) who have each won multiple Super Bowls. Interestingly enough, neither of those two Super Bowl winners for the Giants is currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — although New York did have Hall of Famers at the position.

We took a shot at narrowing down the best QBs to ever don a Giants uniform, going all the way back to the 1920s. We looked at stats, records, championships and leadership, among other traits. Below is our list of 10 best Giants quarterbacks.

---

10. Dave Brown

• Years as a Giant: 1992-1997
• Iconic performance: November 27, 1994 vs. Washington, Brown threw 2 TDs and ran for another in New York’s 21-19 win.

Though not as successful as some others, Dave Brown was a reliable starter during a tough era for the Giants. Over his career in New York, Brown compiled 7,764 passing yards, 40 touchdowns and 49 interceptions​. His best season with the Giants came in 1995, when he finished with 2,814 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Brown’s overall record as a starter (23-30) is as much on the team’s struggles as it is on his own play. He currently ranks 8th on the team’s all-time passing yardage list.

---

9. Benny Friedman

• Years as a Giant: 1929-1931
• Championships & awards:
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Iconic performance: As detailed below, Friedman was the first QB in NFL history to throw 4 TDs in a game in 1929. It was a historic feat at the time.

One of the earliest stars in the NFL, Benny Friedman revolutionized the passing game and became the team’s unheralded first true star at the QB position. The league was completely different when Friedman played, and passing was not part of every team’s scheme the way it is now. Per Big Blue Interactive, Friedman became the first player in the NFL to throw 4 TDs in one game. The Giants went 13-1-1 in his first year with the team in 1929, and he led them to a 13-4 mark in 1930.

---

8. Fran Tarkenton

• Years as a Giant: 1967-1971
• Championships & awards:
  • 4-time Pro Bowl selection (1967-1970)
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Iconic performance: December 17, 1967 vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, Tarkenton threw for 275 yards and 4 TDs in New York’s 37-14 victory.

In between his legendary stints with the Minnesota Vikings, Fran Tarkenton spent five seasons in New York. Although Tarkenton had most of his success with the Vikings, he was a Pro Bowl quarterback for the bulk of his stint with the Giants. Remembered as a pioneer of the scrambling quarterback and one of the greats in NFL history, Tarkenton had a 33-36 record with the Giants in his 69 starts. He threw for 13,905 yards, which ranks 5th on the team’s all-time yardage list. His 103 TD passes ranks 4th.

---

7. Daniel Jones

• Years as a Giant: 2019-present
• Iconic performance: Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 22, 2019, Jones threw for 336 yards and 2 TDs, also rushing for 2 TDs in a 32-31 Giants win.

Still active, Daniel Jones has shown flashes of great potential, and has the opportunity to rise higher on this list with continued development. He led the Giants to the playoffs in the 2022 season, marking their first postseason appearance since 2016. He played a crucial role in their wild card victory against the Minnesota Vikings, throwing for 301 yards and two scores while also rushing for 78 yards. Currently in 6th place on the team’s all time passing yards list, Jones also ranks 7th in passing TDs.

---

6. Kerry Collins

• Years as a Giant: 1999-2003
• Iconic performance: In the 2000 NFC Championship Game against the Vikings, Collins threw for 381 yards and 5 TDs in the Giants’ 41-0 shutout.

One of Kerry Collins’ most notable achievements with the Giants was leading the team to Super Bowl 35 after the 2000 season. Although the Giants lost to the Baltimore Ravens, this marked a high point in his career, although he also had other memorable moments in a Giants uniform. In 2002, Collins set a franchise record by passing for 4,073 yards, a mark that stood until 2011. He also had 335 completions that season, ranking second in team history. Collins is currently fifth in franchise history in passing yards (16,875), and he remains an important QB in team history.

---

5. Charlie Conerly

• Years as a Giant: 1948-1961
• Championships & awards:
  • NFL champion (1956)
  • Second-team All-Pro (1959)
  • 2-time Pro Bowl selection (1950, 1956)
• Iconic performance: October 23, 1949 vs. the Chicago Bears, Conerly torched the Bears’ defense for 273 yards and 4 TDs in a 35-28 Giants win.

Conerly played 14 seasons with the Giants, leading them to an NFL Championship in 1956. Known for his strong arm and ability to read defenses, he also led the Giants to multiple playoff appearances. He played a pivotal role in that Giants’ championship victory in 1956, as he passed for 1,101 yards and 12 touchdowns during the regular season. All these years later, Conerly is still all over the team’s record books. He’s currently 3rd in TD passes (173) 3rd in passing yards (19,488) and 4th in completions (1,418).

---

4. Jeff Hostetler

• Years as a Giant: 1985-1992
• Championships & awards:
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion (1986, 1990)
• Iconic performance: It’s gotta be Super Bowl 25, when Hostetler threw for 222 yards and a score in New York’s 20-19 win over the Buffalo Bills.

Perhaps best known for stepping up during the 1990 season when starting QB Phil Simms — more on him in a bit — was injured, Hostetler led the Giants to a victory in Super Bowl 25. It’s still regarded as one of the greatest upsets of the Super Bowl era. Hostetler generally kept his poise under pressure, particularly in playoff games — he had a 3-0 postseason mark with the Giants as a starter. He didn’t put up huge numbers (he threw for 4,409 yards with the Giants), but, put buntly, Hostetler simply won. In addition to his playoff success, he had a 16-9 overall record as a starter in the regular season. That’s why we put him in our top 5.

---

3. Y.A. Tittle

• Years as a Giant: 1961-1964
• Championships & awards:
  • NFL Most Valuable Player (1962)
  • 3-time Pro Bowl selection (1961-1963)
  • Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Iconic performance: Tittle threw for an incredible 505 yards and 7 TDs in New York’s 49-34 win over Washington on October 28, 1962.

Y.A. Tittle had a brief-yet-remarkable tenure with the Giants. He was key to the team’s success in the early 1960s, winning an MVP award and leading the Giants to three straight NFL championship games (1961, 1962, and 1963). The Giants lost each time, but Tittle’s impact shouldn’t be understated. He threw for over 10,400 yards, and his 96 passing TDs is 5th on the team’s all-time yards list. Tittle remains one of the franchise’s all-time greats, and his legend coupled with his consistent success in New York (he had a 32-13-3 record as a starter) puts him at No. 3.

---

2. Phil Simms

• Years as a Giant: 1979-1981, 1983-1993
• Championships & awards:
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion (1986, 1990)
  • Super Bowl MVP (1986)
  • NFL Man of the Year (1993)
  • 2-time Pro Bowl selection (1985, 1993)
  • Jim Thorpe Trophy (1986)
• Iconic performance: The 1986 Super Bowl, hands down. Simms completed 22-of-25 passes (that’s an incredible 88% completion rate), setting a Super Bowl record for the highest completion percentage in a game at that time.

A Super Bowl champion and MVP, Simms is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in Giants history, primarily for his leadership, performance in crucial games and overall contributions to the team. Simms gets points for his strong arm, and also for his almost underrated toughness. The ex-Giants QB faced numerous injuries throughout his career, but continued to perform at a high level after recovering. He still ranks high among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several statistical categories, including passing yards (33,462, 2nd place all-time) and touchdown passes (199, 2nd).

---

1. Eli Manning

• Years as a Giant: 2004-2019
• Championships & awards:
  • 2-time Super Bowl champion (2007, 2011)
  • 2-time Super Bowl MVP (2007, 2011)
  • Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2016)
  • 4-time Pro Bowl selection (2008, 2011, 2012, 2015)
• Iconic performance: In the 2011 NFC Championship Game against an elite San Francisco 49ers defense, Manning threw for 316 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions in a 20-17 Giants win.

Eli Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories, both against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. His performance in Super Bowl 42, particularly the game-winning drive and the iconic “Helmet Catch” by David Tyree, is considered one of the greatest moments in NFL history. Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in both victories, solidifying his legacy. Another truly impressive feat? Manning started 210 consecutive games from 2004 to 2017, showcasing his reliability and durability. His 57,023 passing yards, 366 passing TDs and 4,895 completions are all No. 1 in the Giants’ record books.

0 Comments