All the way back in 1925, the New York Giants played their first season in the NFL. Led by coach Bob Falwell, the Giants finished 8-4, the fourth-best record in the league. Being that it is now 2024, that means the Giants have been around for 100 years, and throughout this season (and even this offseason), the team will be commemorating that 100th anniversary.
The Giants unveiled on Thursday a 100 seasons logo, along with a slate of activities and merchandise to celebrate the occasion.
"The entire Mara family is proud to commemorate the 100th season of New York Giants football," said John Mara, president and CEO of the Giants, via the team's press release. "As we reflect on this landmark season, I think about my family, and most specifically my father, grandfather and uncle who dedicated their entire lives to the Giants and the NFL. We would not be who we are without their vision and leadership. When we became partners with the Tisch family in 1991, our franchise grew even stronger. Together, the Mara and Tisch families are proud to celebrate the history of our franchise as we look to the future of Giants football."
"I first saw the Giants play in person in the early 1960s when my father would take me to games at Yankee Stadium," said Steve Tisch, Giants executive vice president and chairman. "Going to Giants games was a wonderfully magical ritual. It inspired my lifelong love of the Giants. When my father became an equal partner of the Giants in 1991, it was the realization of a longtime dream. Our family has relished our association with the Giants and look forward to many years of success in the future."
Among the events and celebratory moments the team announced are:
- Fans can vote for the greatest play in Giants history on the team's website. The winning play will be revealed at the team's Giants 100: A Night with Legends event on June 20. Legends expected to participate in the event include Eli Manning, Harry Carson, Tiki Barber, George Martin, Jason Sehorn, Bill Parcells, and Tom Coughlin.
- The team will present the Giants' top 100 players (voted on by an independent panel) on its digital and social media channels throughout the summer, beginning in July.
- Longtime radio play-by-play announcer Bob Papa will host a 10-part podcast series exploring the impact those players have had on the organization.
- On Aug. 1, the team will visit the site of the Polo Grounds, where the Giants played their first game, on the 100th anniversary of the team's founding day.
- There will be a 100th season Theme Day at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 4. To commemorate the 18 years the Giants played at Yankee Stadium (1956-73), the first 18,000 fans will receive an Eli Manning Yankees bobblehead.
- The Giants Foundation will pledge $1 million in donations through 10 grants of $100,000 each to longtime charitable partners, each of which will be highlighted at a Giants home game this season.
- 100th season merchandise including helmets, hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts and collectibles will be available for purchase at the team's online shop and MetLife Stadium.
- A 100th season book titled "New York Football Giants: The People, The Moments, The Traditions" will be available in September.
- "The Duke," a documentary about the life of Wellington Mara (who became the team's co-owner at age 14 and operated as co-owner until his death in 2005), will premiere on NFL Network this fall.
In other words, there is going to be a whole lot of celebrating of 100 years of New York Giants football, and thus a whole lot of opportunities for fans to get in on the fun.
