Giants Flashback: In-Season Trade, circa 1986

Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

From the LA Times Newswire — October 9, 1986

"The New York Giants acquired running back Ottis Anderson, the 11th-leading rusher in National Football League history, from the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday for two undisclosed 1987 draft choices.Anderson led St. Louis in rushing his first six seasons before being slowed by a foot injury last year. He set a club record with 1,605 yards as a rookie in 1979 and an NFL record for rookies with nine 100-yard games. He has 7,999 yards in 1,859 carries.Anderson, 29, is also a talented receiver, having caught 51 passes in 1981, 54 in 1983 and 70 in 1984.His foot injury and the emergence of running back Stump Mitchell made him expendable. Anderson is expected to back up halfback Joe Morris and play on passing downs with the Giants.”"

What a tremendous blast from the past. The Giants have only been a party to a rare few mid-season transactions during their storied history, but they chose the right time to pounce 27 years ago. O.J. scored 33 regular season touchdowns between 1988-1990, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark in 1989. He rushed for a score in Super Bowl XXI despite getting seven carries the whole ’86 postseason. Four years after being declared “near the end”, Anderson took home Super Bowl XXV MVP honors, rushing for 102 yards and touchdown against Buffalo.

Will the Giants make a deadline play for another powerful back with receiving skills in the oft-injured Jonathan Stewart? How about Mikel Leshoure? Eh, probably not. Hakeem Nicks, the Giants lone attractive trade commodity, doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. On a quiet afternoon in Rutherford, NJ…