Historically speaking, the NY Giants are a team who have had some incredible talent play for the organization at each position. Wide receiver is no exception to this, with several guys really balling out for fans to enjoy.
The Giants have been home to some of the most exciting receivers the league has ever seen. While these players may not necessarily be high up on the NFL’s all-time receivers list, their style of play and excitement they brought to the game entertained NY Giants fans for years. With that said, here’s a look at the 10 greatest wideouts in team history.
Honorable mentions: Stephen Baker, Mario Manningham and Sterling Shepard
It was very hard to make this list without at least mentioning these players. These three receivers have had big impacts on the Giants in one way or another. However, the players ahead of them just barely beat them out.
Stephen Baker “the TD maker” is a fan favorite among Giants fans for his time with the team during their 1990 Super Bowl run. Baker spent six seasons in the NFL, all with the NY Giants. In this time, Baker caught 141 passes for 2,587 yards and 21 TDs. He even making a crucial TD catch against the Bills in the Super Bowl.
Having personally interviewed Baker, I can tell you he is one of the kindest professional athletes I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with. It was truly a treat to listen to the stories he had to tell. It was quite unfortunate that Baker’s career was cut short due to a back injury in 1992. While he may not have the most impressive stats, Baker was a very important piece to the NY Giants 1990 Super Bowl run. Without him, they likely do not win that game.
Mario Manningham is in a similar boat to Baker. While he was a great player with the NY Giants during his four year tenure, he was only with the team for those said years. The longevity simply isn’t there for Manningham. However, in another similar fashion to the TD maker, Manningham was crucial to the NY Giants 2011 Super Bowl glory, catching one of the greatest passes ever thrown in NFL history from Eli Manning in that win over the Patriots.
During his four years with the team, Manningham would catch 160 passes for 2,315 yards and 19 TDs. While Manningham may not have the longevity, his high level of play when it mattered most was enough to give him an honorable mention spot.
Sterling Shepard is the only NY Giants on this list who is currently on the squad. He came closest to making it on the list, however, his lack of team success, accolades and longevity caused him to barely miss out on the 10 guys in front of him.
In the six years since Shepard was drafted, he has caught 349 passes for 3,884 yards and 21 TDs. Not bad considering Shepard has been a second or third option for the majority of his career. While in recent years injuries have began to take a toll on the 29 year old, he still produces very solid numbers when healthy. Now, we move on to the top 10.
10. WR Chris Calloway
Coming in at No. 10 is Chris Calloway, who spent seven seasons with the NY Giants, catching 334 passes for 4,710 yards and 27 TDs. While these are not the most impressive numbers, Calloway was the Giants’ most consistent receiver for the majority of his tenure, leading the team in receiving yards four out of the seven years he was in town.
After signing with the Giants in 1992, the 24-year-old Calloway quickly became a top pass catcher in the offense. Calloway played three playoff games for the Giants, catching 10 passes for 107 yards and 0 TDs in said games. However, the worst moment of Calloway’s career also happened during the playoffs. This happened during the 1997 NFC Wild Card game. While statistically, this was Calloway’s best playoff performance, as he caught six passes for 53 yards.
Despite this, with the NY Giants holding a 22-20 lead with 1:25 remaining in the 4th quarter, Calloway would muff an onside kick which essentially set up a game-winning field goal by the Vikings. While Calloway was no superstar receiver, he was a very consistent player for the NY Giants for seven years, helping the team make the playoffs twice. Despite his postseason blunder, fans can’t forget about how great he was at times.
9. WR Ike Hilliard
After being selected No. 7 overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, it seemed as if the NY Giants had their WR of the future in Ike Hilliard. However, a gruesome neck injury during his rookie season caused him to have posterior spine stabilization surgery.
Despite this, Hilliard still had a very solid career for the NY Giants, catching 368 passes for 4,630 yards and 27 TDs. What pushes Hilliard over Calloway were his postseason heroics against the Minnesota Vikings in the 1999 NFC Championship Game. In this contest, Hilliard caught 10 passes for 155 yards and 2 TDs, helping send the NY Giants to the big game.
It is very unfortunate that Hilliard had to deal with such a serious injury during his rookie season, as we really don’t know what he could have been. Regardless, Hilliard was one of the NY Giants best receivers for nearly eight seasons. Without him, the Giants likely don’t make the Super Bowl during the 1999 campaign.
8. WR Hakeem Nicks
Up next is 2011 Super Bowl champion Hakeem Nicks, who played six seasons with the NY Giants after being taken in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In said seasons, Hicks caught 318 passes for 4,676 yards and 27 TDs, showing out as one of the best receivers on that 2011 Super Bowl team.
In the 2011 playoffs, Nicks would catch 31 passes for 444 yards and 4 TDs in four games. This Included an epic 10-reception, 109-yard performance against the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Nicks would remain on the NY Giants for the following two seasons until he opted to sign with the Colts in 2014.
He didn’t have the same success in Indy, as he only caught 38 passes for 405 yards and 4 TDs in 16 games. After one season with the Colts, Nicks would struggle to find a place in the league. He signed with the Titans in 2015, but was cut. He then made his way home back to the G-Men, but 2015 turned out to be his final campaign in the league.
Despite not having a very long career, Nicks will always be remembered by Giants fans for his heroics when things mattered most. He was a very exciting player to watch in his prime and was arguably the best receiver on the team for their Super Bowl run in 2011.
7. WR Del Shofner
Del Shofner is not a name we often see come up when talking about the all-time great receivers of the NY Giants. This is likely due to how long ago he played. Shofner joined the Giants in the 1961 season and made an instant impact. He recorded three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, while also being selected to three Pro Bowls and three First Team All-Pro squads.
However, a combination of illness and injuries derailed Shofner’s career, as after these three seasons, Shofner would only remain in the league for four more years and would never have more than 400 receiving yards in a campaign again. Shofner would appear in the postseason three times for the Giants, catching eight passes for 110 yards in three games.
Shofner was one of the first “deep threat” receivers the league had ever seen. He was truly a game-changing player, even making the NFL’s 1960’s All Decade Team for his skillset.
In his seven-year tenure with the NY Giants, Shofner would catch 239 passes for 4,315 yards and 35 TDs. When looking back, these numbers are not the most insane stats that jump out on the page, but for his time it’s no doubt impressive. Some have argued Shofner should be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his revolutionary play.
6. WR Plaxico Burress
This is one of the first examples in which we’re going to put overall talent and postseason success over accolades and stats. While Shofner may have better stats and more accolades, Plaxico Burress was obviously the more talented player, while simultaneously being a key reason for the NY Giants impossible 2007 Super Bowl run.
That season, Burress would catch 70 passes for 1,025 yards and 12 TDs. He was consistently showcasing his ability as an elite red zone threat. This ability would continue to showcase itself during the Super Bowl when Burress famously caught a fade pass from Eli Manning to seal the victory over New England.
In four seasons spent with the NY Giants, Burress would catch 244 passes for 3,681 yards and 33 TDs. He was the best receiver on the Giants for the duration of his stay with the team. However, his career with the Giants was cut short after an infamous gun situation in a nightclub midway through the 2008 season caused him to receive a two-year jail sentence.
This would have a devastating effect on the NY Giants, as after starting the season off 11-1, the team would lose three out of the last five games of the regular season and eventually lose in the first round of the playoffs to the Eagles. This just goes to show how much the team missed Burress when things mattered most that season.
5. WR Homer Jones
While Homer Jones may be most known for being the first player the spike a football as a TD celebration, he was also a very good receiver. He made two Pro Bowls and earned a Second Team All-Pro selection during his six-year tenure with the Giants.
Jones was selected in the 20th round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the NY Giants. After only playing in three games his rookie season, Jones burst onto the scene his sophomore year. That fall, he caught 26 passes for 709 yards and 8 TDs.
After that season, Jones would follow up with three consecutive 1,000+ receiving yard years. He even led the league in receiving TDs in 1967 with 13.
Despite not making any postseason appearances in his career, Jones’ time with the Giants was special. In total, he would catch 214 passes for 4,845 yards and 35 TDs. Although Jones was a tremendous player in his prime, he would suddenly retire in 1971 after one season away from the Giants at the age of 30.
4. WR Kyle Rote
Kyle Rote spent 10 seasons in the NFL, all coming with the NY Giants. Rote was drafted No. 1 overall by the G-Men in 1951. It was safe to say he had high expectations entering the league – and he’d go on to meet them.
In his career, Rote caught 300 passes for 4,797 yards and 48 TDs, all while making four Pro-Bowls, a Second Team All-Pro selection, and he was a key piece in the NY Giants 1956 championship run. In that title game, he caught a touchdown in the Giants’ 47-7 blowout of the Bears.
Similar to Shofner, Rote is often forgotten when people talk about the greatest Giants receivers of all time. This is, again, due to the era in which he played. Rote would remain with the NY Giants until he eventually retired in 1961 at the age of 33.
However, his career in the league was not over, as Rote would join the team as an offensive coordinator the year after he retired. He would maintain this position for two seasons before he was eventually let go. Rote held almost every major NY Giants receiving record, showing just how special of a player he was for his time.
3. WR Victor Cruz
Victor Cruz is one of the best examples in NFL history of a fantastic career being ruined by injuries. After three consecutive seasons in which Cruz tallied over 990 receiving yards, he would never be the same due to gruesome injuries.
Cruz had a different path than most coming into the NFL. Being undrafted out of UMass, Cruz would not see the field until his sophomore season in the league. He broke out as arguably the best receiver on the team, catching 82 passes for 1,536 yards and nine TDs in 2011. While other, more experienced receivers like Nicks would step up in the playoffs, Cruz still had his moments, such as when he caught 10 passes for 142 yards in the NFC Championship Game. Don’t forget about his TD in the Super Bowl win over Tom Brady and Co. too.
In the same 2011 season, Cruz would be selected to the Second Team All-Pro squad and would make his mark as a fan favorite. Cruz remains adored by the fanbase. Whether it was his ridiculous ability to make moves on the field, or his signature “salsa” dance after every TD, there was a lot to like about the young undrafted stud.
Cruz would follow his breakout season by catching 86 passes for 1,092 yards and 10 TDs. He went to the Pro Bowl that winter. It is also worth mentioning that Cruz was on pace for a third consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2013. However, a concussion/knee sprain would cause him to miss the final two games of the season.
Despite the massive levels of success for Cruz, things only went downhill from there. During a Week 6 matchup against the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, Cruz would go down with a torn patella in his right knee that caused him to miss the entirety of the 2014 campaign. The injury bug was not over for Cruz though, as he would also miss the entirety of the 2015 season with a torn fascia in his left calf.
After these injuries, it was clear that Cruz was not the same player. In the 2016 season, Cruz would go on to catch 39 passes for 586 yards and one TD in 15 games. The NY Giants would release Cruz at the end of the campaign, and he never played in another regular season game after that.
Cruz would finish his career on the Giants catching a total of 303 passes for 4,549 yards and 25 TDs. While some of the players on this list may have had a better career for the Giants than Cruz, his prime was simply unreal. The excitement Cruz brought to the fans, combined with his role in helping the NY Giants win the Super Bowl in 2011, will never be forgotten.
2. WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s time with the NY Giants was truly special. While he may have had his controversial moments on and off the field, there was no other WR more electric for the G-Men than him. Ever.
After being selected No. 12 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, it seemed like the sky was the limit for the young Beckham. Despite a couple of injuries causing him to miss the first four games of the season, when it was time to play, Beckham was ready. In only 12 games, Beckham would catch 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs, shattering almost every rookie receiving record the NY Giants had.
Beckham followed things up in style, posting consecutive seasons of at least 95 receptions and 1,000 yards. Oh, and at least 10 scores. He also helped the team get back to the playoffs in 2016. There was no doubt that Beckham had all of the talent in the world. However, issues on and off the field arose and things started heading south. No one has forgotten about the ‘boat trip’ ahead of the playoff game against Green Bay. The Packers dominated that one.
Beckham missed the majority of 2017 due to his ankle injury, but was back for one more go in 2018. He caught 77 balls for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns. However, he wouldn’t don a Giants uniform again, as he was eventually traded to the Browns. In total, Beckham posted 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 56 receiving touchdowns with the Giants. He’ll always be considered a team great, but not the best WR fans have seen. That honor goes to someone else.
Number 1: WR Amani Toomer
This should come as no surprise to anyone. Amani Toomer is no doubt the greatest NY Giants wide receiver of all time. Toomer owns the NY Giants all time records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs.
After being drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft, Toomer would not see the field much, Only playing in seven games due to a torn ACL. This trend of not playing often would continue for the next two seasons, as Toomer would not start a single game in that time span and would fail to have over 400 receiving yards in each campaign.
However, things would quickly change for the then 25-year-old receiver. Toomer eventually broke out with five 1,000-yard seasons in a row. He helped the G-Men make the Super Bowl in 2000. The success would remain for Toomer, who would have over 650 receiving yards in three out of his last five seasons in the NFL. He played a big role in the NY Giants Super Bowl win in 2007.
During the Super Bowl run, Toomer would catch 21 passes for 280 yards and 3 TDs. He played an instrumental role in the Giants victory over the undefeated Patriots. Toomer would finish his career catching 668 passes for 9,497 yards and 54 TDs. While he may not have the Pro Bowls and All-Pro team selections that some of the other players on this list have, Toomer’s longevity with NY and his success is hard to match. He’s an all-time great, no question.