The 10 best quarterbacks in the history of the NY Giants

With this being the 100th-year celebration of the NY Giants, there's no better time than now to take a trip down memory lane. When it comes to quarterbacks, the G-Men have been blessed with some incredible talent, with the long list of course including Eli Manning.

The hope was that Daniel Jones would go down in history as one of the best QBs to don a Big Blue jersey, but things haven't gone according to plan for the former No. 6 overall pick. Despite that, some Giants legends have turned heads thanks to their electric play leading the offense. In this piece, we take a look at the Top 10 QBs in team history. Every single one of these guys featured will always be remembered by the Big Blue faithful.

Criteria for selection

Cutting down this list to only 10 quarterbacks was no easy task. However, it's safe to say that some players stood out a bit more than others. Obviously, stats come into play. Whether it be a QB who tossed for a boatload of touchdowns or yards, while also making plays with their feet, it's something that we surely took into consideration.

Success with the team also came into play. As much as we'd like to consider Jones a quality QB for Big Blue, he just hasn't done enough yet. Despite being with the team for six seasons, he has only stayed fully healthy for one campaign. That came in 2022, with Jones helping NY reach the postseason for the first time in six years.

That great year led to a $160 million extension, but he simply hasn't lived up to that money yet. Perhaps he can prove everyone wrong this campaign. With that said, enough about Jones - let's dive into our list, with a fantastic talent from the 1920s/1930s starting us off.

The Top 10 quarterbacks in NY Giants history

10. Jack McBride

We're throwing it way back with Jack McBride, who first joined the Giants in 1925. He took home First-Team All-Pro honors that season. What makes McBride so interesting is that he was quite versatile for this team. He lined up at halfback, fullback and quarterback for the Giants. The guy ran with passion and he did everything possible to get his hands dirty.

During his first stint with NY, he was with the team from 1925 to 1928, winning an NFL Championship in 1927. McBride then returned to the team in 1932 and was in town until 1934. During his final season with the team, McBride helped the Giants win another NFL title. Over his long career, McBride tossed for 31 scores, with 25 of them coming with NY.

9. Kerry Collins

He may have only spent five seasons with the Giants, but goodness, they were quite memorable for Kerry Collins. The signal-caller made his way to the area after previously spending time with the Panthers and Saints. Collins' first year with the team came in 1999 - he appeared in 10 games and tossed for eight touchdowns.

After that, though, he became the full-time starter for the 2000 campaign and threw for 22 touchdowns. He was also quite clutch, helping the Giants get to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, Collins and Co. ran into the Ravens with the Lombardi Trophy on the line and Baltimore came out on top. That loss shouldn't take away from Collins' legacy with the team, though. Collins ended up throwing for 16,875 yards and 81 TDs with the Giants.

8. Jeff Hostetler

Best known for this playing days as the No. 2 quarterback for the Giants, Jeff Hostetler was as reliable as could be whenever his number was called. In total, he spent seven seasons with New York, appearing in 91 games, with 25 starts. During the 1990 season, Hostetler took over the offense for an injured Phill Simms and goodness did he deliver.

This includes powering the team through the playoffs and a Super Bowl XXV victory. Normally, you'd expect a backup QB to crumble in the playoffs, but that wasn't the case here. The Giants were able to win the Super Bowl that season and Hostetler proved to be a main reason why. In total, Hostetler tossed for 4,409 yards and 20 TDs with Big Blue.

7. Ed Danowski

Back in the 1930s, it's safe to say Ed Danowski was the Patrick Mahomes of the decade. Okay, maybe we're taking things a little too far, but Danowski was a rockstar for the Giants. In total, he played seven seasons in New York, known for throwing the ball all over the field and also making defenders look silly when he ran the ball too.

Danowski led the Giants to four NFL Championship appearances, helping the G-Men win two of them. His best season came in 1935 - that fall, the stud tossed for 794 yards and 10 touchdowns. Not only that, he rushed for 335 yards and two more scores. He of course took home First-Team All-Pro honors. For his career, he rushed for more than 1,100 yards and four TDs, while passing for 3,817 yards and 37 TDs.

6. Benny Friedman

Not many younger Giants fans know about Benny Friedman, but it's time for a quick history lesson. Friedman was an absolute stud for the University of Michigan in college, being named an All-American twice. He then made his way to the pros, playing for Cleveland and Detroit before joining New York in 1929.

In 1929 and 1930, he was a First-Team All-Pro. Friedman had a rocket for an arm and he wasn't afraid to showcase it. In 1929, he tossed for a career-high 20 touchdowns and he followed that up with 13 more the following year. Known for the way he changed the passing game in the NFL, Friendman is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame - and he's a Top 10 Giants QB in our book too. He finished his career with 66 TDs.

5. Fran Tarkenton

He wasn't the biggest guy at just 6-0, 190 pounds, but Fran Tarkenton was fantastic for the Giants during his five years with the team. In four of those seasons, he took home Pro Bowl honors. Tarkenton spent 18 total campaigns in the NFL, as he's best known for his playing days with the Vikings, both before and after his time with NY.

While with the Giants, he indeed was brilliant with the ball in his hands. The Pro Football Hall of Famer tossed for 13,905 yards and 103 touchdowns for Big Blue. Yes, he's more well known for his time with Minnesota, but come on, you can't ignore what he was able to get done with New York. Those nearly 14,000 yards are nothing to sneeze at.

4. Y.A. Tittle

Another stud to enjoy a long career was Y.A. Tittle, who was a nightmare to deal with for 17 years. His final four campaigns came with the Giants and boy he was stellar. From 1961 to 1964, Tittle was a pleasure to watch for those who were able to see him live. For those of us who weren't born yet, we can still appreciate his time with NY.

Tittle was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro pick. In 1963, he was named NFL MVP after throwing for 3,145 yards and a mind-blowing 36 touchdowns. The season before, he tossed for 33 TDs. All in all, he posted 10,439 yards and 96 touchdowns with the Giants. Tittle powered NY to three NFL Championship trips, though they didn't get the job done in any of those contests.

3. Charlie Conerly

Charlie Conerly spent 14 years in the NFL - with every single moment and snap coming while donning a Giants jersey. You want to talk about longevity? It was Conerly's middle name. He appeared in 161 games for the Giants, with 105 starts. He was a Pro Bowler in 1950 and 1956, tossing for 18 TDs combined during the two campaigns.

The '56 campaign was his best, as he helped the Giants capture NFL Championship glory that season. He decided to hang up his cleats after 1961, and he did so as the Giants leader all-time in virtually every single passing category. He'll go down as one of the top QBs in franchise history and he's obviously a Ring of Honor member.

2. Phil Simms

Since you already know who No. 1 on our list is, you could have probably also guessed who checks in at No. 2. That'd be the one and only Phil Simms. From 1979-1993, Simms was in New Jersey making plays for the Giants. He threw for more than 33,000 yards, 199 touchdowns and has two Super Bowl rings with Big Blue.

Simms powered the Giants to their first Super Bowl win way back in 1987. In that W, the Giants took down the Broncos and the standout QB was named Super Bowl MVP. Simms posted 268 passing yards and three touchdowns in that victory. While he was injured for the Giants Super Bowl win in 1991, it doesn't take away from his incredible legacy with this team. Simms, a Ring of Honor member, was one of a kind for the Giants.

1. Eli Manning

Yup, there's no shock here, as Manning is the GOAT when it comes to Giants signal-callers. Manning captured two Super Bowl titles while with Big Blue, with both victories coming against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Manning and the Giants ruining New England's perfect season is something that will always be celebrated, especially by members of the 1972 Dolphins team.

To this day, Manning takes any opportunity he can get to troll Brady over his dominance over him in their two Super Bowl dances. Manning, who was named Super Bowl MVP in both wins, is the Giants all-time passing leader with 57,023 yards. After suiting up for NY from 2004-2019, Manning is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025. If you ask us, he deserves a spot in Canton.

The 10 best quarterbacks in franchise history by passing yards: