NY Giants all-time starting roster: defense

The NY Giants are one of the NFL's premiere franchises. Big Blue has 29 Hall of Famers, four Super Bowl championships, and the greatest defensive football player ever.

When you think of the greatest seasons in Giants history, three traits come to mind: tough, physical, and gritty. Those three traits come to mind because all successful Giants teams in the franchise's 98-year history have had stout defenses. Few franchises boast the all-time greats the Giants do on defense.

The Giants all-time starting defense would go toe-to-toe with every other franchise's all-time defense. There were certainly some tough cuts, but here is the Giants all-time starting defense:

DT: Leonard Marshall

Leonard Marshall is one of the most underrated players in Giants history. Marshall played 10 seasons with Big Blue from 1983-1992. During his career in New York, Marshall won two Super Bowls, racked up 79.5 sacks, third most in Giants history, 660 tackles, six fumble recoveries, and two interceptions.

Marshall played on a Giants defense that also featured Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. If he had played on a team without those two New York icons, he would not have been overshadowed and given the recognition he truly deserves.

The moment Marshall is most famous for is a hit he delivered on Joe Montana in the 1991 NFC Championship Game. Marshall is a Big Blue legend and one of the best defenders we've ever seen. What a talent he was.

DE: Michael Strahan

A no-brainer decision. No New York Giant has sacked the quarterback more than Michael Strahan. Strahan played for the Giants from 1993-2007 and brought the opposing quarterback down 141.5 times. He was the NFL sack leader in 2001 and 2003. His 22.5 sacks in 2001 are tied for the most sacks in a single season.

Throughout his Giants career, the legendary defensive end racked up some serious hardware. Strahan was the 2001 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, named First-team All Pro on four separate occasions, selected to the Pro Bowl seven times, a 2000s All Decade team member, and Super Bowl champion. Strahan played for only the Giants and is by far the greatest defensive end in Giants history.

DE: Osi Umenyiora

I pondered including Justin Tuck as the second defensive end, but Osi Umenyiora had the better Giants career. Osi played nine seasons with Big Blue and recorded 75 sacks, the fourth most in franchise history. Osi was a massive part of the Giants two Super Bowls wins in 2007 and 2011, and was part of two of the greatest pass-rushing duos in franchise history: Osi and Justin Tuck and Osi and Strahan.

In the Giants stunning 37-20 win over the Green Bay Packers in the 2011 NFC Divisional Round, Osi hit Aaron Rodgers three times and sacked him twice, catapulting Big Blue towards their second Super Bowl in four years. Despite playing with Strahan and Tuck in 2007, Osi was the by far the best and most dominant player on the Giant defense.

OLB: Lawrence Taylor

The best defensive football player in NFL history and the greatest football player of all time played his entire career in New York. Lawrence Taylor played 180 games over the course of 13 seasons with New York and racked up a ridiculous amount of accolades.

Taylor was the NFL MVP in 1986, won three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (1981, 1982, 1986), was NFL Defensive Yookie of the year in 1981, was named First Team All-Pro eight times, was a 10 time Pro Bowler and more.

Most importantly, Taylor was a two-time Super Bowl Champion (XXI, XXV). If you aren’t old enough to have seen Taylor play, just know Bill Belichick said he was the greatest defensive player he’s ever coached:

OLB: Jessie Armstead

Carl Banks was a legend on the field and is still a legend in the Giants radio booth, but I had to give the second outside linebacker slot to Jessie Armstead. The Giants selected Armstead in the eighth round of the 1993 NFL Draft and the legendary outside linebacker played nine seasons with Big Blue, recording 30.5 sacks, 778 tackles, 565 of which were solo tackles.

Over the course of his Giants career, Armstead was named to five consecutive Pro Bowls (1997-2001), won an NFC Championship, two NFC East titles, and was a First-Team All-Pro member in 1997. He was inducted into the Giants Ring of Honor in 2010. Armstead was the leader of the 2000 Giants defense (No. 2 in the league that season) that marched their way to Super Bowl XXXV.

In that game, Armstead picked off Trent Dilfer and ran it back 43 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, but it was called back due to a holding penalty by Keith Hamilton. That call completely swung the game and led to a blowout loss to Baltimore.

MLB: Harry Carson

If you need a running game shutdown, Carson is the guy to do it. Carson played his entire 13-year career in New York, registering 11 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries, and 19 sacks. Carson led the Giants in tackles in six different seasons.

Carson played the second half of his career with Taylor, which somewhat overshadowed how dominant he truly was. In Super Bowl XXI, Carson played an integral part in the win. Throughout his career, he was a Pro Bowler nine times, and has since been inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Giants Ring of Honor. Carson was also one of the best leaders in Giants franchise history and served as defensive captain for an absurd 10 seasons.

MLB: Sam Huff

It’s time to go way back in time. Sam Huff, who played for the Giants from 1956-1963, absolutely deserves the second middle linebacker spot next to Carson. Huff played 102 games with Big Blue across eight seasons with the squad, recording 14.5 sacks, 11 fumble recoveries, 18 interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns.

Huff was part of six Eastern Conference Championships with New York, and was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Giants Ring of Honor. Huff slowed down Jim Brown, the greatest running back in NFL history, on multiple occasions when the Giants and Browns squared off. Huff also revolutionized the game of football.

S: Emlen Tunnell

We have to go way back in time to find the greatest defensive back in New York Giant history. Emlen Tunnell, nicknamed the Gremlin, enlisted in the coast guard in the early 1940s and was a monster on the battlefield.

After a Japan bombing set one of his fellow crewman on fire, Tunnell put the blaze out with his bare hands. He also reportedly dove into freezing water (32 degrees) and saved a drowning shipmate.

That warrior spirit translated to the football field. Tunnell played 11 seasons with Big Blue, recording 74 interceptions. He racked up 79 picks in his NFL career, which are second most in NFL history and only two behind Paul Krause for the most ever. His 74 picks are the most in Giants history.

In 1967, six years after he retired from football, Tunnell was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not only is he a Giants icon, he’s an American legend.

S: Jimmy Patton

The New York Giants drafted under-heralded safety Jimmy Patton in the eighth round of the 1955 draft out of Mississippi. The safety quickly become a star and played his entire 12-year career (1955-1966) in New York. Patton racked up 52 interceptions, second most in Giants history, two touchdowns, and 15 fumble recoveries.

From 1958-1962, Patton was selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls and was also named First Team All-Pro in five consecutive seasons. The Giants secondary in the 1950s featuring Tunnell and Patton was absolutely incredible and should have been nicknamed "Pick City."

CB: Dick Lynch

Dick Lynch, a Giants Ring of Honor member, was drafted by Washington in 1958 and was traded to the Giants for a 1960 fourth-round pick following his rookie season, a colossal mistake by Washington. Lynch was incredible for Washington’s rival and played eight seasons with the Giants.

Lynch recorded 35 interceptions during his Giants career, 10 fumble recoveries, and scored five touchdowns. In both 1961 and 1963, Lynch picked off nine passes, which led the NFL. Many of you know Lynch from his 40-year career as a color commentary man on Giants radio. His final radio call was the Giants stunning Super Bowl XLII victory over Tom Brady’s New England Patriots.

CB: Carl “Spider” Lockhart

The Giants drafted Spider Lockhart in the 13th round of the 1965 draft out of North Texas. Lockhart’s NFL career lasted 11 seasons, all of which were with the New York Giants. Lockhart picked off 41 passes and returned three of them for touchdowns.

Lockhart’s two defensive touchdowns in 1968 were the most in the NFL that season. Spider was so good in 1966, he made the Pro Bowl despite playing on a Giants defense that gave up 35.8 points per game, the most in NFL history.

Spider sadly died from Lymphoma on July 9, 1986 at the age of 43. The Giants wore a Spider patch in the 1986 season to honor the all-time great defensive back and went on to defeat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.

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