No. 12 and the New York Giants Player Who Wore It Best

The countdown to the start of the New York Giants’ 2025 season is underway, as we’re now 12 days away from the opening kickoff against the Washington Commanders. To count down the days until then, we look at the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Giants.

Who Wore No. 12 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

P Matt Allen (2002), DB-RB John Amberg (1951-52), K Jess Atkinson (1985), QB Tim Boyle (2024), RB-DB Dave Brown (1946-47), QB Scott Brunner (1980-83), RB Chris Cagle (1930-32), RB Leo Cantor (1942), QB Bob Clatterbuck (1954-57), RB-DB Randy Clay (1950-53), QB Jim Del Gaizo (1974), OL Walt Dubzinski (1943), DB-QB Bob Dunloap (1936), RB-DB Kay Eakin (1940-41), QB Jerry Goldsteyn (1977-78), RB Bob Greenhalgh (1949), END Pete Hall (1961), WR Jerrel Jernigan (2011-14), WR Tavarres King (2017), WR Cody Latimer (2018-19), QB Jared Lorenzen (2006), QB Tommy Maddox (1995), WR Arthur Marshall (1996), QB Colt McCoy (2020), QB Jim Miller (1987), QB Ryan Nassib (2015), RB Jim Neill (1937), RB Harry Newman (1933-35), OT Steve Owen (1929-30),OL  Babe Parnell (1925), WR John Ross (2021), WR Steve Smith (2007-10), K Bob Thomas (1986), TE Darren Waller (2023), QB Davis Webb (2022), OG Tarzan White (1945).

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Hall of Famer Steve Owen’s herculean impact on the franchise over the entire duration of his career overshadows the fact that he only wore No. 12 as the starting left tackle during the 1929-30 seasons. 

He became a player/co-coach for the final two weeks of the 1930 season and then, on a handshake deal in 1931, wound up remaining the head coach through 1953.

Over that period, the Giants played in eight NFL Championship Games and won in 1934 (the Sneakers Game) and ’38; and they also made the playoffs in 1943 and ’50.

Owen stressed fundamentals and insisted on keeping things simple for the players. In 1937, he altered the conventional usage of an unbalanced line by having the offense line up in a balanced front with splits – the new “A Formation,” and asked his backs to run between the tackles.  

In 1950, Owen broke out the original “umbrella defense” as a means to contain Cleveland’s potent passing attack – the defensive ends would slide back as linebackers and allow the secondary to spread out in deep coverage.

The Giants originally purchased Owen from the then-Cleveland Bulldogs in 1926. The following season, he was elected as captain and later was named to the All-1920s NFL Team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Owen retired in 1932, but came back for one game in 1933 before returning to the sidelines for good. In addition, he did some scouting for the Giants in 1934 and ’64.

In 2024, Owen was named 54th on the list of the all-time Giants’ Top 100 Players as selected by an independent committee of journalists, NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame executives, and superfans polled by the team.