No. 14 and the New York Giants Player Who Wore It Best

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Hall of Fame quarterback Y.A. Tittle never expected to land nor excel in New York, where he began his stay with three straight NFL Championship Game appearances from 1961-63 and used an elite passing attack to rewrite the record book during the four-year stay that ended his career.

A somewhat low release belied the strength and accuracy of his arm, and - when combined with his ability to read defenses – he became a nightmare to contain.

Tittle held several all-time NFL marks at the time of his retirement following the 1964 season: 28,339 passing yards, 212 passing touchdowns, 2,118 completions, 29,338 yards of total offense, and 36 single-season touchdown passes (1963).

He became the fourth quarterback in league history to throw seven TD passes in one game (vs. Washington in 1962), a mark which still stands and is shared by eight players.

In addition, Tittle has retained Giants records for TD passes in a season (1963) and with a scoring pass in 15 straight games (1962-64).

The Giants acquired Tittle, a 34-year-old backup, from San Francisco for second-year guard Lou Cordileone in August 1961.

The 49ers wanted to get younger and more athletic. However, the veteran quarterback hoped he would be dealt to the Los Angeles Rams to remain close to his family and insurance business in California. New York sought Tittle as a backup behind 40-year-old Charlie Conerly and ahead of third-year pro Lee Grosscup.

Still, a training camp back injury delayed Tittle’s availability until the second week of the season, when he relieved Conerly in two straight wins over Pittsburgh and Washington. Then, Tittle took over and went 8-2-1 while starting 11 of the final 12 games of the season (including the title game defeat against Green Bay) and went to the Pro Bowl; and Conerly retired.

Tittle threw for a then-NFL record 33 TD passes and a career-high 3,224 yards in 1962, securing another Pro Bowl selection while being named NFL Player of the Year by The Sporting News and United Press International.

In Week 7, he threw for 505 yards against Washington to become the second passer in league history to reach 500 in a game. The Giants finished 12-2, but lost the title game in a rematch with the Packers.

In 1963, Tittle was named the NFL MVP, but the Giants (11-3) lost to Chicago in the title game. He went back to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 3,145 yards and completing 60.2% of his passes.

Tittle retired after playing all 14 games (11 starts) during the 1964 season, beaten down by injuries and an aging roster that finished 2-10-2.

In Week 2, he suffered a concussion and a cracked sternum during a blindside hit from Pittsburgh defensive end John Baker.

The takedown left a bloodied Tittle kneeling without his helmet in an iconic photo that won a National Headliner Award and a place in the Hall of Fame.

In 1970, Tittle became the Giants’ quarterback coach for one season and tutored Fran Tarkenton under head coach and former teammate Alex Webster.

In 2024, Tittle was named 12th 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.

Who’s Wearing It Now?

The Giants retired No. 14 for the second time when Tittle hung up his cleats in 1965. It was originally retired for Cuff Ward in 1946, but Tittle asked for the number and was granted permission upon being traded from San Francisco.

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