New York Giants Hall of Shame: Worst breakup and more

After celebrating the Giants by highlighting their players who someday could be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we flip the script to give you New York's Hall of Shame.

Worst breakup: Janoris Jenkins

The Giants were in the midst of a 4-12 season in 2019 when Jenkins made an inexcusable comment on social media. While sitting out practice with an ankle injury, he tweeted his statistics, boasting that he hadn’t given up a score since Week 3. When a fan pointed out the team had won just two games, the cornerback responded, “I only can do my job" before calling the fan a name that we won't reprint here.

Jenkins had been critical of coaches and players on social media all season, but clearly crossed a line with that comment. He apologized but still tried to justify his comments when talking to reporters.

"It's a culture that I grew up in where I'm from, you know what I'm saying.” Jenkins said. “We use all kinds of words for all kinds of slang."

Jenkins refused to take down the offensive post, and after his half-hearted apology, the Giants released the Pro Bowl cornerback.

Worst draft pick: Defensive end Cedric Jones

In 1996, New York needed a pass rusher and were looking for a defensive end with the fifth overall pick. Unfortunately for New York, the Cardinals took Simeon Rice with the third pick, so the Giants drafted the player whom they saw as the next best pass rusher.

Jones was legally blind in his left eye because of keratoconus, a disorder that occurs when the cornea becomes thin and irregular. Making matters worse, Jones re-injured his eye horsing around with friends one month before the draft and three months after undergoing a cornea transplant.

Even with knowledge of his condition, the Giants signed Jones to a $12.5 million contract with a team-record $5.75 million signing bonus. With vision problems limiting him to the right side, Jones needed four years to become a starter and had just 15 sacks in his five-year career. He never played again in the NFL after the 2000 season.

Worst free agent: WR Kenny Golladay

As a Lion in 2019, Golladay led the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns. He missed 11 games with injury and had just two touchdowns the following year, but that didn’t stop the Giants from signing the former third-round pick to a four-year, $72 million contract in 2021.

In two years with New York, Golladay had 43 catches and one touchdown reception. The Giants released him in March, but he still carries $14.7 million in dead cap money for 2023, easily making him the worst free-agent signing in franchise history. 

Worst loss: Divisional round against 49ers, Jan. 15, 1994

After going 11-5 in 1993, the Giants were blasted 44-3 by the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. The 49ers outgained New York by 219 yards and their defense sacked Giants quarterback Phil Simms four times, forcing three turnovers. 

San Francisco’s Ricky Watters ran for 118 yards and set a playoff record with five rushing touchdowns. New York’s only points came on a 25-yard field goal by David Treadwell.

The game marked the end of an era for Giants fans. Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor announced his retirement shortly after the game and the team released quarterback Phil Simms in the offseason.