No. 18 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 18 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. 18 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

WR C.J. Board (2020-21), WB Dale Burnett (1930-39), QB Mike Cherry (1997-98), K Joe Danelo (1976-82), WR Geremy Davis (2015), P Jeff Feagles (2005-09), WR Bennie Fowler (2018-19), WR Isaiah Hodgins (2022-24), QB Tom Kennedy (1966), WR Roger Lewis (2017), RB Frank Martin (1945), WR Reggie McGowan (1987), WR Clifton McNeil (1970-71), WR Louis Murphy (2013), OT Bob Nash (1925), DB-END Bill Petrilas (1945), OT Bill Rooney (1925), QB Sage Rosenfels (2010), WR Da’Mari Scott (2019), CB Eldridge Small (1972-74), K Bob Timberlake (1965), K David Treadwell (1993-94).

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Punter Jeff Feagles defined what it meant to be a weapon by perfecting strategically-placed punts to maximize their impact on field position. His ability was never more obvious than when he played for the Giants over the final seven years (2003-09) of a 22-year NFL career during which he never missed a game.

Feagles owns four all-time league records – and nobody is close in any of the categories -- with 352 consecutive regular season games and 1,713 punts for 71,211 yards with an unofficial 554 inside the 20.

(Note: Inside the 20 did not become an official NFL stat until 1991, so he’s only credited with a record of 497.) In addition, he played in 11 postseason contests without missing any over six trips and had at least 20 punts inside the 20 every season from 1990 to 2009.

In his final game, played against Minnesota on Jan. 3, 2010, Feagles joined Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall as the second player in NFL history to play in four decades. The punter had also been with New England (1988-89), Philadelphia (1990-93), Arizona (1994-97), and Seattle (1998-2002).

Feagles had four straight postseason runs (2005-08) with the Giants, including the Super Bowl XLII champs, and was a 2008 Pro Bowl selection – it was his second and final trip, 13 years after his first honor with the Cardinals.

The Giants signed Feagles as an unrestricted free agent in 2003, gave him No. 10, and he finished second in the NFL with 31 punts inside the 20.

In 2004, he made a deal to yield the number to rookie quarterback Eli Manning and took No. 17, which lasted for one season. In Week 3 against Cleveland, Feagles buried the Browns with his four punts in typical fashion, pinning them at their own 14, 4, 10, and 8.

Feagles made another pact in 2005 – this time with free agent signee Plaxico Burress – and switched to No. 18. In Week 13, the punter was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week when he had a solo tackle and dropped two of his six kicks (44.7 avg.) inside the Dallas 5.

His durability paid off at the end of the 2007 season when, at 41 years, 10 months, and 26 days old, Feagles was the oldest player to have played in a Super Bowl (although his mark has since been broken).

In 2008, Feagles posted a 40.2-yard net punting average (with a 44.0 gross avg.) to become the third punter in NFL history to reach 40 yards in a qualifying number of attempts.

Despite playing for five teams, he was at best in two key categories during his time with the Giants, dropping 34.7% of his punts inside the 20 and limiting his touchback rate to 5.5%.

Who’s Wearing It Now?