No. 3 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 three 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. 3 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

CB Deonte Banks (2024), OL Al Bedner (1925), K George Benyola (1987), K Josh Brown (2013-16), K Joe Cooper (1986), K Brad Daluiso (1993-2000), K Pete Gogolak (1966-74), OT Len Grant (1930-37), RB Glenn Killinger (1926), K Bjorn Nittmo (1989), QB Jesse Palmer (2002-03), RB Earl Potteiger (1926), K Eric Schubert (1985), WR Sterling Shepard (2021-23), QB Geno Smith (2017), QB Alex Tanney (2019), K Ken Willis (1992).

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Pete Gogolak never could have imagined the impact he would have on pro football when he introduced soccer-style kicking to the college game at Cornell in 1961 – but nearly 60 years later, he received recognition as one of the NFL’s Greatest Game Changers as No. 56 during the league’s 100th anniversary celebration.

He became an NFL pioneer in three ways when he signed with the Giants as a free agent in 1966, becoming the first AFL veteran to cross the unofficial border into the established league.

The NFL and young AFL, which began operations in 1960, were working with an understanding to refrain from grabbing players from across league lines in order to maintain financial stability. 

Buffalo had gotten two strong seasons from Gogolak, who was an All-AFL pick in 1965, but his contract ran out and none of the NFL teams had drafted him when he was eligible in 1963 – so he was available for anyone to sign. 

Gogolak showed interest in the Giants and the team reciprocated, having watched kicker Bob Timberlake, defensive end Andy Synchula, running back Chuck Mercein and linebacker Jerry Hillebrand combine to go 4-for-25 on field goal attempts in 1965. 

The deal was done and the AFL immediately became more aggressive in procuring talent, which quickly enhanced the momentum toward a merger, which was finalized with the newly-configured NFC and AFC operating under the NFL banner in 1970.

On other two fronts, Gogolak and his brother, Charlie, became the NFL’s first Hungarian-born players when they brought their unique soccer-style kicking approach to the league together in 1966. 

(Note: Washington made Charlie Gogolak, who played at Princeton, the initial first-round placekicker in the draft’s history.) Straight-ahead kickers had always been the standard until the brothers showed that attacking the ball from an angle could provide improved accuracy and distance. 

The league slowly began making the transition through the late 1970s – and saw its field goal percentage rise from 53.8 in 1965 to 61.1 in ’72 to 63.1 in ‘79. Mark Moseley (Cleveland) was the league’s last full-time straight-ahead kicker in 1986.

Gogolak spent nine years with the Giants, who opened the 1969 season with him as their punter (12 attempts for a 40.9 avg.) before he quickly handed back those duties with the reason that it impacted his placekicking.

Gogolak’s career-long field goal of 54 yards against Dallas in 1970 was a team record at the time. He still holds all-time regular season franchise records with 646 points, 126 field goals made, 219 field goals attempted, 268 extra points made, 277 extra points attempted, and eight extra points made in a game (vs. Philadelphia in 1972).

He remains tied for the team lead with Lawrence Tynes by scoring in 61 consecutive games (1969-73), ranks second to Tynes with 133 consecutive extra points (1967-72), and sits third with 41 field goals attempts in a season (1970).

In 2024, Gogolak was named 42th 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?