Number 17 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 17 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. 17 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

E-FB Owen Reynolds (1925), T Art Harms (1926), E-G-T Paul Jappe (1927), C-G-T-FB Bull Wesley (1928), C Max Reed (1928), E-DE Ray Flaherty (1929), E-DE Red Badgro (1930-35), E-T Buster Mitchell (1936), FB-BB Red Corzine (1937), B Johnny Gildea (1938), BB John McLaughry (1940), HB Clint McClain (1941), QB-HB Bob Trocolor (1942-43), G Carl Grate (1945), B George Cheverko (1947-48), QB Arnie Galiffa (1953), QB Tom Dublinski (1958), QB Jeff Rutledge (1983-89), QB Dave Brown (1992-97), QB Jason Garrett (2000), P Jeff Feagles (2004), WR Plaxico Burr ess (2005-08), QB Curtis Painter (2013), WR Dwayne Harris (2015-17), QB Kyle Lauletta (2018), WR Cody Core (2019), QB Jake Fromm (2021), WR Wan'Dale Robinson (2022-24), P Jamie Gillan (2022)

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Wide receiver Plaxico Burress had a very good reason for wanting to wear No. 17 when he signed with the New York Giants as a free agent.

The number, which had previously belonged to punter Jeff Feagles, represented the date that Burress signed with Big Blue: March 17, 2005, a date and a number he considered lucky.

As things would turn out for Burress, who was originally a first-round pick by the Steelers in 2000, he had a combination of good luck and bad luck during his time with the Giants. 

His accidental shooting during the 2008 season resulted in his being sentenced to a two-year prison term for having violated New York State’s gun laws.

Before that, Burress became the straw that helped stir the Giants’ drink, as he moved into the No. 1 receiver role for the team, giving quarterback Eli Manning yet another big, downfield target with speed, good hands, and a toughness that quickly made him a favorite.

Burress’s arrival immediately paid dividends. He recorded 1,214 yards, his third 1,000-yard season and first with the Giants in 2005, catching 76 passes and seven touchdowns as the Giants finished that year 11-5 and first place in the NFC East. Unfortunately, the Giants were eliminated in the playoffs that postseason by the Carolina Panthers, who shut them out 23-0.

The next season, Burress battled with a groin injury, but still managed to record a career-best 10 touchdowns, a mark he’d top the following season. 

Speaking of the following season, Burress was part of the team’s first of two Super Bowl championships in the Tom Coughlin-Manning era. Interestingly, Burress, who was coming off his fourth and final 1,000-yard season (1,025), predicted the Giants would topple the undefeated New England Patriots by a score of 23-17, a prediction that, when it got back to Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, made him openly chuckle. 

Burress might have gotten the score wrong, but he was spot on with the game’s outcome. Ironically, the lanky receiver, who in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLII wasn’t even a sure thing to play after having injured himself by slipping in the shower, came down with the game-winning touchdown pass to give the Giants the 17-14 upset win.

Due to the shooting and subsequent sentencing, Burress never played for the Giants again. He served his time and returned to the league in 2011 with the Jets before finishing his career the following year with the Steelers. 

Who’s Wearing It Now?