In 1967, the Giants acquired QB Fran Tarkenton from the Vikings. Despite having several respectable seasons with Tarkenton at quarterback, including a 7-7 finish in 1967 and 9-5 in 1970, the Giants traded him back to the Vikings after a 4-10 finish in 1971.

When the New England Patriots arrived at Super Bowl XLII, they had already been anointed as the greatest team in NFL history. But they failed to protect a four-point lead as the Giants drove late in the fourth quarter. A dramatic pass from a scrambling Eli Manning combined with an unbelievable catch by wide receiver David Tyree put the Giants deep in Patriots territory, and a Manning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress gave the Giants a lead with just 35 seconds left. The Patriots could not score again and came out on the losing end of what is considered one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

During the 1979 draft, the Giants picked Simms, forcing the San Francisco 49ers to go with their second choice: Joe Montana.

The last scoreless tie occurred on November 11, 1943, between the Giants and the Detroit Lions.

Cal Hubbard, who played offensive lineman for the Giants (1927-28), later went on to be a major league umpire and is the only person ever inducted into both Hall of Fames.

Steve Owen was the Giants' head coach from 1930 to 1953. (In addition to coaching, he also PLAYED for the Giants until 1936!) Known for his innovative gameplans, Owen created A-formation offense and the umbrella defense, as well as the two-platoon system in which different players fill offensive and defensive positions. He led the Giants to the NFL Championship Game eight times during his tenure and posted Championship victories over the Chicago Bears (1934) and the Green Bay Packers (1938). Owen retired in 1953 with a coaching record of 150-100-7 and only six losing seasons in 23 years. He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1966.

Linebacker Sam Huff was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1982. Originally drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 1956 NFL Draft, Huff went on to play in five Pro Bowls and anchor a defense that helped the Giants reach the NFL Championship game six times between 1956 and 1963.

The Giants used their 2002 first round draft choice (14th pick overall) on Tight End Jeremy Shockey. In his first season with the team, Shockey caught 74 passes for 894 yards and 2 touchdowns.

In 2016, Odell Beckham Jr. became the fastest player in NFL history to reach both 200 career receptions and 4,000 career receiving yards. He also recorded his first 100-reception season and reached the NFL playoffs for the first time in his career.

From 1964 to 1978, the Giants registered only two winning seasons and no playoff appearances.