NFL franchise all-time power rankings: Which organization comes out on top?

8. New York Giants

The New York Giants have four Super Bowls under their belt. They have some of the best players in the history of the league, like Lawrence Taylor, Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, and Michael Strahan. They started their franchise in 1925 and had the first superstar player on their roster in Jim Thorpe. Vince Lombardi was an offensive coach in the 1950s. Y.A. Tittle was one of the first great quarterbacks in the league. 

The Giants clearly have the history (which includes NFL Championships in 1927, 1934, 1938, and 1956), but there are moments in the Super Bowl era where the Giants were either dominant or the surprise team in the league. After struggling in the early years of the merger, the Giants really took off in the 1980s. They won Super Bowl XXI by destroying the Denver Broncos, sealing their fate as one spot ahead of them. That same Bill Parcells team won in 1990 thanks to Scott Norwood’s missed 47-yard field goal. 

Ignoring a very forgettable experience in Super Bowl XXXV, the Giants were faced with the undefeated Patriots in 2008. Eli Manning was a massive underdog, as Tom Brady’s superstar roster was ready to put a whooping on the Giants. The Pats might have been a little cocky going into the matchup, and the Giants punched them in the mouth. Eli Manning needed one miracle catch, and the Pats dynasty fell. 

The Patriots were able to get their revenge when they faced off again five years later… oh wait… no they didn’t. The Giants and Patriots faced off again after the 2012 season, and the Giants came out the winners again. They now own the distinction of owning Tom Brady, and that is worth a ton to any legacy. Four Super Bowls help a lot, though.