Tag: Ottis Anderson

Giants legends chime in on Saquon Barkley situation

Giants legends Ottis Anderson and Carl Banks shared their thoughts on the Saquon Barkley situation.

New York Giants fans want the Saquon Barkley situation to end amicably and equitably for all parties — and it still may.

The star running back will stage his holdout and then likely report to the team in time for the 2023 regular season. He won’t, however, be any wealthier than he was when it began. Whether or not he will harbor any ill feelings towards the Giants going forward remains to be seen.

Two Giants Ring of Honorees — two-time Super Bowl champions Ottis Anderson and Carl Banks — both weighed-in on the Barkley affair this week and added some level-headed perspectives to the situation.

Anderson told the New York Post that Barkley only has himself to blame for how things unfolded. He said that Barkley should have pulled the trigger on the offer the Giants made him last fall (approximately $12-14 million per annum) instead of trying to squeeze more out of them.

Instead, he’ll be forced to play on the franchise-tag tender price of $10.1 million this year.

“I get where Barkley feels he’s at the point in his career where he wants that one big check, that one big contract, because everybody wants that, because you’re not sure you’re gonna get another one,’’ Anderson said. “Two years from now, he’ll be in his seventh year, and that’s when most teams let go of running backs. I wish him luck, but management is looking at it totally differently than how Barkley is looking at it.

“Management is saying you were great your rookie year, then you had two years or three years in between where you were injured and then you had a great year last year,” he continued. “So they’re looking at it out of five years you only had three good years.’’

Banks, speaking on his podcast with radio partner, Bob Papa, advised the Giants running back to take his medicine and make the best of it, even telling him to hire a branding expert to seek opportunities outside of football in the New York market to make the lost revenue he “left on the table.”

“Don’t be a principled fool,” Banks tweeted.

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5 reasons retired Giants RB Ottis Anderson is deserving of Hall of Fame

Retired New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson is deserving of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and here are five reasons why.

This week is was announced that former New York Giants running back Ottis Anderson was named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Anderson was one of eight individuals with ties to the Giants on the list of 31 ‘senior’ players and 29 coach/contributors advancing to the semifinal round for possible induction.

Quarterback Charlie Conerly, linebacker Carl Banks, defensive back Everson Walls, and former head coaches Tom Coughlin and Dan Reeves also made the cut.

Here are five reasons why Anderson should receive further consideration for induction to Canton.

Cardinals’ all-time rushing leader a semifinalist in senior category for Hall of Fame

Ottis Anderson, the Cardinals’ all-time leading rusher, is a semifinalist for the 2024 Hall of Fame class in the senior category.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 60 total semifinalists for the 2024 Hall of Fame class in the two categories of seniors and coach/contributor. It includes an all-time great in Arizona Cardinals franchise history, although he never played while the team has been in Arizona.

Running back Ottis Anderson, the team’s all-time leader in rushing, was named one of the 31 senior semifinalists.

From 1979-1986, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals before going to the New York Giants, where he played until 1992.

Anderson is No. 1 in Cardinals franchise history all-time with 7,999 rushing yards, 46 rushing touchdowns and 80.8 rushing yards per game. He set the single-season franchise record for rushing as a rookie in 1979 when he ran for 1,605 yards.

In addition to the single-season records, he has the franchise’s four highest single-season rushing totals and five of the top seven.

He finished his 15-year career with 10,723 total rushing yards and 81 rushing touchdowns.

Of the 31 seniors and 29 coach/contributors, Anderson is the only one with any real connections to the Cardinals.

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Tom Coughlin heads list of 8 Giants semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Eight former members of the New York Giants, including head coach Tom Coughlin, are among the semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Four former New York Giants players, one former coach, and former head coach Tom Coughlin have been included on a list of 60 semifinalists who will advance to the next round of consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.

Running back Ottis ‘O.J.’ Anderson, quarterback Charlie Conerly, linebacker Carl Banks, and defensive back Everson Walls will be among a group considered to be among 12 Seniors and 12 Coach/Contributors advancing to the final stage.

Late Giants head coach Dan Reeves, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year, is also a semifinalist.

The results will be announced on July 27.

Coughlin coached the Giants for 12 seasons (2004-15) and was a two-time Super Bowl winner(XLII, XLVI). He also was the first head coach of the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995, taking the team to two AFC Championship Games. He had an overall NFL record of 182-157 over 20 seasons.

Anderson split 14 seasons between the St. Louis Cardinals (1979-1986) and Giants (1986-1992). He is a two-time Super Bowl champion and six-time 1,000-yard rusher. He was also named MVP of Super Bowl XXV.

Conerly played all 14 of his NFL seasons (1948-61) with the Giants. He won the NFL title in 1956 and passed for 19,488 yards and 173 touchdowns.

Banks was the third overall selection in the 1984 NFL draft out of Michigan State. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion during his time with the Giants (1984-1992). Banks also played one season in Washington (1993) and two in Cleveland (1994-95).

Walls played most of his NFL career (1981-93) with the Dallas Cowboys, where he was named to three first-team All-Pro teams, four Pro Bowls and led the NFL in interceptions three times while in Dallas. He finished his career with the Giants and Cleveland Browns and helped Big Blue to victory in Super Bowl XXV.

Also on the coach/contributor list is former Giants assistant/defensive coordinator Marty Schottenheimer and head coach John McVay.

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Does Ottis Anderson deserve Hall of Fame consideration?

Is retired New York Giants RB Ottis Anderson worthy of Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration? The numbers suggest he is.

The New York Giants are well-represented in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. However, there are a few figures in Giants history that many fans would love to see enshrined — Tiki Barber, Phil Simms, Ernie Accorsi, and Tom Coughlin.

That list also includes running back Ottis “OJ” Anderson.

Anderson essentially had two careers — one with the St. Louis Cardinals and another with the Giants. Cumulatively, they add up to a Hall of Fame career.

Selected eighth overall by the Cardinals out of Miami in the 1979 NFL draft, Anderson earned Offensive Rookie of the Year and All-Pro honors later that season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl the next year as well.

In seven-plus seasons in St. Louis, Anderson rushed for 7,999 yards on 1,858 attempts — both still Cardinals’ franchise records — for a 4.3 average. In 1986, he lost his starting gig to Stump Mitchell and was traded to the Giants in October for 1987 second- and seventh-round selections.

Anderson played six-plus seasons for the Giants, won two Super Bowls, was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1989, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV.

Ottis is one of only four running backs in NFL history to score rushing touchdowns in two Super Bowls and win a Super Bowl MVP (Hall of Famers Franco Harris, John Riggins, and Emmitt Smith are the others).

Anderson’s 10,273 rushing yards are 30th all-time and his 13,335 yards from scrimmage are 44th in NFL history. He is 19th all-time in rushing touchdowns with 81. When he retired in 1992 Anderson ranked seventh in rushing touchdowns and eighth in rushing yards.

Anderson was inducted into the Giants’ Ring of Honor in 2022 but has yet to be recognized by the Cardinals’ organization.

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Giants inducting Leonard Marshall, six others into Ring of Honor

The New York Giants will induct seven members into the Ring of Honor in 2022, including Leonard Marshall and Ronnie Barnes.

It’s been a long time coming, but Leonard Marshall is finally entering the New York Giants’ Ring of Honor.

Co-owner John Mara officially announced the news on Tuesday and noted that six others will be joining Marshall. They include Ottis Anderson, Joe Morris, Rodney Hampton, Jimmy Patton, Kyle Rote and Ronnie Barnes.

“We are proud to add these deserving and legendary figures in Giants history to our Ring of Honor,” Mara said. “Each of the players was among the very best at his position to wear a Giants uniform. All of them helped our franchise win championships and enjoy long-term success, as has Ronnie Barnes, who has been an invaluable and beloved member of our organization for decades.”

The induction ceremony will be held at halftime of a Week 3 game against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Monday, September 26.

Marshall was a second-round pick of the Giants in 1983 NFL draft and spent 10 seasons with the team, winning two Super Bowls. He was also named to the Pro Bowl twice and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors twice.

Anderson joined the Giants via trade from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986 and spent six-plus seasons with Big Blue. He also earned two Super Bowl rings during that time and was named MVP of Super Bowl XXV.

Hampton was a first-round pick of the Giants in the 1990 NFL draft and spent the entirety of his eight-year career with the G-Men. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and picked up a championship ring with the club as a rookie.

The Giants selected Morris in the second-round of the 1982 NFL draft. The two-time Pro Bowler spent seven seasons in New York and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1985. He was also a key part of the Super Bowl XXI team.

Patton was an eighth-round pick of the Giants in the 1955 NFL draft and spent his entire 12-year career with the team. He was a five-time First-Team All-Pro, one-time Second-Team All-Pro and earned five Pro Bowl honors. He helped lead the Giants to an NFL championship in 1956 and lead the league in interceptions in 1958.

Patton passed away in 1972 at the age of 39.

Rote was a first-round pick of the Giants in the 1951 NFL draft and he spent all 11 years of his career with the club. He earned two Second-Team All-Pro honors and was named to the Pro Bowl on four separate occasions. Like Patton, he helped lead the team to an NFL title in 1956.

Rote passes away in 2002 at the age of 73.

Barnes was hired by the Giants as an assistant athletic trainer in 1976. He was promoted to athletic trainer in 1980 and just one year later, became the first-ever full-time Black head athletic trainer in NFL history. He has been with the Giants for all four of their Super Bowls and was inducted into both the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame and the National Athletics Trainers Association Hall of Fame.

In 2019, Barnes was given a lifetime achievement award.

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32 days till the Cardinals’ 2022 season opener vs. Chiefs

Check out some of the Cardinals who have worn No. 32 over the years.

The Arizona Cardinals have one final open training camp practice for fans to see and have their first preseason game in two days.

There are 32 days until their season opener, when they take the field at State Farm Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs.

No. 32 is the number worn by undrafted rookie receiver JaVonta Payton. He and other players in the Cardinals’ past to wear No. 32 are below.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Ottis Anderson: No one from modern era compares to Lawrence Taylor

Ottis Anderson, like Bill Belichick, finds humor in the repeated attempts to compare modern defenders to the dominance of Lawrence Taylor.

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Over the years, many have questioned if some of the NFL’s premier defensive talent compares to that of New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor. Names like Jason Pierre-Paul, Khalil Mack and Myles Garrett come to mind.

One of Taylor’s former coaches, Bill Belichick, gets asked year after year whether the Pro Football Hall of Famer is due to be surpassed as the greatest of all-time. And each time, Belichick literally laughs it off.

One of Taylor’s former teammates, Ottis Anderson, recently sat down with Giants Wire on behalf of Novo Nordisk to discuss his battle with type 2 diabetes. Anderson got the disease after his playing days with the Giants and still remains a staple in the Giants community.

We asked Anderson about the repeated attempts to compare Taylor to defenders of the modern era and whether any of them hold a candle to L.T.

“Man, no. Everyone’s trying to find the next Michael Jordan, the next Dr. J, the next LT. Like you say, the next Tom Brady. It’s always going to be that next, next, next but sometimes it’s just like, ‘dude, there’s just one original.’ That’s all it is, an original,” Anderson said. “And everybody is trying to find that next big person and sometimes it’s just not out there.

“The game is so different now, how can you even compare? Like if you look at the quarterbacks during my era and the yardage they threw for, and now you look at what these guys are doing now, you’d go, ‘man, if they could have played when we played or if they played in the time these guys are playing now, their records would be unmanageable.’ You would never be able to get anywhere near it. But because we played when football was football, I don’t even know what they call it now, I’m still trying to figure that one out.”

Aaron Donald is probably closest to the level of dominance displayed by Taylor throughout his career, but the resounding belief is that Taylor remains alone at the top of his craft.

As the game continues to change, many defensive stars (especially along the defensive line) will draw comparisons to LT. However, for those who played and coached with Taylor, and those who squared off against him, there will never be another like him.

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Ottis Anderson: Giants need to ride with Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley

With an improved offensive line, retired New York Giants great Ottis Anderson believes QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley will thrive.

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Two of the most controversial first-round picks in New York Giants history have come recently: running back Saquon Barkley (2nd overall, 2018) and quarterback Daniel Jones (6th overall, 2019.)

Now, just a few years removed from drafting them, the Giants are in full rebuild mode. As a result, they’re taking a hard look at everyone on the roster including those two and even last year’s first-round pick, Kadarius Toney.

Former Super Bowl MVP Ottis Anderson recently sat down with Giants Wire and talked about the futures of Barkley and Jones.

“I mean, [Saquon is] such a talent though,” said Anderson, who is a patient ambassador with Novo Nordisk and aims to help inspire people to be more proactive about their health. “I don’t think you give up on him right now. From what I can tell, he has a trust issue with his offensive line and based on what [the organization] has done for him, it’s understandable.

“They have not been good to him. He has done a lot of work the hard way without having a great offensive line. He’s gotten injured because of his work ethic and he’s trying to do more than what I always considered he’s capable of doing. They need to keep him; they need to surround themselves [with better talent].

Anderson feels similarly in regards to Jones.

“It’s the same thing with Daniel Jones,” Anderson said. “They’re trying to surround him with better talent. If you surround a kid of his talent with better talent then the team is going to have a much better running back — the kind of back we saw when he won rookie of the year his first year.

“It’s still in [Barkley], but a new staff and new coaches, maybe they can get that out of him — the trust that he didn’t have for his former offensive linemen and his former teammates. But every year, when you’re a young ball player and you’ve been injured, you’re always on the chopping block for a trade and it’s not a great feeling but at least you know somebody wants you. If they are trying to trade you that must mean somebody wants you or somebody thinks you are good enough to land somewhere else but they should keep him.”

Clearly, the former Super Bowl champion thinks the Giants need to improve the offensive line to get the most out of Jones and Barkley:

“Yeah, I hope that’s what they do in the draft. I hope they address that,” Anderson said.

“I think they are trending in the right direction but with Daniel. When you have Eli, Peyton and Archie — they watched this kid grow and mature when he was playing and they saw this talent and when he became available — they all had a hand in saying take this kid. The Manning boys, I don’t think they’ve been wrong too often in their careers about too many things. You look at their careers, they both are two-time Super Bowl champions. One is a two-time Super Bowl MVP and Archie had a great career himself. I think they have a head up on everybody when it comes to the quarterback and who is good and who isn’t good.

“Yeah, they need to stay with Daniel. I don’t think there is anything out there that is better. Who they going to go get Baker Mayfield? Bring Baker in there? We know better than that.”

As the Giants continue to evaluate talent, some stability in the coaching staff and some improved talent on the offensive line would go a long way toward finding out what the Giants truly have in Jones and Barkley.

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Throwback Thursday: Rams, Flipper Anderson stun Giants in 1989 playoffs

In the latest Giants Wire Throwback Thursday, we head back to the 1989 playoffs when the Los Angeles Rams stunned the New York Giants in OT.

In 1989, the New York Giants were back in the playoffs for the first time since their dominant, Super Bowl-winning season three years before.

In 1987, they opened at 0-2 before the players went on strike. The owners continued the season with replacement players, something the Giants did not stock up on, and before you could blink an eye, they were 0-5. They recovered to finish 6-9, but it was not enough to qualify for the postseason.

In 1988, the Giants finished 10-6 but failed to secure a postseason berth when they lost to the Jets, 27-21, in the final game.

The 1989 season would be the year the Giants rose back to prominence. They opened the season with an 8-1 record and went on to win the NFC East with a 12-4 record. As a division winner, they drew a bye in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

On Jan. 7, 1990, Bill Parcells’ crew hosted John Robinson’s Los Angeles Rams at Giants Stadium in the NFC divisional round. The Rams had disposed of the Philadelphia Eagles the week before in the wild-card round and came into New Jersey as three-point underdogs.

The Rams were one of the teams that managed to beat the Giants during the regular season, knocking them off, 31-10, in Anaheim on Nov. 12.

In this game, however, L.A. had to come 3,000 miles to play a Giants team that had lost just once at home that season. On a typical blustery Meadowlands afternoon, the feeling in the air was that the Giants were going to romp.

That didn’t happen. Instead, they were flatter than they had looked in weeks.

The over/under on the game was 39 points because, well, it was a Giants game with Parcells at the helm. As predicted, the game was a low-scoring one.

The Giants defense was putting in their typical home cold-weather defensive performance, and New York was up, 6-0, with 17 seconds to go in the first half. That’s when Los Angeles quarterback Jim Everett caught the Giants napping and hit wide receiver Willie “Flipper” Anderson for a 30-yard touchdown strike.

That would not be the last the Giants would see of Anderson on the day.

The Giants regained the lead in the third quarter on a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Ottis Anderson. The Rams would hold the Giants scoreless in the fourth quarter and tie the game at 13 with two short field goals by Mike Lansford, sending the game into overtime.

Fans were getting antsy, groaning about the Giants offense being put in dry dock in the second half by Parcells. An earlier interception that led to a Rams touchdown may have been the reason.

In overtime, the Rams won the coin toss and marched down the field on the stunned Giants. It took only 1:06 for the visitors to score the winning touchdown, a 30-yard reception by Anderson over Giants cornerback Mark Collins that ended with Flipper running straight through the back of the end zone, through the tunnel and into the locker room.

“When I came into the lockers, I was here by myself,” said Anderson, whose only two catches that Sunday were the Rams’ only touchdowns. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Neither did any of us who were watching in the stands. Was that it? Is the game over? Does that count?

It sure did. And it still stings.

The Giants would bounce back from this devastating loss and win the Super Bowl the next season, but it was another long offseason for Giants fans in 1990.

In retrospect, fans still cringe when they think about that day, and when they hear Flipper Anderson’s name, but they shouldn’t. Anderson only caught two passes on the day — both went for touchdowns — but was a well-known deep threat.

They should have been more aware of Anderson, who set a single-game NFL record for receiving yards (336) six weeks before against New Orleans. That record still stands.

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