Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan will have his number retired.
Strahan appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday night. He said that the Giants plan to retire his No. 92.
“It’s going to be really emotional,” Strahan said.
The Giants have existed since 1925 but there are only 11 numbers representing 12 players that have been retired.
Strahan spent his entire 15-year career with the Giants. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks (141.5) and sixth in NFL history. Strahan was named the 2001 Defensive Player of the Year after setting the single-season sack record (22.5). He was named to seven Pro Bowls and was a four-time All-Pro. Strahan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
Co-owner John Mara announced that recently retired quarterback Eli Manning’s No. 10 will be retired during the 2020 season. There has been no such announcement for Strahan’s No. 92, though no player has worn it since his retirement after the 2007 season.
“It’s retired,” Mara said of Strahan’s No. 92 during the press conference announcing Manning’s retirement.
What about making it official?
“Not yet,” Mara said. “We’ll do Michael’s announcement another day, but Eli’s will be retired.”
Strahan, an NFL analyst for FOX, also offered some insight on the Giants’ roster in an interview with the New York Times Magazine.
“Oof. All right, the things I like: (quarterback) Daniel Jones. Excited about (running back) Saquon Barkley. If we can get (tight end) Evan Engram to stay healthy, he is a dynamic tight end. We need some work on the offensive line, and we need a big-play receiver, but offensively I feel good about the team,” Strahan said. “Defense is where I struggle , because there are times I’m watching, and I’m going, ‘Wow, this is pretty bad’. We don’t have a playmaker, per se on defense, and that’s been a little disheartening. Where’s the guy who inspires everybody to play better?”
Strahan also questioned some of the team’s personnel decisions.
“Front-office wise, I don’t know what their plan is,” Strahan said. “I mean we got rid of Jackrabbit (cornerback Janoris Jenkins), traded Snacks (defensive tackle Damon Harrison), got rid of Odell Beckham Jr. We got rid of a lot of guys who were opinionated, but you’ve got to have a soul to your team. Can’t have a bunch of nice guys and win. It doesn’t work. We need to find some dogs.”
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL and the New York Giants. Please like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
