Different era. Morehead State was not expecting and had to put together a press conference. His friends were amazed. Wow, how things have changed. That said, Phil was a great QB for the Giants and brought us back to respectability and a winning attitude (after suffering through injuries early in his career.) A real leader and a memorable Giant. To me, one of the all-time greats.
Phil Simms recalls draft day - (
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But really that was the beginning of the franchise turning it around. Picked Mark Haynes in 1979 and LT in 1981.
I do have to say, however, that he was one of those remote throwing picks. I'm so glad that I'm not a GM and that the Giants (George Young) knew what they were doing.
He earned his 2nd ring more than Andre Brown did this past season, and Brown started to sing " I gotta ring ".
Simms is a all time Giant great and a hall of famer in my book!!!!!
A lot of 'ifs' that'll probably keep Simms out of the HOF.
Jack Thompson, taken at #4.....
Phil at #7
Steve Fuller at #23....
Montana at #82
Dan Manucci at #116
Rick Leach at #132
Chuck Fusina at #133
Mike Moroski at #154
Jeff Komlo at #231
I think you kind of get the drift......as far as QB's go, this was not a a strong draft for qb's....
So we have Phil and Joe....every team in the NFL had three chances at getting Joe....
Were the Giants right in taking Phil over Joe? Who knows.....but I know this....Phil took a beating his first 5 seasons, compared to Joe's first 5 seasons....how would Joe have held up with those Giant OL's in front of him?
We'll never know......and I remember the booing when he was picked.....never saw him play(how many Morehead State games were on tv?), but we saw Joe and all those comebacks with Notre Dame.....
But, I think we picked the right guy.....I don't believe Joe would have lasted behind those OL's we had.....
We had Charlie, Y.A., Fran, Phil, and now we have Eli....I bet you can't find one guy who will admit they booed him during that draft pick.....
Sadly, my dad died in 1982 and never saw any of the Giants SB victories. He did see Montana win one, though.
Hell, if Simms was young enough to be drafted in 2004 by the Giants he would be on the way to the HOF.
Phill Simms was a true warrior though ... loved his teams. A great era in Giants football.