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Amani Toomer as a punt returner...

Eric from BBI : Admin : 7/7/2020 7:00 pm
BigBlueVCR @BigBlueVCR

Before he became one of the #NYGiants all time leading WRs @AmaniAToomer started out his career making an impact as a punt returner. Here he broke a tie in Detroit in 1997 to put the Giants in the lead. And yes, he started his career as #89 and moved to #81 in 1998. #GiantsPride
https://twitter.com/BigBlueVCR/status/1280613339819892736 - ( New Window )
I think he got smarter as he got older  
Marty in Albany : 7/7/2020 7:08 pm : link
I'd rather go in a lion's cage with a whip and a chair than return punts.
He was one of my favorite Giants  
Matt M. : 7/7/2020 7:08 pm : link
and a highly underrated one at that.
I forgot he was 89  
Sneakers O'toole : 7/7/2020 7:15 pm : link
That's just weird now!
RE: He was one of my favorite Giants  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 7/7/2020 7:16 pm : link
In comment 14930049 Matt M. said:
Quote:
and a highly underrated one at that.


Hear hear.
One of mine as well  
Sneakers O'toole : 7/7/2020 7:22 pm : link
His sideline tiptoe catches were things of beauty.
Ike Hilliard was also a good punt returner. He had the moves to make  
Ira : 7/7/2020 7:41 pm : link
the first defender miss.
RE: One of mine as well  
Matt M. : 7/7/2020 7:43 pm : link
In comment 14930058 Sneakers O'toole said:
Quote:
His sideline tiptoe catches were things of beauty.
Yes they were, but late in his career that's all we heard about and how he doesn't have the speed to get deep. Yet every year, right up until the end, Toomer always managed to get behind DBs and run past them. And he seemed to kick it up a notch in big games.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 7/7/2020 7:45 pm : link
he have two gorgeous sideline catches vs. the Packers in the '07 title game & another one vs. the Pats in XLII?

He was a baller. Of all the guys I was happiest for after XLII, him & Strahan were at the top of the list because they were the only two remaining guys (as far as I recall) from XXXV.
Posted this on the other thread  
GManinDC : 7/7/2020 8:19 pm : link
Maybe because they wasn't winning enough, but there was a 5 year period where only 5 WR's logged 1000 or more yards consecutively between 1999 - 2003.

Randy Moss
Marvin Harrison
Isaac Bruce
Terrell Owens
Amani Toomer
nice return - I'd forgotten about  
Del Shofner : 7/7/2020 9:35 pm : link
Amani's punt returning skills.
Toomer was an absolute beast in the 2000 NFC Game  
JohnnyFlowers : 7/7/2020 10:28 pm : link
I rewatched the game last night and forgot that he barely practiced due to injury leading up to the game. He is very underrated IMO. I highly recommend watching the first half on youtube(no commercials) Madden and Summerall are at their best too, what a treat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yaih3Bu9pqw&t=7834s
NFC 2000 Game - ( New Window )
RE: Posted this on the other thread  
Brick72 : 7/8/2020 2:47 am : link
In comment 14930104 GManinDC said:
Quote:
Maybe because they wasn't winning enough, but there was a 5 year period where only 5 WR's logged 1000 or more yards consecutively between 1999 - 2003.
Randy Moss
Marvin Harrison
Isaac Bruce
Terrell Owens
Amani Toomer


I didn't realize that. That's some serious company. Moss, Harrison, Bruce, Owens? Completely changes the debate about his worth to the Giants especially considering they weren't a passing team.
My earliest memories of Amani was that he needed to mature  
GiantBlue : 7/8/2020 9:26 am : link
He had some amazing God-given talent, but there were indications he wasn't "getting it" early in his career.

I think the recollections were too fresh regarding Butch Woofolk being a bust (Michigan Alum) and maybe Amani would be too.....as a WR.

However, he went on to be an all-time Giant great and one of my favorite players.

It was why I cheered loudly when we got Mario Manningham as a steal in the third round!

I was hoping he would be Amani TWO!
Amani Toomer had some big fumbles as a punt returner  
LBH15 : 7/8/2020 9:35 am : link
in the 2000 playoff game versus Eagles. The defense played great (including the Sehorn pick 6 score), but the offense and special teams were kind of a trainwreck that day and kept the game reasonably close because of the turnovers.




Toomer  
GManinDC : 7/8/2020 9:56 am : link
was not the flashy type. Just played his ass off and really doesn't get the respect he deserves. he's normally 7thj or so on the all-time WR depth chart.
RE: Amani Toomer had some big fumbles as a punt returner  
LBH15 : 7/8/2020 10:04 am : link
In comment 14930233 LBH15 said:
Quote:
in the 2000 playoff game versus Eagles. The defense played great (including the Sehorn pick 6 score), but the offense and special teams were kind of a trainwreck that day and kept the game reasonably close because of the turnovers.






Except for Dixon return of course :-)
RE: Toomer  
Scyber : 7/8/2020 10:11 am : link
In comment 14930247 GManinDC said:
Quote:
was not the flashy type.


So he was regular...no jewels?
Opening Night, 1996 vs. Buffalo  
LTIsTheGreatest : 7/8/2020 11:12 am : link
He returned a punt for a TD. Giants blew a 17-0 lead in that game and lost 23-20 in OT. What a heartbreaker!! I remember in thast game Thomas Lewis dropped what would have been a game winning TD with a couple of minutes left in regulation. Dave Brown pulled a beautiful playfake from his own end zone and fired a beautiful bomb that Lewis had for a second but lost it when he hit the ground. If he had kept running in full stride he would have caught it and been gone!
I remember that game!  
GManinDC : 7/8/2020 11:43 am : link
Was in my car driving fom NY back to Bayonne. Was pissed he dropped that easy touchdown
RE: Toomer was an absolute beast in the 2000 NFC Game  
djm : 7/8/2020 5:48 pm : link
In comment 14930142 JohnnyFlowers said:
Quote:
I rewatched the game last night and forgot that he barely practiced due to injury leading up to the game. He is very underrated IMO. I highly recommend watching the first half on youtube(no commercials) Madden and Summerall are at their best too, what a treat!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yaih3Bu9pqw&t=7834s NFC 2000 Game - ( New Window )


Love this
He was damned good  
Greg from LI : 7/8/2020 5:55 pm : link
Not quite great, but really good for a long time.
I can't believe I thought Mercury Hayes was better at UM  
Jim in Forest Hills : 7/9/2020 8:57 am : link
Toomer worked hard at his craft too, he had really questionable hands to start. Became so reliable as he got older.

Maybe he last Giants WR to really last through his career?
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