New York Giants: Frank Gifford the American legend

On August 9 2015, Pro Football Hall of Famer Francis Newton Gifford passed away at the age of 84. Gifford enjoyed a prolific football career at both the college and pro levels.

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As a first round draft pick from USC in 1952, Gifford won numerous accolades in his 13 year career with the New York Giants. An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, a six-time All Pro selection, NFL MVP in 1956, and NFL Champion in 1956, there was little that Gifford did not accomplish on the gridiron.

Known for his great versatility as both a pass receiver and an open field rusher, Gifford captured the imagination of football fans across America. In doing so, Gifford also inspired a new generation of future NFL stars that would follow in his footsteps.

Former NFL halfback Jim Kiick, who rose to fame as a key member of the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins, was born and raised in Lincoln Park New Jersey. As seen on the NFL Network’s “A Football Life” series, Kiick grew up as a die hard fan of Frank Gifford and the New York Giants. “He’s the guy that I turned to and I idolized. I always thought it was great how he did everything,” Kiick said.

Aug 3, 2014; Canton, OH, USA; General view of the Pro Football Hall of Fame logo at midfield of Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For all of Gifford’s good fortune on the football field, he is best remembered for a particular play that did not go in his favor. During the 1960 season, Gifford and the Giants squared off against eventual NFL Champion and arch nemesis Philadelphia. Not only did the Giants lose the game, but they nearly lost their legendary ball carrier in the process.

As former Giants’ linebacker Sam Huff explains in this Youtube video, Gifford caught the ball over the middle of the field and attempted to get out of bounds to stop the clock late in the game. Suddenly, fellow NFL legend Chuck Bednarik of the Eagles set his sights on the galloping Gifford and executed a vicious clothesline tackle on the star halfback.

“[Bednarik] just leveled Frank [Gifford] and knocked him cold of course,” Huff said. “[Gifford] missed a whole year of football the following season, that’s how hard he got hit. I thought Bednarik killed him.”

Although this hellacious hit happened over 50 years ago, it still lives on in infamy. Tackles like Bednarik’s were common place in that era which epitomizes just how violent the world of pro football was in the 1950’s and 60’s. Such a tackling maneuver in today’s NFL would result in penalty flags, fines, ejections, and suspensions.

Aug 2, 2013; Canton, OH, USA; General view of the busts of enshrinees at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Luckily for Gifford, he was able to recover from this famous tackle and played three more seasons with the Giants afterwards. In fact, Gifford captured Comeback Player of the Year honors in 1962 for his efforts.

I am too young to have seen Frank Gifford as an active player. However, I am well versed in Gifford’s status as an NFL great thanks to countless stories from my late grandfather. In addition, Gifford’s career as a Monday Night Football broadcaster gave a younger generation of sports fans first hand knowledge about his life and times.

As we bid farewell to Frank Gifford the football lifer, he may be gone, but he will certainly never be forgotten.

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