Thursday, Feb. 02, 2012
They Were the First Team to Retire a Number
Fittingly, the first number ever retired by a football team was the No. 1. The Giants' prime number jersey was worn by Ray Flaherty, an end and an assistant coach to the team from 1928 to 1935, and was taken out of circulation when Flaherty left in 1935. After his years with the Giants, Flaherty went on to become the head coach for the Boston/Washington Redskins, where he never had a losing season. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976, he is credited with inventing the behind-the-line screen pass in 1937.