Emlen Tunnell, Rosey Brown and Harry Carson deserve to have their Giants numbers retired
Emlen Tunnell of the Giants in 1949. Credit: AP
Michael Strahan reacted with astonishment and joy when Eli Manning and former teammates Jessie Armstead and Justin Tuck showed up on the set of "Good Morning America" Wednesday morning to share the news that Strahan’s No. 92 will be retired by the Giants on Nov. 28.
"That is like the ultimate respect from a team," said Strahan, who has become as big a television star as he was a football player. "It's like, you did so much in that number and what you represented -- not just on the field, but off the field, in the community -- for the team that we want to honor you . . . that number is significant, attached to you and what you’ve done in New York. So, I’m honored by it."
There is no one more deserving of the tribute, and it is entirely fitting that he will be feted when the Giants face the Eagles — the team against which Strahan performed so brilliantly for so many years. Strahan’s first career sack came as a rookie against Philadelphia on Oct. 17, 1993, when he brought down former Jets quarterback Ken O’Brien. All told, 21½ of Strahan’s 141½ career sacks came against the Eagles — more than any other team.
And while this will be a time of celebration for Strahan, as well as Manning, whose No. 10 will be retired on Sept. 26, it is also a reminder of three other Giants greats who deserve similar honors: Emlen Tunnell, Rosey Brown and Harry Carson.
The numbers 45, 79 and 53 should never be worn again.
All three men were legendary performers for the Giants, and all three have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In fact, only four players to wear a Giants uniform have played in more Pro Bowls than Strahan’s seven appearances in the NFL’s all-star game: Lawrence Taylor, whose No. 56 was retired in 1994, was voted to 10 Pro Bowls. Carson and Brown are next with nine and Tunnell had eight.
There are very few people still alive who saw Tunnell play, but he was one of the all-time greats. He was the first African-American player signed by the Giants in 1948, two years after Kenny Washington and Woody Strode of the Rams became the first Black players to reintegrate the league. One of the greatest defensive backs ever, Tunnell had 79 interceptions in 11 seasons with the Giants and two with the Packers. That remains the second-highest total in NFL history (Paul Krause had 81). Tunnell was voted to the NFL’s 50-year anniversary and 100-year anniversary teams.
GREEN BAY, WI - DECEMBER 31: Linebacker Sam Huff #70 of the New York Giants leaps over teammate defensive tackle Rosey Grier #76 during a game against the Green Bay Packers at City Stadium on December 31, 1961 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Giants 37-0 in the 1961 NFL Championship Game. (Photo by Vernon Biever /Getty Images) Credit: NFL/Vernon Biever
In 1967, Tunnell became the first African-American player voted into the Hall of Fame.
"If I had to pick figures in our team’s history, who my favorites were, Emlen Tunnell would probably be No. 1," Giants co-owner John Mara said in the forthcoming book, "The Forgotten First," the story of NFL reintegration, co-written with former NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson. "He loved being a part of the Giants, and he had such a personable way about him. He was friendly to everyone he met. Nobody ever said a negative word about him."
Brown was taken with the 321st pick out of Morgan State in 1953 and went on to play offensive tackle in 162 games over a 13-year career. He played a part in six division titles and was a member of the Giants’ 1956 NFL championship team. He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame in 1974 and was named to the NFL’s 75th and 100-year anniversary teams.
And if few remember Tunnell and Brown, millions of Giants fans recall Carson, the hard-hitting linebacker who played brilliantly whether the teams around him were good (as in the 1986 Super Bowl year) or horrendous (as in the nightmare years of the 1970’s). Carson donned his Hall of Fame gold jacket in 2006.
Harry Carson warms up before practice. Credit: Newsday/Dan Sheehan
Strahan gets to enjoy his moment of immortality later this season, and rightly so. He earned every bit of the honor to retire his jersey. Same with Manning.
Maybe next year, the Giants can add the uniforms worn by Tunnell, Brown and Carson to that prestigious list. It’s long overdue.
Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”
