George Young will finally be enshrined into Hall of Fame on Saturday

Finally!

For many years, yours truly banged the drum for former New York Giants general manager George Young to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was finally elected as a ‘Contributor’ in 2020, and the pandemic-delayed enshrinement ceremony will take place Saturday in Canton, Oh. (NFL Network, 6:30 p.m. ET).

Young was Giants GM from 1979 until the end of the 1997 season. From his Hall of Fame bio:

During Young’s tenure, the Giants earned eight playoff berths, highlighted by victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV, and compiled an overall record of 155-139-2. He was named NFL Executive of the Year an unprecedented five times – 1984, 1986, 1990, 1993, and 1997. Young also served as chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee.

From Giants ownership when the announcement was made that Young would join the class of 2020;

“George is certainly very deserving of being in the Hall of Fame,” said team president and chief executive officer John Mara. “My only regret is that he’s not around to enjoy this. He took our organization from being in last place and not having a lot of respect around the league to being a Super Bowl Champion. He made every football department in our organization more professional. He changed the reputation and level of respect that our team had for the better. He improved us in so many different ways. He certainly is a very deserving Hall of Famer. Again, I only wish he could be around to enjoy this moment. It’s long overdue. All of us here are very happy that at long last he will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.”

“George Young transformed our organization,” said Giants chairman and executive vice president Steve Tisch. “My father (the late Bob Tisch, who purchased Tim Mara’s 50 percent ownership in 1991) always appreciated George’s leadership and vision, and George was vital to our family as we transitioned from our traditional business interests into the National Football League. For that, we are grateful, and his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is most deserving and a long time coming.”

This day has been a long time come. Congratulations to Young and the Giants!

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The following list of Young’s hits and misses as Giants GM comes from a reader. Thanks to David Gray for taking the time, and for passing it along.

Hits

1979

Phil Simms, QB, No. 7

1981

Lawrence Taylor, LB, No. 2
Billy Ard, G No. 221 (rd 8)
Jim Burt, DT, UDFA

1982

Joe Morris, RB, No. 45 (rd 2)

1983

Terry Kinard, DB, No. 10
Leonard Marshall, DE No. 37 (rd 2)
Bart Oates, C, UDFA (Oates was part of the 1983 draft eligible class who was never drafted by the NFL and who did not sign as free agents until after the USFL folded)
Bill Parcells, Head Coach

1984

Carl Banks, LB, No. 3
William Roberts, OT-G No. 27
Gary Reasons, LB, No. 105 (rd 4)

1985

Mark Bavaro, TE, No. 100 (rd 4)
Sean Landeta, P, (UDFA)

1986

Mark Collins, CB, No. 44 (rd 2)
Erik Howard, DT, No. 46 (rd 2)
Pepper Johnson, LB, No. 51 (rd 2)

1987

Doug Riesenberg, T, No. 168 (rd 6)

1988

Jumbo Elliott, OT, No. 36 (rd 2)

1989

Greg Jackson, DB, No. 78 (rd 3)
Dave Meggett, RB, No 132 (rd 5)
Myron Guyton, DB, No. 218 (rd 8)

1990

Rodney Hampton, RB, No. 24

1991

Ed McCaffrey, WR, No. 83 (rd 3)

1992

Phillippi Sparks, DB, No. 41 (rd 2)
Keith Hamilton, DT, No. 99 (rd 4)

1993

Michael Strahan, DE, No. 40 (rd 2)
Jessie Armstead, L,B No. 207 (rd 8)

1996

Amani Toomer, WR, No. 34 (rd 2)
Roman Oben, OT, No. 66 (rd 3)

1997

Tiki Barber, RB, No. 36 (rd 2)
Brad Maynard, P, No. 95 (rd 3)
Sam Garnes, DB No. 136 (rd 5)

Misses

1981

Dave Young, TE No. 32 (rd 2)

1982

Butch Woolfolk, RB No. 18

1985

George Adams, RB No. 19

Stacy Robinson, WR No. 46 (rd 2)

1986

Greg Lasker, DB No. 53 (rd 2)

1987

Adrian White, DB No. 55 (rd 2)

1989

Brian Williams, C No. 18

1991

Jarrod Bunch, FB No. 27

Kanavis McGhee, LB No. 55 (rd 2)

1992

Derek Brown, TE No. 14

Dave Brown First round of the supplemental draft; thus, forfeiting their first-round

pick (which would be no. 9) the following year.

1994

Thomas Lewis, WR No. 24

Thomas Randolph, DB No. 47 (rd 2)

1995

Tyrone Wheatley, RB No. 17

1996

Cedric Jones, DE No. 5