Trench Warrior

Looking back on the career of Greg Larson

- JOHN FENNELLY

In their 95-year history, the New York Giants have had nine players play 175 or more games in the vaunted red, white, blue (and gray) uniforms. Eli Manning (236), Michael Strahan (216), Howard Cross (207) and George Martin (201) lead the way followed by Zak DeOssie (199), Amani Toomer (190), Joe Morrison (184) and Lawrence Taylor (184).

The ninth player is an unsung offensive lineman they took in the sixth round of the 1961 NFL Draft out of Minnesota by the name of Greg Larson. Who was number 10 on the list you ask? Some linebacker named Harry Carson (173 games). Ironically, Larson wore uniform No. 53 from 1961-73 before Carson took it over in 1976.

Larson was also drafted by the AFL’s San Diego Chargers in the competing AFL Draft but chose the Giants. He would go on to play 179 games over the next 13 years, missing just three over that period.

Anyone who followed the Giants during the 1960s would remember Larson as the tough guy in the middle of the Giants’ offensive line who tried like hell to hold together a team that was often falling apart around him.