Michael Strahan a thoughtful cheerleader in Giants jersey retirement ceremony
Former Giant Michael Strahan is presented a framed jersey from former coach Tom Coughlin and player Jessie Armstead during his number retirement ceremony at halftime against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Michael Strahan saved his final sack for disgruntled Giants fans.
On the occasion of Strahan’s No. 92 retirement at halftime of Sunday’s Giants-Eagles game at MetLife Stadium, Strahan seemed to deviate from his prepared remarks to talk directly to fans who are down on the current team, which is 4-7 after a 13-7 victory.
"You know — I’ve got to say this," Strahan said. "Every team has their ups and downs. But the New York Giants have won Super Bowls. There are teams that have never [won any]. Appreciate what you got! And we will be back! We will be up again! I guarantee you that!"
The Giants honored Strahan two months after they did the same for Eli Manning. Co-owner John Mara spoke during Manning’s ceremony and was booed by some fans, which cast a slight pall on the celebration.
There was no such opportunity on Sunday as the only two people to speak to the crowd were Giants radio voice Bob Papa — who introduced Strahan by calling him "the Giants’ real-life superhero" — and then the man of the hour himself.
Strahan, a 2014 NFL Hall of Fame inductee, made some headlines this past week when he said his number retirement ceremony seemed a bit overdue.
"I would have honestly expected it a long time ago," Strahan said on Wednesday before adding: "But it’s still an honor."
Strahan shared the honor on Sunday with former teammates such as Manning and Jessie Armstead, who helped former Giants coach Tom Coughlin unveil a framed No. 92 jersey.
Manning and the rest of Strahan’s former teammates wore No. 92 jerseys, but Armstead wore No. 64 with Strahan’s name on the back.
"And if you’re wondering, Jessie’s wearing number 64 because that was the number they gave me [as a rookie]," Strahan said. "After my first time being in the newspaper here in New York, I looked at the picture and said, ‘That’s an ugly number.’ So I went in the locker room and I got 92."
Strahan, who played for the Giants from 1993 to 2007, noted that his career was so long that he played with Lawrence Taylor and went all the way to the Manning era.
"I was very fortunate to have a 15-year journey, to do it all here in New York, which is unheard of," he said. "To do it in front of the greatest fans in the world. And, as I said, the journey is not over because once a Giant, always a Giant. I want to thank all my teammates because I stand up here, but I stand on your shoulders. Every one of you made me better in some way as a player."
Strahan also heaped praise on Coughlin before joking that he was thinking of showing up five minutes late to the ceremony to "[tick] off" his former coach.
"Coach Coughlin, I can’t thank you enough," Strahan said. "You completely changed my life."
Strahan recounted the unique path that brought him to the NFL and the Hall of Fame and that has continued in his post-playing career as a talk-show host and part of Fox’s NFL pregame show (which was relocated from Los Angeles so the whole crew could attend the ceremony).
"I honestly never dreamed about this," he said. "I am just so thankful to be here. I’ve been thinking about what to say and very rarely am I at a loss for words. Why you laughing, Coach?
"But I really think about my journey. My journey as the kid moving to Germany with my family, a journey of coming back and living with my uncle to play one year of high school football. My journey in college at Texas Southern and my journey here to play for the greatest football team in the NFL, the New York football Giants, and now to be here today."
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
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