No. 34 and the New York Giants Player Who Wore It Best

The countdown to the start of the New York Giants’ 2025 season is underway, as we’re now 34 days away from the opening kickoff against the Washington Commanders. To count down the days until then, we look at the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Giants.

Who Wore No. 34 in at Least One Regular Season Game?*

OT John Alexander (1926), RB Butch Avinger (1953), CB Sam Beal (2012), S Nat Berhe (2014), S Terrell Burgess (2022), P-K Don Chandler (1956-64), RB Junior Coffey (1969-71), S Adrian Colbert (2020), RB Greg Comella (1999-2001), RB Zachary Dixon (1979), RB Gary Downs (1994), C Stan Galazin (1937-39), S Deon Grant (2010-11), RB Tony Green (1979), CB Grant Haley (2018-19), FB Bob Jackson (1959-51), RB Deon Jackson (2023), RB Brandon Jacobs (2013), K Greg Joseph (2024), LB Pat Knight (1954-55), END John Lascari (1942), OG-END Joe Lindahl (1945), DB Larry Mallory (1976-78), OG Sam Marone (1943), RB-DB Bus Mertes (1949), CB Elvis Patterson (1984-87), RB Nate Rivers (1980), RB Jack Rizzo (1973), DB Brandon Sanders (1997-98), RB-LB Jules Siegle (1948), CB Reggie Stephens (2002), RB Lewis Tillman (1989-93), RB Shane Vereen (2015-17), RB Herschel Walker (1995), RB Derrick Ward (2005-08), DB Jarren Williams (2021), RB Mickey Zofko (1974).

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Don Chandler spent his first six seasons with the Giants as one of the NFL’s leading punters, then added placekicking duties to his plate when Pat Summerall retired to join CBS-TV following the 1961 season and retained both jobs – using a square-toe “kicking” shoe for PATs and FGs - until he was traded to Green Bay in 1965.

Chandler remains among the Giants’ all-time top five in several punting categories: 525 career punts (third), 23,019 career yards (second), longest punt (74 yards in 1964, tied for second), 43.8 career average (fifth), and single-season average (46.6 in 1959, fourth).

In addition, he was with the team for six NFL Championship Games, including the 1956 victory, and was the punter on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s.

He still holds the franchise record for most points after touchdown in a season (52) while becoming the third player in team history to lead the NFL in scoring, both in 1963.

In Week 12, Chandler set a then-club mark with a 53-yard field goal against Dallas – it was tied for the third-longest in league history at the time.

Chandler also has the distinction of playing in the first two overtime games in NFL history – as a punter for the Giants against Baltimore in the 1958 NFL Championship Game and as the Packers’ kicker against the Colts in the 1965 NFL Western Conference playoff.

The Giants selected Chandler in the fifth round out of Florida in the 1956 NFL Draft. He nearly quit the team during his first training camp, saying he had a sore shoulder and didn’t think he’d make the roster, but assistant coach Vince Lombardi coerced him into staying.

Ironically, Chandler’s request to be traded closer to his insurance/real estate business before the 1965 season was met with a deal to Green Bay, where he was reunited with Lombardi, who had left the Giants in 1959.

In 2024, Chandler was named 73rd on the list of the all-time Giants’ Top 100 Players as selected by an independent committee of journalists, NFL/Pro Football Hall of Fame executives, and superfans polled by the team.

Who’s Wearing It Now?

The Giants did not issue No. 34 during this off-season. The last player to wear it was kicker Greg Joseph, who had the number from Weeks 3-9 last season.

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Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Who’s Wearing It Now?

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