No. 5 and the New York Giants Player Who Wore It Best

Sean Landeta, famous for his single-bar facemask and, of course, his punting, takes home today's honors as the best Giant to ever wear No. 5 for the franchise.

New York Giants punter Sean Landeta (5) follows through on a kick against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

The countdown to the start of the New York Giants’ 2025 season is underway, as we’re now five 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. 5 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

Les Borden (1935), Matt Brennan (1925), Dave Brown (1943), K Randy Bullock (2016), K John Carney (2008), QB Kerry Collins (1999-03), Len Dugan (1936), George Franck (1945), K Graham Gano (2020-21), K Robbie Gould (2016), Jack Hagerty (1926-28), Dosey Howard (1929-30), P Sean Landeta (1985-93), Kayo Lunday (1937-41), Buster Michell (1935), Bill Petrilas (1944), Ray Schwab (1931), LB Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022-24), Otto Vokaty (1932), P Steve Weatherford (2011-14), QB Davis Webb (2022).

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Punter Sean Landeta starred at Towson yet started his pro career by becoming a two-time USFL All-Star and league champion with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars before joining the Giants for nearly nine seasons on his way to a 21-year NFL career.

He was a long ball specialist whose booming punts often prevented the defense from having to deal with a short field – and he excelled during two Super Bowl championship runs (1986 and ’90) despite having to deal with the notorious Meadowlands winds.

Landeta still ranks second to Dave Jennings (931) in franchise history with 526 punts and they are the only two Giants to have led the NFL in punting twice.

Landeta also stands among the team’s all-time leaders with 22,806 career punting yards (third) and a 43.4-yard career average (sixth). In addition, he shares a distinction with Jennings and Len Younce as the only Giants to have two punts of more than 70 yards during their tenure in New York.

A member of the NFL’s All-1980s and All-1990s as selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Landeta was a three-time All-Pro (1986, ’89-90) and earned two Pro Bowl trips (1986, ’90).

The Giants signed Landeta (along with fellow USFL alumns FB Maurice Carthon and OG Chris Godfrey) as a free agent before the 1985 season as the organization continued fine-tuning what would become its first Super Bowl championship roster.

Landeta supplanted five-time All-Pro and team legend Dave Jennings in training camp, finished sixth in the NFL with a 42.9-yard average and was named All-NFC second team by United Press International. He suffered a momentary lapse in the playoffs at Chicago when the wind caused him to whiff on a punt, but he came back strong.

In 1986, Landeta set a career-high average of 44.8 and ranked second in the league. He was at his best in the 17-0 home win over Washington in the NFC Championship Game, played in a 20-plus mph wind that consistently reached gusts of more than 30 mph.

Head coach Bill Parcells made a decision that was rare at the time – he deferred the opening possession in order to strategically play the elements. Landeta averaged 42.3 yards on six punts, with the Redskins compiling just 19 yards on three returns (all by Eric Yarber).

And Landeta continued to pay dividends, ranking among the NFL’s Top 5 punters in 1987 (fifth at 42.7), 1989 (third, 43.1) and 1990 (44.1).

In Super Bowl XXV, the Giants held a 20-19 lead and faced a fourth-and-2 from the Buffalo 48 with 2:22 to play. Landeta hit a high-arching 38-yard punt that prompted Al Edwards to fair catch the ball at the Bills 10 – and Scott Norwood capped the drive by missing a 47-yard field goal.

Landeta continued punting under head coach Ray Handley (1991-92), then was released by Dan Reeves midway through the 1993 season and replaced by Mike Horan, who Reeves had coached in Denver.

In 2006, a 44-year-old Landeta re-signed with the Giants as a possible injury replacement for Jeff Feagles (knee) prior to their Week 13 game vs. Dallas, but he was not needed and waived a couple of days after the game.

In 2024, Landeta was named 47th 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?

New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux is currently wearing No. 5. Thibodeaux was the first of two Giants’ first-round picks in 2022, the fifth overall pick in that year’s draft.

Thibodeaux is the first Giants defender with 21+ sacks in his first 3 career seasons since Jason Pierre-Paul had 27.5 sacks from 2010-12.

In his first 25 games as a Giant, recorded 14.5 sacks, which is the most by any Giant in his first 25 career games, topping Pierre-Paul’s mark of 14.0 sacks in 25 games.

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