Number 21 and the New York Giants Player Who Wore It Best

Regardless of how one feels about retired running back Tiki Barber, there was no denying the impact he made on the franchise.

Jan 7, 2007; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Giants running back (21) Tiki Barber leaves the field in what has been reported to be his final NFL game after the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants 23-20 in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. | James Lang-Imagn Images

The countdown to the start of the New York Giants’ 2025 season is underway, as we’re now 21 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. 21 in at Least One Regular Season Game*

TB-E-FB Jim Thorpe (1925), T Babe Scheuer (1934), E Ike Frankian (1934-35), E Jim Lee Howell (1937-42), WB-DB Roy Clay (1944), B-G-DE-E Joe Sulaitis (1947-53), DB-E Ed Crawford (1957), DB-HB Carl Karilivacz (1958), DB Lee Riley (1960), DB-HB Allan Webb (1961-65), DB Bruce Maher (1968-69), DB  Otto Brown (1970-73), DB Bill Bryant (1976-78), DB Don Patterson (1980), RB Louis Jackson (1981), DB Ted Watts (1985), DB Harvey Clayton (1987), DB Boris Byrd (1987), DB Reyna Thompson (1989-92), DB Willie Beamon (1993-96), RB Tiki Barber (1997-06), DB Kenny Phillips (2008-12), DB Ryan Mundy (2013), CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (2014), S Landon Collins (2015-22), S Jabrill Peppers (2019-21), DB Antonio Williams (2022), DB Bobby McCain (2023), K Mason Crosby (2023), CB Adoree' Jackson (2024), WR Chase Cota (2024)

*Jersey numbers per Pro Football Reference.

Which Giants Player Wore It Best?

Running back Tiki Barber came to the Giants with high expectations as a second-round draft pick out of the University of Virginia. And after a slow start, Barber would go on to become one of the franchise’s most cherished and productive players of all time. 

Originally viewed as a third-down back, Barber soon showed that he could be an every-down player, assuming that role full-time following Rodney Hampton’s retirement after the 1997 season.

By the time Barber’s 10-year career (all with teh Giants) was finished, he had etched his name in the team’s record book in several categories, including rushing (2,217 rushes for 10,448 yards, first); receiving (586 receptions for 5,183 yards, second); scoring (420 points, seventh); and punt return yardage (1,177 yards, fourth).

Barber, who was the fourth runner-up for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1997, overcame a fumbling problem that threatened to curtail his Giants career. In his final three seasons (2004-06), he earned three consecutive Pro Bowls and was named first-team All-Pro, that coming in 2005.

That season Barber was also the fourth runner up in the league’s MVP voting and was third runner up in the Offensive Player of the Year honors. He broke the Giants’ single-game rushing record on Dec. 17, 2005, with 220 yards, a mark he’d break again the following year. 

Perhaps one of the greatest memories of Brber’s time with the Giants came in that 2005 season, which was an especially difficult one for the Giants franchise. 

That year, they would lose both of their owners, Wellington Mara and Preston Robert Tisch, to cancer. Barber, who was especially close to Mara, ran for 206 yards in a 36-0 shutout win over Washington, a game played two days after Mara was laid to rest. Barber dedicated the game to the late patriarch’s memory in what was an emotional scene toward the end of the game and afterward.  

Barber finished his Giants career with three straight seasons of over 2,000 all-purpose yards, including 2,096 in 2004 and 2,390 in 2005, both of which were tops in the league. 

Barber, who as of 2018 held over 20 Giants franchise records, retired after the 2006 season, having initially mentioned his intention before the start of the season. He transitioned into broadcasting media, and briefly flirted with the idea of making a comeback in 2011, the year the team would go on to win its fourth Super Bowl championship.

Barber was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2015, and last year, he was voted No. 14 on the team’s Top 100 Players in franchise history.

Who’s Wearing It Now?

New York Giants cornerback Paulson Adebo | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cornerback Paulson Adebo, one of the Giants’ headline free-agent signings, was assigned No. 21 for the upcoming season. Adebo spent the first four seasons of his career with the New Orleans Saints (2021-24), for whom he started 51 of 52 games played, recording 251 tackles, 43 passes defensed, 10 interceptions, seven tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

Fully healthy this year after suffering a season-ending right leg injury, Adebo projects as the Giants’ No. 1 cornerback in this year’s defense. 

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