Frank Gifford
Teams
New York Giants (1952-1960, 1962-1964)
Playoffs
Appearances - 5 (1956,1958,1959,1962,1963)
Conf Champ Games - 5 (1956,1958,1959,1962,1963)
Champ Games - 5 (1956,1958,1959,1962,1963)
Championships - 1 (1956)
Awards and Honors
MVP - 1 (1956)
All-Pro First Team - 4 (1955,1956,1957,1959)
All-Pro Second Team - 1 (1958)
Pro Bowl - 8 (1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1963)
Hall of Fame - 1977
All-Time Ranks
Yards per Touch - #56
Total Touchdowns - #76
League Leads
Rushing Yards (#5-1956, #10-1957)
Rushing Touchdowns (#3-1958, #6-1957, #9-1956)
Yards per Rush (#3-1956, #5-1959)
Rushing Yards per Game (#5-1956)
Receptions (#3-1956, #4-1957, #7-1959)
Receiving Yards (#5-1959, #7-1956, #9-1957)
Receiving Touchdowns (#7-1962)
Yards per Reception (#4-1962, #5-1959)
Receiving Yards per Game (#5-1959, #8-1956)
Total Touchdowns (#3-1957, #4-1958, #6-1956, #9-1953, #10-1955)
Scrimmage Yards (#1-1956, #2-1957,1959)
Yards per Touch (#2-1956,1959, #4-1955, #6-1957, #8-1954, #9-1960)
After switching from quarterback to running back for his senior season at USC, Frank Gifford gained 1019 scrimmage yards that year, which was enough for the New York Giants to make him the 11th overall pick in the 1952 NFL Draft.
During the era in which he played, positions were not quite as specialized, but he primarily played halfback in the NFL, though he also played safety and wide receiver at times. His all-around play earned him trips to the Pro Bowl in his second and third seasons, even though he hadn't really blossomed as a running back yet.
1956 was his breakout season. He rushed for 819 yards, the best of his career, and gained another 603 yards through the air, for a total of 1422, best in the league. He was named the league MVP that season, and capped it off by leading the Giants to a championship, rushing for 30 yards and gaining 131 through the air, including a touchdown, as New York beat the Bears 47-7.
His numbers dipped a bit over the next couple of seasons, though the Giants did reach the title game again in 1958, but he had a nice bounceback year in 1959, when he gained 768 yards receiving and 1308 total, which put him on the All-Pro First Team for the 4th time in his career.
He was struggling a bit the next year when a hit from Chuck Bednarik knocked him unconscious on the field, and the resulting concussion convinced him to retire from football. After a year and a half away from the game, the Giants convinced him to return as a wide receiver.
He returned for 3 more seasons, and even made the Pro Bowl in 1963, but numbers from those seasons weren't counted toward his ranking in this countdown, since his position was not running back during that time. He finally retired for good after the 1964 season.
Gifford's 1956 MVP and championship season is the biggest reason that he is on this list, but he was a very good and versatile back for many years in New York. He led the team to the championship game 5 times, and even though he only ended up with one title, he was a huge part of the reason they won, and he is one of the best to have ever played the game.
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