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Giants inducting seven members as part of 2022 Ring of Honor class

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Giants make injury designations to reach 80 players on roster
A general view of Giants training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
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Seven members of the Giants organization will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor as part of the 2022 class, including former running backs Joe Morris, Ottis Anderson, and Rodney Hampton and defensive end Leonard Marshall. 

Defensive back Jimmy Patton, halfback/receiver Kyle Rote and senior vice president of medical services Ronnie Barnes round out this year’s group of honorees. Morris, Anderson, Hampton, and Marshall had all been on hand at the Giants practice facility in East Rutherford on Tuesday when the team informed them of the news. 

All seven will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor on Monday, Sept. 26 during a special halftime ceremony at MetLife Stadium. 

“We are proud to add these deserving and legendary figures in Giants history to our Ring of Honor,” Giants co-owner John Mara said in a statement. “Each of the players was among the very best at his position to wear a Giants uniform. All of them helped our franchise win championships and enjoy long-term success, as has Ronnie Barnes, who has been an invaluable and beloved member of our organization for decades.”

This year’s class includes seven individuals who have been part of Giants Super Bowl-winning teams. Morris, Anderson and Marshall were all part of the 1986 team that won Super Bowl XXI. Anderson, Marshall and Hampton also helped them win Super Bowl XXV, while Patton and Rote were part of the 1956 Giants championship team. 

The additions this year will increase the members of the 1986 championship team to nine members in the Ring of Honor.

The four that were at the Giants facility on Tuesday headline the group being honored this year.

Joe Morris played seven seasons with the Giants and led the league in touchdowns in 1985, and was a 1st-Team All-Pro in 1986. The 5’7″ back totaled over 80 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown in New York’s 39-20 win over Denver. 

The small back was surprised by the announcement and thought his invitation to practice was about speaking with the team’s current running backs. Regardless of the high honor, Morris was keen on reaching out to the current runners on the team.  

“Saquon has been here for four years and I’ve never had the chance to talk to him until today,” Morris said. “I said to him that I like the way you play. We are very proud of how you carry yourself. It was wonderful just to speak to him today.”

Morris was on hand for other Giant greats from the Super Bowl teams in the mid-80s and early 90s. The fact that his name is now immortalized with the other greats is not lost on him. 

“They did this with Lawrence (Taylor), they did this with (Phil) Simms…I remember thinking ‘man that would be nice one day to join them.” Morris added, “When I got drafted by the team, I had no idea that it could end like this but it did.”

Morris spoke about playing with and against some of the stars of the game back in the mid-80s. One of those stars was Ottis Anderson, who was with the Giants from 1986-1992. The former Cardinal helped lead New York to two titles and was named Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl XXV after rushing for 102 yards. 

He was only one of four running backs in NFL history to hold the distinction of scoring rushing touchdowns in two Super Bowls and winning Super Bowl MVP. 

“I had no idea I would be part of this…it means a lot.” Anderson said after practice, “This proves we are Giants forever and part of a history of representing the Giant way.”

Hampton is second in Giants history with 6,897 rushing yards and 1,824 carries but never played in Super Bowl XXV due to a fractured fibula he suffered during the divisional round game against Chicago. Morris, a two-time Pro Bowler, holds the honoring of being third among Giants running backs all-time in rushing yards (5,296) and carries (1,318), fourth in rushing touchdowns (48), and second in 100-yard games with 19. 

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Marshall appeared in 149 regular season games and 11 playoff games during his career with the Giants. He sits third on the team’s all-time sacks list with 79.5 during the regular season, behind only Michael Strahan and Lawrence Taylor. 

His 7.0 sacks during the postseason are second among Giants all-time.