What if Gary Zimmerman had been a Giant?
The former All Pro lineman was once property of the Giants, but he adamantly refused to join the team after the USFL folded in 1985 and was ultimately traded to Minnesota.
Zimmerman went on to star for the Vikings and then the Broncos, and he'll be inducted this weekend into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Giants ended up winning a Super Bowl the year after Zimmerman forced his way out of New York, with journeyman Brad Benson, one of the great characters in a Giants locker room filled with them.
Zimmerman was crotchety in the locker room, showing much disdain for the media and regularly urging his Broncos teammate to give writers the silent treatment. Not that anyone would care about it, because no one should care whether players talk to us or not. But it is interesting to note that media members do the Hall of Fame voting. Correctly, those media members used Zimmerman's on-field performance as the sole criteria for selecting him.
What's even more ironic is that Zimmerman himself now faces a conundrum as he prepares to give his Hall of Fame speech.
"For he first time in my life," he said, "I have too much to say."
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Comments (1)
If I recall, the Giants received draft picks from the Vikings in return for Zimmerman. At least one of them was a 2nd round pick. The Giants may have used this choice to select cornerback, Mark Collins.
Given the Giants won 2 superbowls after trading the rights to Zimmerman, and his lack of maturity toward the media, this deal is at least a draw for both teams. Or could even be considered a win for the Giants.