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Why Did Giants Unretire Number One Jersey After 90 Years To Give to Malik Nabers? Here’s All You Need To Know
The New York Giants decided to unretire the No. 1 jersey for Malik Nabers, which was previously worn by legendary Ray Flaherty, with the blessings of the Flaherty family.
The New York Giants are reactivating their first retired number for spectacular rookie receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers will be the first Giant to wear No. 1 since the late Hall of Fame defensive end Ray Flaherty, who was the first professional football player to retire his number in 1935.
Flaherty's family approved the move to unretire the number one jersey. They understood the importance of giving the number to a bright young player like Malik Nabers. The Giants' administration feels that their first-round choice, Nabers, embodies the attributes that Flaherty possessed.
Nabers had worn No. 9 since being chosen, but the LSU graduate needs a new number since punter Graham Gano wears No. 9. He wore No. 8 at LSU, but it belongs to quarterback Daniel Jones. While looking for a new jersey number, the number 1 piqued his interest, prompting him to ask Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen if it was feasible.
The request was subsequently brought to John Mara's notice, and Mara, knowing the history of the New York Giants and Flaherty's importance to the club, refused to reintroduce the number without the agreement of Flaherty's family members.
The sixth overall selection in this year's draft then gained permission from Ray Flaherty's family to wear the number. According to Flaherty's son, Ray Flaherty Jr., it took some time to convince the entire family:
Flahtery Jr. stated, "There were a few factors, one of which was perhaps the most essential. I surveyed my family. I have two sons and a daughter. And, of course, that is their granddad. My daughter wasn't too enthusiastic at first. And it was she who came around. Eventually, she added, "It might be lucky for him." That number one may be a nice number for him. She complied. We believed that was the way to go."
While the Flaherty family originally expressed reservations about this, they eventually decided to let Nabers wear the uniform number, thinking that it would bring him luck during his tenure with the organization. Not to add that after Nabers' Giants career ends, No. 1 will be retired once more.
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Wearing the number, Malik Nabers emphasized his thanks and dedication to upholding Ray Flaherty's legacy. He stated, "It is a tremendous privilege to wear this shirt; I realize the history and responsibility that come with it. I'll try my best to make the Giants and Ray Flaherty's family proud.
This move is noteworthy in the team's history because the number was previously retired in honor of Ray Flaherty, a Hall of Fame player and coach. Ray Flaherty was a star with the Giants during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Flaherty, known for his great abilities and leadership on the field, made significant contributions to the club.
Flaherty was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1976 as a coach. He was a Giants player from 1928-29 and 1931-35, and he helped the team reach the NFL Championship Game in 1933, 1934, and 1935. Flaherty, who pioneered the screen pass, has an 80-37-5 coaching record with the Boston, Washington, New York Yankees, and Chicago Hornets. He won two titles with Washington and passed away in 1994.
