Was Rosey Brown the BEST Left Tackle to wear a Giant Uniform?

[brownelvis54]

I was watching the pre-season game Giants vs lions. Because this year is year 100 for the Giant organization, there has been a lot of talk about players present and past. Toward the end of the game Carl Banks asked Phil Simms, who were some of the bests, and Simms said that's tuff because there were so many, but Simms did mention Rosey Brown. He said Rosey Brown was the best left tackle to ever wear a NY Giants uniform. I will admit, Rosey Brown was before my time being a Giant fan.


Looking at his stats, who have to be impressed. I was shocked to see he was drafted in the 27th round?!? How many rounds were there? Asking the Giant historians here, is Phil Simms right?



Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown Jr. (October 20, 1932 – June 9, 2004) was an American football offensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants from 1953 to 1965. He played college football for the Morgan State Bears and was selected by the Giants in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL draft.

Brown appeared in 162 games for the Giants, missing only four games in a 13-year career. In his prime, between 1956 and 1963, he helped lead the Giants to six division championships and the 1956 NFL Championship Game. He was selected as a first-team All-Pro player eight consecutive years and was also selected to play in the Pro Bowl nine times.

After retiring as a player, Brown remained with the Giants as an assistant coach and later as a scout. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975, was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994 and was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019. He was also included on the NFL 1950s All-Decade Team and The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosey_Brown

I love looking at Giant film from the past

and

[brownelvis54]

Giants Now: Roosevelt Brown ranked among top left tackles of all-time

Roosevelt Brown ranked among top left tackles of all-time by The 33rd Team

Heading into the franchise's 99th season, the New York Football Giants have witnessed some legendary players walk in the door over the years.

One of those players is Pro Football Hall of Fame left tackle Roosevelt Brown.

The 33rd Team's Elliott Kalb recently took a look at the best left tackles in NFL history. The list was broken down by number, with Brown earning the honor for No. 79.

"Rosie Brown was the New York Giants' left tackle from 1953-65," wrote Kalb. "He was named to the NFL 75th Anniversary and 100th Anniversary All-Time teams. He was a six-time First-Team All-Pro (1956-59, 1961, 1962), nine-time Pro Bowler and part of an NFL championship team in 1956. Brown was the best of his era.

"According to the Hall of Fame, he's only the second man to be elected on the merits of his offensive line play alone. It would have been a pleasure to have seen him play."

Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975. The left tackle was also part of the Giants' inaugural class of the Ring of Honor back in 2010.

"During the height of [Brown's] career, the Giants were enjoying an unusual string of successes with six divisional crowns and one NFL title in an eight-year stretch," it states on Brown's page on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's website. "While no one player can be credited with the Giants' great victory ride, Rosie deserves as much credit as anyone. For eight straight years, he was a virtually unanimous All-NFL choice and was named to nine Pro Bowls. In the 1956 NFL Championship Game, Rosey handled the vaunted Chicago Bears' defenses so well that he awarded Lineman of the Game honors. In 1975, Rosie Brown became only the second player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the merits of his offensive line play alone."

Here is everyone on Kalb's list of the top left tackles of all-time:

No. 79: Roosevelt Brown
No. 78: Anthony Munoz
No. 77: Willie Roaf
No. 76: Orlando Pace
No. 75: Jonathan Ogden
No. 74: Jimbo Covert
No. 73: Joe Thomas
No. 72: Dan Dierdorf
No. 71: Tony Boselli, Walter Jones, Jason Peters, Trent Williams
No. 70: Jake Matthews


https://www.giants.com/news/rosey-brown-top-left-tackles-the-33rd-team-pro-football-hall-of-fame

[brownelvis54]

[Bob In PA]

Actually, Rosie Brown was the best left tackle to wear ANY uniform.

[Shoelessjoe]

In a book on the 1958 Championship game, Frank Gifford stated that Roosevelt Brown was the best athlete on the team. He played left tackle in that game but when DT Roosevelt Grier was injured, Brown went into the game and played both offense and defense for the better part of 3 quarters. It seems that they could only carry 35 men on the roster so there was no backup defense tackle to go in for Grier. Brown was his backup.

[Bob In PA]

In a book on the 1958 Championship game, Frank Gifford stated that Roosevelt Brown was the best athlete on the team. He played left tackle in that game but when DT Roosevelt Grier was injured, Brown went into the game and played both offense and defense for the better part of 3 quarters. It seems that they could only carry 35 men on the roster so there was no backup defense tackle to go in for Grier. Brown was his backup.

Frank: Long time no see/hear/read. lol

[Painter]

Roosevelt Brown was an outstanding Left Tackle for Our Heroes throughout his 13-year career as evidenced by 10 Pro Bowls and 6 first team All-Pros. He certainly was one of my favorites for sure. Indeed, I remember shooting the breeze with him while walking to the Clubhouse after a game. I'm pretty sure it was 1953 in the Polo Grounds at a time when fans were allowed on the field as soon as the game ended. I believe it was the season after which the Giant stopped wearing the Red Jerseys for home games.

I would have no problem accepting Rosey Brown as the Giants GOAT at Left Tackle, but we should keep in mind that for the better part of the past 25 years and with a now nearly 50 percent longer season, it is today very much a "passing league" and nothing like the run-dominated period of his career. All the many, many, many rule and contractual changes from the late 70s to the early 90s and have since made it seem like two different sports.

Cheers! 

[BluesCruz]

He was all pro and solid muscule
Name a better one?

[MrGap92]

Ereck Flowers   

[LennG]

 I have been a Giant fan during the Rosey Brown era and I can say without any doubt he was the best OL we have ever had at any position on that line. Maybe the only one to even come close was Mel Heim, but Rosey was the much better athlete and superior LT.

[Rosehill Jimmy]

I had a lot of favorites from that era but Rosey was #1.  He is the reason I wanted to play offensive line and why I chose the no.79.

[BluesCruz]

I had a lot of favorites from that era but Rosey was #1.  He is the reason I wanted to play offensive line and why I chose the no.79.

My favorite was Jack Stroud