In this brand new segment, Blast From the Past, I will choose one retired New York Giants player in order to remind older fans and introduce to younger fans just how good this select player was. The only rules for this series are that the player must have played either his entire career with the Giants or at least seven years and the player must have been a crucial part of the team in one way or another. Within each article, I will rattle off each players statistics, what type of a role this player played, and compare him to a current player.
Blast From the Past: Amani Toomer Edition
The possession catch was never made cool until Madden 16 came around. However, New York Giants fans know a man who specialized in making those sideline possession grabs in his sleep: Amani Toomer. He may not have been as exciting to watch as Odell Beckham, or as dominant as Plaxico Burress was, but Toomer was definitely one of the greatest receivers to wear the blue jersey in New York Giants history.
One for the Record Books
Toomer does not get the recognition he deserves. Most fans do not even realize that he is the leading receiver in yards in Giants history. His 9,497 yards are nearly double the amount of the player with the second most, which is held by running back Frank Gifford, who amassed 5,434 yards. He also holds the record for most receiving touchdowns in New York Giants history with 54. This is six more than the next receiver.
Toomer is also a Super Bowl Champion, winning one during the Giants improbable 2007 championship run. Plaxico Burress may get all of the attention for the beautiful double move placed on Ellis Hobbs to seal the Super Bowl, but Amani Toomer had six receptions for 84 yards while Burress had two receptions for 27 yards. Not to mention, he accumulated 21 receptions for 280 yards with three touchdowns during the playoffs. Burress had 18 receptions for 221 yards (11 receptions and 151 yards in the game against the Green Bay Packers) and one touchdown.
From Go-To Option to Reserved Role
When Amani Toomer first started, he was mainly a punt returner. He then transformed into their number one receiver. Between the years 1999-2003, he amassed five 1,000 yard seasons, and had at least five touchdowns in each season. The next year, he started losing targets to tight end Jeremy Shockey. After that, he became more of a role player. Toomer was no longer the go-to man when the Giants needed a spark or a big play. However, even though he played second fiddle to Plaxico Burress, he was still heavily targeted due to his sure hands and tremendous foot work.
Comparison to Current Player
In today’s day and age, there are very few receivers who are similar to Amani Toomer. That being said, one particular receiver who resembles him is Anquan Boldin. Boldin is a possession receiver with sure hands and crisp route running abilities. He was actually credited with a slow 40-yard dash, which just shows how reliable his hands need to be in order to make up the difference.
On the Arizona Cardinals, Boldin was always the second option to Larry Fitzgerald. However, this does not mean that he was forgotten about. He was actually targeted over 100 times in each of his seasons with the Cardinals, except for an injury shortened 2007 season. His 101 receptions in 2003 and 102 receptions in 2005 show just how heavily involved and how trusted he was. A quarterback will only throw his receiver’s way if he trusts him to make the catch. Boldin was well trusted by all of his quarterbacks during and continuing into his 13+ NFL seasons.
Highlights of Amani Toomer will quickly show the viewer his great technique, footwork, and hands. He was never a flashy receiver, and this is why many fans will never consider him a great receiver. He was not one of the most dominant receivers in the game during his time. However, he was one of the most reliable and trusted receivers. He was a quarterback’s best friend for these reasons. All fans of the NFL, especially Giants fans, must be reminded about how good Toomer was.
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