The 1 and only… Giant to ever lead the NFL in receiving yards: Ray Flaherty
The Time: 1932
The Background: Flaherty was a fleet-footed 6-foot, 190-pounder who played his college ball at Gonzaga (and later interrupted his career with the Giants to coach there for the 1930 season). He was a three-time All-Pro, in 1928 (with the old New York Yankees), 1929 (when he joined the Giants after the Yankees folded) and 1932, when he not only led the league in receiving yards (350) but also catches (21) and touchdowns catches (5).
The Skinny: The ’32 Giants (4-6-2) struggled to score under second-year coach Steve Owen, but they were building toward championship game appearances in 1933 and ’35, and a world title in 1934. Jack McBride and Jack Haggerty were the prime throwers out of the Giants’ backfield and Flaherty was their favorite — and oftentimes only — target. Their best moment came Nov. 27, when a pair of McBride-to-Flaherty TD tosses beat the rival Dodgers at the Polo Grounds, 13-7.
The Others Who Came Closest: Tod Goodwin finished second in 1935, 1 yard behind Charlie Malone. Homer Jones finished second in 1967 behind Ben Hawkins and third the next year. Del Shofner finished second in 1961, just 19 yards behind Tommy McDonald, and third two years later. Bill Swiacki (1948), Amani Toomer (2002), Victor Cruz (2009) and Odell Beckham Jr. (2016) all finished third.
The Quote: Flaherty is credited with igniting the Giants-Redskins rivalry thanks to a pregame talk he gave as Washington’s coach in 1937, highlighted by: “You’re gonna kick the hell out of those Giants. You’ve got to. The future of pro football in Washington depends on this game. I want 60 minutes of the best that’s in you. Those Giants are going to be tough tonight. You know how they hate us.”
The Aftermath: Flaherty earned induction into the Hall of Fame in 1976 thanks to his coaching career, which included two championships with the Redskins, in 1937 and 1942, and after serving in World War II he won two division titles with the New York Yankees in the AAFC. His all-time record was 87-37-5.
The Legacy: Flaherty is credited with inventing the screen pass in 1937. His number, 1, was the first taken out of circulation by the Giants; we call that “retiring the number” today.