Legendary New York Giants general manager George Young will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee is making its picks for the 2020 class, and a legendary New York Giants general manager finally finds himself on the list.
George Young, who worked for the Giants from 1979-1997, will be included in this year’s class. It’s surprising the committee didn’t induct him sooner. Young was arguably the most accomplished general manager in the franchise’s history.
During his tenure in New York, Young helped the organization win Super Bowls 21 and 25 and was a five-time NFL Executive of the Year. He won the award in 1984, 1986, 1990, 1993, and 1997. Young retired after the 1997 season to become the senior vice president of football operations for the NFL.
“George is certainly very deserving of being in the Hall of Fame,” co-owner John Mara said in a statement from the organization. “My only regret is that he’s not around to enjoy this. He took our organization from being in last place and not having a lot of respect around the league, to being a Super Bowl Champion. He made every football department in our organization more professional. He changed the reputation and level of respect that our team had for the better. He improved us in so many different ways. He certainly is a very deserving Hall of Famer. Again, I only wish he could be around to enjoy this moment. It’s long overdue. All of us here are very happy that at long last, he will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.
“I think this would have meant a lot to George because he always had a great appreciation for the history of the game and he had so much respect for people who were enshrined in the Hall. I think this would have meant the world to him, even though he may not have admitted to that. I think this would have had a huge impact on him. Again, I’m really sorry he’s not around to enjoy it.”
Young passed away in December of 2001. His legacy lives on and will be greatly honored when the induction takes place in late July.
