This Giant Hall of Famer is remembered as much for his leadership as for his playing career.
Although a native of South Carolina, his 13 years with the football Giants at the Meadowlands ingrained Harry Carson forever in the fabric of New Jersey.
After a successful college football career at South Carolina State (where he never missed a game), Carson became a starter for the Giants in his first year (1976) and was named to the All-NFL Rookie Team.
Within a few years, Carson became a defensive captain of the Giants and was named to the Pro Bowl nine times, including seven straight seasons.
His brightest moment came in leading the Giants to their first Super Bowl championship in January, 1987. The Giants had six team captains on that Super Bowl team. Traditionally all captains would come to midfield for the pregame coin toss to determine which team would receive the opening kickoff.
However, Giants’ head coach Bill Parcells sent Carson alone to midfield that day in a gesture that demonstrated the esteem in which Carson was held. Carson rewarded Parcells’ faith that day, single-handedly taking apart the Denver Broncos’ offense with an interception, two quarterback sacks, two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
After his career, Carson estimated he suffered 15 concussions during his football career. He was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome. In 2011, Carson wrote a book vividly describing his struggles with this condition, saying it affected his speech and thought processes.
Carson gained additional notoriety by questioning whether football should continue to be played when there is so little understanding of the long-term affects caused by concussions.
Carson was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and the New Jersey Hall of fame in 2018.
