NY Giants' Malik Nabers to wear retired number

NEW YORK (PIX11) – There is no question there is an air of negativity when it comes to the Giants. 

Expectations are low, and Daniel Jones is at quarterback. 

There are questions about the direction.  

One story that has seeped into all the negativity is that Malik Nabers will wear No. 1 this season. The Giants selected the receiver sixth overall this spring out of LSU. 

Nabers could not wear No.8, his college number, the number of Quarterback Daniel Jones. He wore No. 9 during training camp, but that is the number of kicker Graham Gano, so he requested to wear No.1. 

No Giants player has worn that number since 1935. Why? Because the Giants retired it to honor Ray Flaherty. Flaherty was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1976. He was an NFL champion with the Giants in 1934, and many Giants fans did not know this until now. Flaherty also coached football in Boston, Washington, Chicago, and with the New York Yankees, finishing with a record of 80-37 with five ties. 

He also introduced the screen pass to football. If you have an issue with the Giants allowing Nabers to wear a retired number, because it sets a bad precedent. I get it. 

Retired numbers are there for a reason, but Flaherty’s family agreed to let Nabers wear the number after Co-owner John Mara approached them. 

They could have easily said no. 

However,  they thought it would help introduce Flaherty to a whole generation of Giants fans, which is true. 

This is not some controversy. 

This is really cool. If Ray Flaherty's family does not have an issue with Nabers wearing No.1, then neither should you. 

Until next time, New York, I'm Marc Malusis.