Former Giants Pro Bowl lineman Greg Larson, who missed just three games in 13 seasons, died in late June at age 84 “surrounded by his wife of 63 years.”
The cause of death has not been revealed, but According to his obituary.
Larson, who was named one of the New York Giants’ top 100 players ahead of the team’s 100th anniversary season earlier this year, played in 179 games from 1961-1973, second-most in franchise history at the time behind running back/wide receiver Joe Morrison.
“He was our leader, our captain and one of the most popular players we’ve had,” Giants president John Mara said. Speaking at the Giants’ 100th anniversary event “He was just a great all-around guy. He was a symbol of the Giants at that time.”
The Giants advanced to the NFL Championship Game in each of his first three seasons.
“The New York fans went crazy.” Larson in 2001“It was a special town. People just kept coming out. People were really passionate. You have to understand that Giants fans have been around for a long time. The Giants were their team. They dominated the whole East back then. All along the East Coast, they loved us.”
Larson’s best individual season came in 1968, when he was selected to the Pro Bowl along with teammates Fran Tarkenton, Homer Jones and Spider Lockhart.
He retired in 1974 due to a knee injury.
“If I hadn’t had the surgery,” he said. He told the New York Times“I never thought about retiring and I would have come back, but my foot just wasn’t getting better like I wanted it to and I said last year that if I had another operation, it would be my last.”
Larson was a star player for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, captaining the 1960 championship team and earning first-team All-Big Ten selection that year.
He was drafted by the Giants in the NFL and the Chargers in the AFL, but chose to sign with New York.
After his playing career, he and his wife ran a sporting goods business in Minneapolis but sold it in 2010.
Despite his impressive playing career, he didn’t live in the past.
“It doesn’t mean much to me,” he said in 2001. “I always live in the present, not the past. I’ve always done that. It’s nice to know that you’ve done that. As you get older, the friends you had mean more.”
He is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
