There was a lot of optimism surrounding the New York Giants heading into the 1971 season. They were coming off their first winning season since 1963, going 9-5 under head coach Alex Webster and finishing second in the NFC East.
But things weren’t exactly on the upswing as they seemed for Big Blue. They lost all six preseason games, and there was talk of their legitimacy as a contender. Quarterback Fran Tarkenton was coming off another Pro Bowl season, but his patience was running thin and he would request a trade after the season.
