Brought To You By NSU; Written by Jason Pugh
Former Northwestern State All-American linebacker Gary Reasons already had one Top 100 designation on his resume after his alma master bestowed it upon him 17 years ago as part of the Demons’ centennial celebration.
He officially received another Tuesday when the New York Giants named him to their Top 100 Players of All-Time list, placing the two-time Super Bowl champion at No. 76. The list was chosen by an independent committee.
“I had no idea they were doing anything,” Reasons said. “I knew they are on their 100th season, but I didn’t know they were going to select a top 100 players of all-time. Bob Papa, the longtime play-by-play guy who I’ve worked with on some broadcasts, said he wanted to call me to give me the good news. To be part of a very, very select group of men – over 5,000 players have worn the Giants uniform over the last 100 years – it’s pretty special to be part of that group.”
Reasons starred at Northwestern State from 1980-83, collecting All-American honors in each of his final three seasons, capped by a senior campaign in which he recorded 172 tackles – 94 solo – four pass breakups, four tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. He remains the only three-time All-American in Demon program history.
A fourth-round pick by the Giants in 1984, Reasons made a quick impact with the Giants, landing on the NFL’s All-Rookie Team.
That year kickstarted an eight-year run in New York that saw the Giants capture a pair of Super Bowl championships – Super Bowl XXI against the Denver Broncos against and Super Bowl XXV against the Buffalo Bills. The Super Bowl XXI triumph gave the Giants their first Super Bowl title.
Reasons led the Giants with six tackles in the win against Buffalo and was a two-time All-Madden Team selection as chosen by legendary broadcaster John Madden. In his post-playing career, Reasons served on the NFL Players Association Executive Council, which followed a stint as the Giants player representative to the National Football League Players Association during his career.
Joining another century celebration allowed Reasons to enjoy the feeling he had 17 years ago this month when he was named to the Demons’ all-time Top 100.
“They both carry a lot of weight in my mind,” Reasons said. “You put the time and effort and years in at each place, both at Northwestern State and with the Giants. I had wonderful careers, accolades and championships that were part of those years, which makes it special. They recognize you as part of a very, very select group of players of all time. They’re both special. At the NFL level, to be part of some of the players ever in the NFL, that’s pretty cool.”
The Giants will honor the Top 100 – which they continue to roll out 10 selections at a time on their X (formerly Twitter) account @Giants – at their season opener Sept. 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.
A visible presence on football broadcasts since his retirement – including calling Northwestern State home games on ESPN+ — Reasons’ schedule often kept him from returning to Giants games, but he will be there in early September to celebrate with his former teammates and other Giants alumni who will become another arm of a family for Reasons.
“With the Giants, there is a lot of camaraderie with the players and the organization,” he said. “I don’t know if there is a better run franchise in the NFL than the Giants from a family perspective. Wellington Mara, the former owner, coined the term, ‘Once a Giant, always a Giant.’ They have lived up to that motto.
“I watched the two Super Bowl teams when they won the next two championships outside of ours. I didn’t know all of those players, but I knew Michael Strahan and a few others. It will be neat to see some of them. There will be some unique photo ops of the Super Bowl champions when we get up there in September. There are a couple of players I’d like to speak to. Jason Sehorn, I admired him as a player. He was always very eloquent and a tremendous Giants ambassador. He’s had a similar post-football career as me, going into broadcasting. I look forward to visiting with him.”
That will add to the allure of catching back up with his Super Bowl-winning teammates.
“You have the camaraderie with your teammates,” Reasons said. “Now I’ll have camaraderie with some guys I don’t know. It is a whole other family of Giants I’ll be part of. That’s pretty neat. When I’m in New York for an event or doing some public speaking, it won’t just be Gary Reasons, No. 55. It will be Gary Reasons, one of the Top 100 Giants of all-time. That’s got a pretty good ring to it.”
Graphic Credit: Brad Welborn/NSU Sports Information
