The 1974 New York Giants season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League. The Giants finished in last place in the National Football Conference East Division with a 2âÂÂ12 record, the team's worst since 1966.
The Giantsâ home venue in 1974 was the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, and they were winless at home in seven games. They won only one of twelve games at the Yale Bowl in 1973 and 1974. The Giants played at Shea Stadium in Queens in 1975 and opened Giants Stadium in New Jersey in October 1976.
The 1974 Giants hold the distinction of being the first team to lose a regular season game in overtime. In week nine, the 2âÂÂ6 Giants welcomed the cross-town rival Jets to the Yale Bowl. With the Giants leading 20âÂÂ13 in the fourth quarter, Joe Namath faked a handoff to Emerson Boozer, then ran into the end zone for a touchdown which tied the score at 20âÂÂ20, forcing overtime; previously, a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos had ended in a 35âÂÂ35 tie. The Giants were denied a game-winning score when Pete Gogolak missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, despite protests from Gogolak that he had made the kick. The Jets subsequently won 26âÂÂ20 on a five-yard pass from Namath to Boozer after 6:53 of play in the extra period.