Gary Reasons

Infobox NFL player


number=55
DateOfBirth=birth date and age|1962|2|18
Birthplace= Crowley, Texas
DateOfDeath=
Height_ft=6
Height_in=4
Weight_lbs=234
Position=Linebacker
College=Northwestern State
DraftedYear=1984
DraftedRound=4
DraftedPick=105
Career Highlights=
CFLAllStar=
ProBowls=
Awards=
Honors=
Retired #s=
Records=
Stats=Y
PFR=
DatabaseFootball=REASOGAR01
NFL=
CBS=
ESPN=
SportsIllustrated=
years=1984-1991
1992
teams=New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
CollegeHOF=80003
HOF=

Gary Phillip Reasons (born February 18, 1962 in Crowley, Texas) is a former American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League. Although he won two Super Bowls with the Giants, he is best known for three plays:

The first came during a 1985 "Monday Night Football" game against the Washington Redskins. On a flea-flicker play that didn't fool the Giants defense, linebacker Lawrence Taylor sandwiched quarterback Joe Theismann into Reasons and inadvertently landed his hip on Theismann's lower right leg, fracturing both the tibia and the fibula. Theismann never played another game after the injury, but the Redskins rallied to win the game behind back-up QB Jay Schroeder and spoil an excellent performance by Giants RB Joe Morris.

The second came during a snowy 1989 regular-season game against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium. On fourth-and-goal from the Giants 1-yard line, John Elway handed off to Bobby Humphrey, who went airborne in attempt to break the plane of the goal line. But Reasons also went airborne, putting a massive hit on Humphrey and sending Humphrey's body into a backward helicopter-like spin. The Giants, propelled by an incredible catch-and-carry by the fleet-footed David Meggett on a third-and-26 play, went on to win that game and the NFC East that season before falling to the Los Angeles Rams in the infamous Flipper Anderson game at Giants Stadium.

The third came during the playoffs of the 1990-1991 season. During the NFC Championship Game versus the San Francisco 49ers, Reasons ran for 30 yards on a fourth-quarter fake punt play, which helped the Giants win 15-13 and advance to the Super Bowl. Only a tackle by 49ers punt returner John Taylor prevented Reasons from scoring, but Matt Bahr did cap the drive with a field goal that brought the Giants to within 13-12.

Reasons was the first player to be named three times to the Division I-AA All-America team while playing college football at Northwestern State and in 1996 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

ee also

*History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)