San Francisco traded 34-year-old quarterback Y.A. Tittle to…
San Francisco traded 34-year-old quarterback Y.A. Tittle to New York for second-year guard Lou Cordileone on August 18, 1961. Cordileone never approached Tittle's impact for the 49ers. Tittle instead revived his career with the Giants, throwing 96 touchdown passes in four seasons and leading New York to three consecutive NFL Championship Games. Hindsight makes the 49ers' return painfully light.
New York Giants Received
- player Y.A. Tittle
San Francisco 49ers Received
- player Lou Cordileone
Trade Analysis
What the Trade Actually Did
On August 18, 1961, San Francisco sent veteran quarterback Y.A. Tittle to the New York Giants for guard Lou Cordileone. The transaction was a straight player-for-player swap. Tittle was 34 and appeared to be nearing the end of his career, while Cordileone was a recent first-round pick who offered the 49ers youth on the offensive line.
Why San Francisco Moved Tittle
The 49ers were transitioning at quarterback and no longer viewed Tittle as the centerpiece of their future. Age made the decision understandable at the time. Receiving a young lineman for a veteran passer looked like a conventional attempt to exchange a declining asset for a player with more years ahead.
What New York Unlocked
The Giants received far more than veteran depth. Tittle became the starting quarterback of a championship contender and played some of the best football of his career. In four New York seasons he threw for 10,439 yards and 96 touchdowns. The Giants won their division in 1961, 1962 and 1963, reaching the NFL Championship Game in each season.
Why the Return Looks So Uneven
Cordileone could not create comparable value in San Francisco. He played only a short time for the 49ers before his career moved elsewhere. Tittle, meanwhile, became a Hall of Famer whose late-career Giants run remains one of the defining quarterback stories of the pre-Super Bowl NFL.
Final Verdict
New York earns an A+ because the club acquired an elite late-career quarterback for a modest player cost and immediately extended its championship window. San Francisco receives a D. The original logic was defensible, but the realized value gap became enormous once Tittle found another peak with the Giants.
Tittle revived his career in New York and led three championship-game teams, while Cordileone never provided San Francisco comparable impact or longevity.