The Giants reacquired wide receiver and returner Phil…
The Giants reacquired wide receiver and returner Phil McConkey from Green Bay on September 30, 1986 for their 1987 twelfth-round pick. McConkey immediately became a useful role player for the eventual Super Bowl XXI champions, producing 279 receiving yards and 471 kick-return yards in 12 regular-season games after the trade.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 1987 twelfth-round pick (No. 335; Norman Jefferson)
New York Giants Received
- player Phil McConkey
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Packers official trade history records the September 30, 1986 deal as Phil McConkey to the Giants for New York's 1987 twelfth-round draft choice, later No. 335 Norman Jefferson. Giants.com independently recounts that the club had cut McConkey on September 1, watched him join Green Bay, then sent a twelfth-rounder to reacquire him about a month later. The legacy record's extra “undisclosed consideration” assets are unsupported and should be removed.
New York's Return
McConkey immediately supplied real value to a championship team. NFL records credit him with 16 catches for 279 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games for the 1986 Giants, plus 24 kickoff returns for 471 yards. He also made memorable Super Bowl XXI plays, including a 44-yard reception that set up a score and a six-yard touchdown catch on a tipped pass. He remained with New York through 1988.
Green Bay's Return
The Packers used No. 335 on LSU defensive back Norman Jefferson, the final selection of the 1987 draft. Pro Football Reference records Jefferson in 14 career games with one start across 1987 and 1988. That is legitimate roster value from a twelfth-round pick, but it was limited compared with the immediate championship-season production New York received.
Final Verdict
New York Giants Win. The Giants earn a B+ because a minimal draft cost returned a trusted receiver and returner who contributed immediately to a Super Bowl champion and remained useful for multiple seasons. Green Bay earns a C because Jefferson reached the NFL and appeared in 14 games, but the pick did not match McConkey's impact or longevity with New York after the trade.