In 1990, the Giants had just defeated the 14-2-0 San Francisco 49ers 15-13 to advance to Super Bowl 25 in Tampa. In the process, they had ruined the Niners chance at a third-straight Super Bowl victory. The Giants’ defense was the heart of the team, but the offensive line was its soul.
Center Bart Oates had arrived to the Giants via the United States Football League and had already won two USFL titles. RG Bob Kratch was an early third-round pick in the 1989 college draft while on the leftside, G William Roberts and T Eric Moore were each first-round selections in the 1984 and 1988 drafts, respectively.