For 34 seasons, Giants Stadium was the loudest address in the New York metro area — a concrete bowl in the New Jersey Meadowlands that hosted two NFL franchises, a World Cup, a papal Mass, and some of the biggest concerts of the stadium-rock era.
It was never a pretty building, and by the time it closed in 2010 it was already showing its age. But few American stadiums packed more history, folklore, and sheer attendance into one footprint — from the infamous ‘Miracle at the Meadowlands’ fumble to the decades-long rumor that Jimmy Hoffa was buried under an end zone.
Quick Answer
Giants Stadium was an open-air stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey that hosted the New York Giants (1976–2009) and New York Jets (1984–2009) of the NFL, plus the New York Cosmos and MetroStars/Red Bulls soccer clubs. It opened October 10, 1976, closed January 3, 2010, and was demolished later that year to make way for MetLife Stadium, built on the adjacent footprint.
Capacity, Construction, and How the Stadium Grew
Giants Stadium opened in 1976 with 76,891 seats and was expanded in phases over the following decades, ultimately topping out at 80,242 by 2002 — the capacity most fans remember. It was built for roughly $78 million (groundbreaking came in November 1972) by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, financed without direct taxpayer subsidy through authority bonds rather than general public funds.
The stadium was designed by a team that included Kivett and Myers, Ewing Cole Erdman & Eubank, and Clauss & Nolan. Its bowl-shaped, single-tier design was unusual for the era — there was no upper deck overhang, which kept sightlines open but also left the stadium fully exposed to Meadowlands wind and weather.
The Playing Surface: AstroTurf, Grass, and FieldTurf
Giants Stadium’s surface changed more than most people realize. It opened on AstroTurf and stayed on that surface through 1999, a period notorious among players for turf toe and joint injuries on the hard, thin carpet.
For the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Bermuda grass sod was laid over the AstroTurf specifically for the tournament, then removed once the games ended. From 2000 to 2002 the stadium used interchangeable grass trays rolled in over an AstroTurf base, before switching to FieldTurf — a more cushioned synthetic surface — from 2003 until the stadium closed in 2009.
Famous Games: The Miracle at the Meadowlands
The stadium’s most infamous moment happened on November 19, 1978. With the Giants leading the Philadelphia Eagles 17–12 and just seconds left, quarterback Joe Pisarcik was ordered to simply kneel down and end the game. Instead, on a botched handoff attempt to fullback Larry Csonka, the ball squirted loose. Eagles cornerback Herman Edwards scooped it up and ran 26 yards for the winning touchdown.
Eagles fans and broadcasters still call it the ‘Miracle at the Meadowlands’; Giants fans just call it ‘The Fumble.’ The play was so damaging to the Giants organization that it triggered front-office and coaching changes credited with eventually rebuilding the franchise into a Super Bowl contender in the 1980s.
Concerts, the World Cup, and the Papal Mass
Giants Stadium’s first concert was the Beach Boys on June 25, 1978, and it went on to host some of the largest touring acts of the next three decades. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the stadium 24 times between 1985 and 2009, including a run of 10 shows during the 2003 Rising Tour — a home-turf residency few other artists matched anywhere in the country.
The stadium hosted seven matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, including a quarterfinal between the Netherlands and Brazil, and returned as a venue for the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Pope John Paul II celebrated an outdoor Mass there in October 1995 before roughly 82,948 attendees — a record that stood until U2’s September 24, 2009 concert drew 84,467 fans, the largest crowd in the building’s history.
The Jimmy Hoffa Rumor
No Giants Stadium history is complete without the Jimmy Hoffa legend. Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa vanished in 1975, right around the time the stadium was under construction, and the coincidence fueled a rumor that his body was buried in the concrete — specifically, according to a 1989 Playboy interview with mob associate Donald ‘Tony the Greek’ Frankos, somewhere near Section 107 in the west end zone.
The story stuck for decades; the west end zone was even nicknamed the ‘Jimmy Hoffa Memorial End Zone’ by sportswriters. Discovery Channel’s MythBusters used ground-penetrating radar on the suspected site in 2004 and found no evidence of remains, and the 2010 demolition — which exposed the stadium’s foundation to full excavation — turned up nothing to support the legend either.
Demolition and the Move to MetLife Stadium
By the late 2000s, Giants Stadium lacked the club seating, premium suites, and modern concourses that newer NFL venues offered, and both the Giants and Jets agreed to jointly fund a replacement without public subsidy. The final event was played on January 3, 2010, when the Jets beat the Cincinnati Bengals 37–0.
Demolition began February 4, 2010, and was completed by August 10 of that year, at a cost exceeding $10 million. MetLife Stadium opened later that same month on the adjacent footprint, seating roughly 82,500 and serving as the shared home of the Giants and Jets ever since — meaning the Meadowlands never actually went a season without an NFL stadium standing on it.
Giants Stadium FAQs
What was Giants Stadium’s capacity?
Giants Stadium opened in 1976 with 76,891 seats and was expanded over time, reaching its final capacity of 80,242 by 2002 — the number most commonly cited for the venue.
Is Jimmy Hoffa really buried under Giants Stadium?
No. The rumor traces back to a 1989 Playboy interview with a mob associate who claimed Hoffa was buried near Section 107. MythBusters scanned the suspected site with ground-penetrating radar in 2004 and found no remains, and nothing turned up during the 2010 demolition either.
What playing surface did Giants Stadium use?
AstroTurf from 1976 to 1999, temporary Bermuda grass sod for the 1994 World Cup, interchangeable grass trays over AstroTurf from 2000–2002, and FieldTurf from 2003 until the stadium closed in 2009.
When did Giants Stadium close and why was it torn down?
Giants Stadium hosted its final event on January 3, 2010. It was demolished because it lacked modern amenities like club seating and premium suites; the Giants and Jets jointly funded MetLife Stadium as a replacement without public money.
What replaced Giants Stadium?
MetLife Stadium replaced Giants Stadium and opened in August 2010 on the same Meadowlands site in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It seats about 82,500 fans and remains the shared home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Which teams played at Giants Stadium?
The New York Giants (NFL) were the original tenants starting in 1976. The New York Jets joined as co-tenants in 1984. The New York Cosmos (NASL) played there from 1977 to 1984, and the MetroStars — later the New York Red Bulls — used the stadium from 1996 to 2009.
What was the largest crowd ever at Giants Stadium?
U2’s September 24, 2009 concert drew 84,467 fans, the largest attendance in the stadium’s history, edging out the roughly 82,948 who attended Pope John Paul II’s October 1995 Mass.
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