Ex-Giants players: Plaxico Burress shooting cost team Super Bowl

Some former New York Giants players believe the team would have repeated as Super Bowl champions if not for the infamous Plaxico Burress shooting incident in 2008.

Burress was at a nightclub in Manhattan when he accidentally shot himself in the right thigh with an unlicensed gun. He was subsequently suspended by the Giants and sentenced to two years in prison.

"Back-to-back," former Giants running back Brandon Jacobs told the New York Post's Steve Serby of the team's chances. "We were easily better than every team in the NFL that year. Easily. I'm talking about a touchdown, I'm talking about 10 points better than everybody."

Former defensive end Justin Tuck echoed Jacobs' statement.

"I thought if Plaxico didn't shoot himself, we were the best team in the NFL that year," he said.

The Giants finished the 2008 season atop the NFC East at 12-4, but ultimately lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs. They then watched as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.