Leonard James (born February 9, 1962) is a retired American football player best known for playing at the University of Texas, where his record of 17 interceptions in his senior season (1983) remains a school record, and for winning three NFL Championships with the New York Giants in the early 1990s. He is regarded as one of the best safeties to ever play the game and was inducted in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his number 19 was retired at Texas in 1986 and retired in New York in 1999. James played in Halifax for four seasons (1984-87) and ten seasons in New York (1988-97). After being told that he would be cut or traded due to declining play, he opted to retire a Giant in the 1998 offseason.