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Joe Ruback, known as “License Plate Guy,” is a famous New York Giants superfan.Ruback wears a chain of 142 license plates, many gifted by other fans, to games.His fandom began with a dare from his father to wear his ‘G1ANTS’ license plate.
EAST RUTHERFORD − Joe Ruback gained fame after the New York Giants‘ Super Bowl XLII victory over the New England Patriots.
He has been featured on the NFL Network, ESPN and FOX, among other media outlets.
Ruback also received acclaim from the Giants players themselves for being the fan caught mouthing “Oh my God!” after David Tyree’s “Helmet Catch”, captured for posterity on the Super Bowl XLII DVD released by NFL Films.
These days, the 54-year-old is known more as his “Super fan alter ego” – License Plate Guy – than he is Mr. Ruback, the head of physical education at a school in Yonkers, N.Y.
That’s because Ruback wears a chain of license plates on game days. He registered the original, New York ‘G1ANTS,’ for his first car as a teenager.
Most of the others have been gifted to him from Giants fans, mailed from other states, including Texas − “Cowboys Country,” Ruback joked − Indiana and Alaska.
Ruback’s fandom is among the stories being highlighted this year as part of the USA TODAY Network’s search for the nation’s ultimate sports fan.
Ruback said he considers the opportunity to don plates sent to him “a way to represent so many other great fans of the Giants.”
Every plate tells its own story – and Ruback says he shares a responsibility to represent his peers and the passion (and meaning) behind them.
The collection has increased through the years from 33 license plates in 2015, including seven he created on his own, to a staggering 142 entering the 2025 season. He has also used his celebrity to help raise more than $250,000 in charitable efforts with events such as the Landon Collins and Dexter Lawrence celebrity softball games for organizations such as the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, breast cancer research and the Wounded Warriors Project.
“Wearing a license plate started out as a bet between me and my dad, and my section in the old Giants Stadium loved it,” he added.
“I’m just fortunate to be embraced as an advocate for the Giants. Whether I’m in the front row behind the bench or the last row of MetLife, this is my team and I’m a fan for life.”
Joe ‘License Plate Guy’ Ruback
Hometown/residence: New City, New York
Team: New York Giants
Years of fandom: 47 years attending all home games, 25 “complete seasons” − all home and away games
How it started: Like many NY Giants fans, allegiance is bred into the family. My Dad was a Giants fan, his dad was a Giants fan − you get the idea. In terms of how License Plate Guy started (well, unofficially before social media was born), I was first dared to wear my ‘G1ants’ license plate by my dad. The Giants won that game and of course, Giants fans are superstitious. I had one single plate and the Giants won a Super Bowl that year. Coincidence? I think not… LOL
How it’s going: Fast forward to “how it is going”: The advent of social media, which erupted right around Super Bowl 42 for me, and License Plate Guy took on a momentum driven by a lot of fellow Giants fans, even international fans now, who send me their license plates. I now have 142 plates with incredible stories that accompany them from people around the world. As I have been my whole life, I’m inspired by NY Giants football and the family of fans that goes with that. To me, football is family.
Has it caused you to miss any major life events?: Yes, I have missed some things here and there, but my family and friends understand how committed I am to this fandom (a true fanatic!) If it’s important for them that I be there, then they have scheduled dates around Giants football.
Most memorable moment as a fan of the Giants (and why)?: I think the top moment would have to be beating the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl 42. It not only destroyed their perfect season, it was also the mainstream birth of License Plate Guy by way of some video footage after Eli’s Great Escape and Tyree’s Catch − which caught on in the emergence of social media.
Most forgettable moment as a fan of the Giants (and why)?: The DeSean Jackson punt return against the Giants was my most hated moment, but unfortunately I do have two other contenders for the most forgettable moment. In no particular order − I was at Super Bowl 35 vs. the Ravens where the Giants lost (forget it). I was in San Francisco when the Giants blew the field goal − aka Trey Junkin. These are my top 3 forgettable moments.
Any regrets?: Not starting my every game attendance before the year 2000. Otherwise – no regrets.