New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Photo Credit: New York Post
This NFL Hall of Fame spotlight focuses on the legendary New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Taylor is not just one of the greatest linebackers but one of the greatest players in the NFL. He is one of only two linebackers to win the NFL MVP. His rise to the top was nothing short of impressive. Here is a deep dive into Taylor’s career, and what made it impossible to leave him out of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
History of Lawrence Taylor
Taylor was born into a humble family that lived in Williamsburg, Virginia. He was the first and the most daring of three sons. During his early years, Taylor picked up an interest in baseball and only started playing football when he was 15 years old.
Taylor got his high school education at Lafayette High School and graduated in 1977. There, it took him till the eleventh grade to start playing organized football. Despite starting the sport late, he established himself as team captain in college football at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He began as a defensive lineman before transitioning to a linebacker.
According to Sports Reference, Taylor made 16 sacks in his final season in college football. His excellent performance earned him recognition as a consensus All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1980. In his two seasons at North Carolina, Taylor made two interceptions for 11 return yards. The Giants selected him as second overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.
Professional NFL Career
Taylor rewarded his employees by getting his NFL career off to a flying start. According to Pro Football Reference, he finished his rookie season with an impressive 9.5 sacks, winning the 1981 Defensive Rookie Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Turning the Giants’ Fortune Around
Prior to Taylor’s arrival, the Giants had suffered a disappointing 1980 season, where they finished in last place in the NFC East Division with a 4-12 record. Taylor’s defensive prowess helped them up their performance to a 9-7 record in 1981.
The team progressed to the NFL divisional playoffs but lost 38-24 to the San Francisco 49ers, who eventually became the Super Bowl XVI champions. Although the 1982 season only featured nine regular season games due to a players’ strike, Taylor again showed his brilliance.
One of his most stand-out games came against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. In that game, Taylor displayed his incredible power and speed as he intercepted a Gary Danielson pass and returned it 97 yards to the end zone for a touchdown.
Taylor finished the season with 7.5 sacks, and his defensive exploits won him the Defensive Player of the Year award for the second time in a row.
The Giants faced tough luck in the 1983 season, finishing with a disappointing 3-12-1 record. An injury at the inside linebacker position forced Lawrence Taylor to step in and cover the role.
Despite the team’s struggles, Taylor excelled, earning his third consecutive All-Pro selection. This time, he claimed first-team All-Pro honors as both an inside and outside linebacker, making history as the first player selected for two different positions.
The 1984 season was much better for the Giants who almost lost Taylor to the USFL side, the New Jersey Generals. In 1984, Taylor manned the defense strongly again, helping the Giants finish with a 9-7 record. He recorded 11.5 sacks.
Four of those sacks came in the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 23, 1984. Taylor again made the All-Pro team and was the runner-up in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year.
MVP and Super Bowl Victory
Taylor had yet another stellar year in 1985. He recorded two fumble recoveries for 25 returning yards. His 13 sacks were also the second-highest number of sacks for the Giants, who led the league in sacks with 68.
Taylor kept improving with each passing season and completely outdid himself in the 1986 season.
He led the team in sacks that season, finishing with 20.5 sacks to his name, out of the team’s 59. Taylor and the Giants led the NFC East Division with a 14-2 record.
Taylor got himself into the history books by becoming just the second defensive player to win the NFL MVP. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year award for that season. The team worked its way up to Super Bowl XXI and defeated the Denver Broncos 39-20.
Taylor was instrumental in that game. He made a crucial tackle that stopped a touchdown during a goal-line play in the first half of the game. That Super Bowl win was the perfect way to cap off a superb season for Taylor.
Much was left to be desired of the Giants’ performance in the 1987 season, but Taylor still managed to finish as the team’s leader in sacks with 12 sacks. In 1988, Taylor got back into the first-team All-Pro despite missing four games due to a suspension. The 15 sacks he recorded were his second-highest in a season.
The later parts of Taylor’s career were marred with off-field problems and injuries. But he remained a dominant force in the Giants’ defense, including during their victory against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. He only missed out on the All-Pro team in his final three seasons.
Taylor spent 13 seasons with the Giants, retiring after the 1993 season. Throughout his professional career, he made a total of 1,088 tackles, 132.5 sacks (excluding his sacks in 1981 which were not recorded), 11 fumble recoveries, and two defensive touchdowns.
Career Accolades
Taylor’s career was defined by strength and speed that allowed him to make plays anywhere on the field. He won the NFL MVP in 1986 and remains the only defensive player to be the unanimous selection for MVP to date.
According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Taylor also won Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982 and 1986. His career was decorated with eight First-team All-Pro and two AP Second-team All-Pro selections. He earned 10 Pro Bowl selections.
Taylor was on the roster for the Giants’ team that won the Super Bowl XXI and XXV, adding to his laurels. He also made the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
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