Now that Tom Brady has officially retired, it’s time to place him in the pantheon of NFL greats. There is no question that he is greatest quarterback of the Super Bowl era, perhaps of all time.
But is Brady the greatest player in the century-plus-long history of the National Football League? That’s a slippery slope.
As one who has been ardently following the NFL since the Lombardi Green Bay Packers were a dynasty, I can tell you Brady stands alongside the greats of the game.
But for fans of the New York Giants, Brady’s sparkle isn’t as bright. The Giants ruined his perfect season in 2007 with a shocking Super Bowl win and then, to prove it was no fluke, did it again four years later.
As a player, Brady was spectacular, prolific and clutch but to Giant players and fans he is not the greatest player they’ve seen.
That distinction belongs to Lawrence Taylor. After 40 years, I have yet to see anyone make the same impact on the game. Taylor’s former teammate Carl Banks, a fellow linebacker with the Giants during their 1980s championship runs, agrees.
Total player is LT https://t.co/VV4kPgttaS
— Carl Banks (@CarlBanksGIII) January 29, 2022
One can make the case that Brady played so long in the league and had so much success because he didn’t have to face the likes of Taylor. The last decade has been dedicated to protecting quarterbacks. Back in Taylor’s day, there were few protections and very opaque rules when it came to hitting the passer.
Everything went. Ask Joe Theismann, Ron Jaworski, Neil Lomax, Jim Everett, Troy Aikman and others who took vicious hits from Taylor. Even Joe Montana crumbled under the the Giants’ rush (as did Brady in two Super Bowls against a more modernized pass rush).
So, let’s put things in perspective and not let the narrative get away from us on this. LT remains the greatest all-around player in league history.
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