To no one’s surprise, New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor was named to the NFL’s All-Time Team to commemorate the league’s 100th season.
Taylor was a unanimous choice of the 26-person panel to the defensive front selections to the 100 greatest players in league history which were revealed on the NFL Network on Friday night. The panel will reveal a section of the roster each Friday night until Week 17.
Forever grateful #GiantsPride pic.twitter.com/f4Rtp4eDQe
— New York Giants (@Giants) November 30, 2019
Here are the selections for the defensive front. I would hate to be quarterback or ball carrier going up against this bunch:
DEFENSIVE END (7): Doug Atkins, Bill Hewitt, Deacon Jones*, Gino Marchetti*, Lee Roy Selmon, Bruce Smith, Reggie White.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE (7): Buck Buchanan, Joe Greene, Bob Lilly*, Merlin Olsen, Alan Page*, John Randle, Randy White.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (6): Chuck Bednarik, Bobby Bell, Derrick Brooks, Jack Ham, Ted Hendricks, Lawrence Taylor*.
MIDDLE LINEBACKER (6): Dick Butkus*, Jack Lambert, Willie Lanier, Ray Lewis, Joe Schmidt, Junior Seau.
*Denotes unanimous selection.
“Lawrence Taylor, defensively, has had as big an impact as any player I’ve ever seen. He changed the way defense is played, the way pass-rushing is played, the way linebackers play and the way offenses block linebackers.” – John Madden
Taylor was two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants and revolutionized the outside linebacker position upon his arrival in 1981. He was a NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times, a 10-time Pro Bowler and a nine-time All-Pro. LT was named the 1986 NFL MVP. He is only one of two defensive players ever to win the award (Alan Page, 1971).
Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. His No. 56 was retired by the Giants and was inducted into their Ring of Honor with the initial class in 2010.
Like any genius, Taylor did not know the extent of his genius.
"I used to always know where every man was, except for myself because I didn't know what the hell I was doing." 😂
Lawrence Taylor (@LT_56) was a one man wrecking crew on field. He is now a member of the #NFL100 All-Time Team 👏👏👏
📺: NFL 100 All-Time Team on NFL Network pic.twitter.com/7Y6BqQt3p6
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) November 30, 2019
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