Tag: Lawrence Taylor

Lawrence Taylor expects big things from Bill Belichick at UNC

Retired New York Giants great Lawrence Taylor is excited to have Bill Belichick coaching at his alma mater, North Carolina.

New York Giants Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor is feeling good about his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, after they announced recently that Bill Belichick would be taking over as the head coach.

Taylor played at UNC from 1977 through 1980 earning All-American honors and was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1980. He was selected second overall by the Giants in the 1981 NFL draft and went on to have one of the most storied careers in NFL history.

Belichick was a defensive assistant and special teams coach under head coach Ray Perkins and defensive coordinator Bill Parcells in 1981. He was in charge of a linebacker unit that included Taylor, fellow Hall of Famer Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt, and Brian Kelley. Carl Banks and Gary Reasons would later replace Van Pelt and Kelley.

Taylor was not initially a fan of Belichick’s in the beginning. When Bill Parcells replaced Perkins as the head coach in 1983, Belichick became a key strategist and was elected to defensive coordinator in 1985, much to the objection of Taylor.

“I cursed Parcells out when he hired Belichick as the defensive coordinator,” Taylor said in a 2021 interview. “I come into the league, and I meet Bill Belichick. He’s an assistant special teams coach… now what the hell, that’s like a towel boy. What the hell is that? Assistant special teams coach.”

Parcells then set Taylor straight that it was Belichick who had been drawing up the defensive schemes and calls that had led to the team’s success.

“I said, ‘what?!’ I mean, even Cover 2 … all those belong to him?” Taylor said. “And he got a little respect from me that day, and I tell you what, he has turned out to be one of the best coaches in history.”

The mutual respect doesn’t end there. Belichick, who has eight Super Bowl rings — six as a head coach of the New England Patriots and two with the Giants as an assistant — believes Taylor to be the best to have ever done it.

“Well, I think I had the honor of coaching the greatest defensive football player in the history of the game, and he helped make me a great coach, I’ll tell you,” Belichick said.

It remains to be seen if Taylor will make any appearances down in Chapel Hill now that Belichick is there. Perhaps they can combine for more magic in the future.

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Kaimon Rucker’s historic sack at FSU ties him with UNC legend for sixth all-time

Kaimon Rucker is a sack machine for the UNC football program. His latest sack tied him on the Tar Heels’ all-time list with a football legend.

The North Carolina Tar Heels dominated the Florida State Seminoles in ACC football action on Saturday, marching into Tallahassee and winning 35-11.

UNC’s highlight of the day was star running back Omarion Hampton, who scored all five of his team’s touchdowns. Hampton’s first four came on the ground, setting a career high, then he caught a fourth-quarter score from Jacolby Criswell.

North Carolina’s defense played like its early-2024 form, generating seven sacks against FSU. Kaimon Rucker, who led the Tar Heels with 8.5 sacks in 2023, added a sack of his own against the Seminoles.

What Rucker may not have initially realized, though, is that his lone sack put him in the same company as a football legend.

Rucker’s sack, the 21st of his career, tied him for sixth all-time with Lawrence Taylor. 

If you’re familiar with Taylor, he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in football history – both in college and the NFL. Taylor was the 1980 ACC Player of the Year, then generated 132.5 sacks across his 13-year career with the New York Giants.

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After missing five games earlier this year while recovering from a torn meniscus, Rucker’s return has breathed life into the UNC defense. North Carolina has 17 sacks in its past two games, plus it has limited Virginia and FSU to a combined 25 points.

Rucker made a much-welcomed decision to return for his fifth year, bringing 16 career sacks back with him. Rucker is quite the tackling machine, too, generating 170 over his 5-year career.

I’m hopeful Rucker will have a successful NFL career like Taylor, but for now, I’m going to enjoy him in his final games as a Tar Heel.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Giants legends advocate for Ottis Anderson in Hall of Fame bid

Former New York Giants greats and fans of the St. Louis Cardinals are coming forward to advocate for Ottis Anderson’s Hall of Fame bid.

Two weeks ago, the Pro Football Hall of Fame released a list of 167 senior nominees for consideration on their Class of 2025 ballot.

Under the new format, three players from the list will nominated for induction.

14 former New York Giants were on the list, including running back Ottis “O.J.” Anderson, who we have been advocating for enshrinement for some time now.

Anderson effectively had two careers — one with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1979-86 and another with the Giants from 1986-92.

With St. Louis, Anderson was a force, bursting on the scene with two monster Pro Bowl seasons for the Cardinals en route to becoming their all-time leading rusher.

With the Giants, Anderson played a key role on two Super Bowl championship teams and Bill Parcells’ smashmouth offense.

It’s been 33 years since Anderson left the game and many of his old adversaries and teammates are advocating for his induction into Canton.

Former Giants great Harry Carson, a Hall of Fame linebacker who played against and with Anderson, believes O.J. deserves enshrinement.

“I think he’s one of the best running backs I’ve ever faced,” Carson told Steve Serby of the New York Post. “You could see him get the ball and he ran counter to where he was supposed to run, but he got yards on his own because he was running for his life. . . He deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”

Another great Giants linebacker, Lawrence Taylor, agrees. Players with lesser legacies and thinner resumes than Anderson are in Canton.

“I look at a lot of guys that are in the Hall of Fame right now,” Taylor said, “and I’m saying, ‘This guy ain’t as good as O.J. Anderson.’ Back in that day, his stats spoke for themselves.”

When Anderson retired in 1992, only seven players had amassed more rushing yards in NFL history. He also scored touchdowns in both of the Giants’ Super Bowl wins and was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXI.

When players such as Taylor and Carson speak, perhaps the Hall voters should listen.

“I played against him and I played with him,” Taylor told Serby. “He’s a helluva player. When I was playing against him, he was one of the guys I had to look out for every daggone time we played him.

“He had that little movement where he could jump from one gap to another gap. … He’s physical … not as fast as some running backs, but he’s going to pound it out, 8 yards, 7 yards at a time. And by the time you done finished four quarters, you’re tired of hitting O.J. Anderson.”

Anderson is grateful that his old teammates are coming to bat for him and also the fans of his former team, the Cardinals. Serby asked him why he felt he has been overlooked.

“I think because St. Louis left and went to Arizona. I also think that the people who had a voice when I was the eighth-leading (all-time) rusher passed away, and there’s no one there to validate what I accomplished,” he said.

To this day, the Cardinals have yet to recognize Anderson’s contributions to their franchise. Perhaps if they stepped up and did that, Anderson’s profile would be raised and more people would realize what a special player he was.

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Lawrence Taylor: Aging Giants legends are better than current team

Lawrence Taylor says he could pick 22 random legends from the top 100 and immediately perform better than the current New York Giants team.

Nearly 100 franchise legends were in attendance for a Week 1 game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings, which turned out to be a humiliating home drubbing.

The Vikings wiped the floor with the Giants, 28-6, in a game that wasn’t even that close.

By halftime, it was clear the Giants had little fight in them and weren’t capable of competing against another bottom-third team. It frustrated several of the all-time greats, including the usually tight-lipped Lawrence Taylor.

While lining up to be honored, Taylor leaned over to Carl Banks and made an admission that should concern co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch.

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“I can tell you when we were lining up to go out to be introduced as the top 100 players,” Banks said on the Bleavin Giants podcast, “And a guy who never really comments on games because he doesn’t watch many of them, was Lawrence Taylor.

“He looked at me and this is a true story, folks. If you want to know what we were thinking at halftime, Lawrence looked at me and said, “Carl, I could pick 22 of us right now and go out and play better than these guys. We’d win this game.’ And the youngest guy in that like was probably 50 years old.”

Hyperbole? Probably not as much as some would want to believe.

“Lawrence Taylor looked at me and said, ‘I can get 22 of us and go out there right now and whoop these guys (expletive),” Banks said.

Recently voted the best player in Giants history, Taylor is never short on confidence and intensity. He undoubtedly believes what he said and the sad reality is, it’s probably closer to true than not. And that’s a really sad indictment about where the organization currently is.

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Lawrence Taylor named the best player in Giants history

The New York Giants have completed their list of the top 100 players in team history and Lawrence Taylor stands tall as No. 1.

As part of their 100th-anniversary celebration, the New York Giants have been releasing the list of their top 100 players in franchise history.

That effort was completed on Tuesday with the revelation of the final 10 names:

  • 10. Andy Robustelli
  • 9. Sam Huff
  • 8. Eli Manning
  • 7. Harry Carson
  • 6. Emlen Tunnell
  • 5. Michael Strahan
  • 4. Frank Gifford
  • 3. Mel Hein
  • 2. Roosevelt Brown
  • 1. Lawrence Taylor

All players’ names above are members of the Giants’ Ring of Honor and all but Manning are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Manning will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025.

Hein (7), Manning (10), Gifford (16), Taylor (56), and Strahan (92) have had their jersey numbers retired by the team.

The committee of voters who compiled the list was chaired by Giants longtime radio play-by-play announcer Bob Papa and consisted of other journalists and interested parties who have covered the Giants and the NFL over the years.

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Giants legend Lawrence Taylor has felony charge dropped in Florida

New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor had felony charges dropped in Florida following an arrest in mid-July.

New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor, who was arrested in mid-July for failing to report an address change as a registered sex offender, had his felony charges dropped on Wednesday.

TMZ Sports reports that Broward County prosecutors made the decision to drop the case, which Taylor’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, celebrated.

Mark Eiglarsh says the decision came down from Broward County prosecutors on Wednesday … after he tells us he successfully showed the allegations against Taylor stemmed from nothing more than the former football player’s estranged wife making claims in order to “gain leverage in their bitter, three-year divorce battle.”

“We are deeply grateful for the prosecutors in this case,” Eiglarsh said, “ensuring that true justice was served.”

At the time of the arrest, Eiglarsh claimed the issue resulted from a “significant misunderstanding.” Taylor later pleaded not guilty.

Taylor was arrested on a similar charge in December 2021 and pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.

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Giants legend Lawrence Taylor arrested in Florida

New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor was arrested in Florida this week over what his attorney says was a “significant misunderstanding.”

Retired New York Giants legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was arrested this week in Florida, TMZ reports.

Taylor turned himself in at the Broward County Jail on an outstanding felony warrant related to failing to report his status as a registered sex offender.

Per TMZ:

Lawrence Taylor was arrested again in Florida this week, TMZ Sports has learned … after he was accused yet again of failing to follow conditions imposed on him as a registered sex offender.

Broward County jail officials tell us … Taylor turned himself in on an outstanding felony warrant on Wednesday at around 5 PM — and was thrown behind bars on one charge of failure to report name or residence change.

Taylor remained in jail from roughly 5 p.m. EDT Wednesday until around 3 a.m. EDT Thursday.

“My client, Lawrence Taylor, will be pleading ‘Not Guilty’ to the recent charges,” Taylor’s attorney Mark Eiglarsh said in a statement. “As with the previous incident involving the same allegations, Mr. Taylor did not knowingly commit any criminal offense. This situation is a significant misunderstanding.

“We are confident that, once the prosecutors review the exculpatory evidence demonstrating Mr. Taylor’s innocence, he will once again achieve a favorable outcome.”

Taylor was arrested on a similar charge in December 2021 and pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.

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Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux hopes ‘gems’ from Brian Burns improve his game

New York Giants LB Kayvon Thibodeaux is hopeful some of the “gems” he’s gotten from Brian Burns help improve his game.

New York Giants fans are looking forward to many things this season, but one thing in particular has them both stoked and curious.

That would be the pairing of outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux with edge rusher Brian Burns, the former Pro Bowler the Giants acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers this past offseason.

The pass rush should be vastly improved in 2024. Thibodeaux finished with 11.5 sacks last season and is seen as an ascending player and Burns has never had less than 7.5 sacks in any of his five NFL seasons.

“It’s exciting,” Thibodeaux told NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. “Me and Brian, we have a similar body type. We have a similar style of play. But he’s a little bit different. He’s faster, he’s quicker. He’s obviously farther in his career than I am, so there’s a lot of gems he’s been giving me. And he’s been able to help up my game a little bit, and I’ve been competing with him, giving him a few things I know, and it’s been great so far. I’m excited to see what’s all to come from that.”

Thibodeaux was the fifth overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft out of Oregon by the Giants and they have seen flashes over his first two seasons. The addition of Burns to the defensive front could unleash Thibodeaux’s dominance.

Thibodeaux has great support in East Rutherford with the Giants. He recently had a conversation with the greatest outside linebacker of them all — Lawrence Taylor — at the team’s 100th anniversary event.

“You know what I think is funny, you go into these conversations and you’re always looking for something,” Thibodeaux said of his chat with L.T.

“If they’re a legend, you’re like, ‘What did you do? What was the secret sauce?’ And I think it was funny, L.T., he looked at me crazy when I said, ‘L.T., what’s the secret sauce?’ He was like, ‘Now you know damn well there ain’t no secret sauce.'”

True. The formula is hard work and talent every time. Thibodeaux has the second in spades, but the hard work part is what most fall short on. He plans on not letting that happen.

“It’s just funny thinking that when you make it to this level, you make it on the same things that you’re taught as a kid. Hard work. Integrity. Dedication,” he said. “And there’s nothing different. All that’s different is you’ve got to be a little more dedicated and work a little harder, but other than that, we have the tools as athletes. You’ve just got to continue to apply them and do your best.”

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The 33rd Team says this pass rusher was better than Lawrence Taylor

The 33rd Team ranked the top 10 pass rushers of all-time and only one was listed higher than New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor.

The 33rd Team ranked the top 10 pass rushers of all time and only Reggie White was ranked above New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor.

This is what the 33rd Team had to say about the cross-town rival in the 80s.

Averaging an incredible 13 sacks a season, including a final year with only 5.5 sacks after taking the entire previous season off, Reggie White’s career had historic peaks and longevity. A superstar with the Philadelphia Eagles, totaling 124 sacks in eight years, including 21-sack and 18-sack seasons, White became the best NFL free-agency signing ever when he inked a deal with the Green Bay Packers at 31 years old.

At that point, White was supposed to be on the downside of his career, coming off six All-Pro seasons, but he was far from done. White spent six seasons in Green Bay, earning another two first-team spots. His 68.5 sacks in six seasons were punctuated by his final year, earning the 1998 Defensive Player of the Year Award with 16 sacks at 37.

Smith certainly earned the all-time sacks record, but he also needed four additional seasons to top White’s career mark of 198. White’s high-end impact throughout his career is the blueprint for how the position is judged historically, and there’s no better indicator of being the greatest of all time at one’s craft.

And this is what the 33rd Team had to say about the most dominant pass rusher of all time.

The title of best pass rusher of all time is basically a coin flip between Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White. Taylor revolutionized the outside linebacker position, proving to be far too explosive and violent to be contained. He was transcendent, and the fact that he ranks ninth all-time in sacks shouldn’t undermine his impact on the game.

Upon landing with the New York Giants from North Carolina, Taylor was an immediate star. The No. 2 pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, Taylor won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year with 9.5 sacks. He finished his career nabbing an NFL MVP Award, two more Defensive Player of the Year nods, 10 Pro Bowls, and eight All-Pro nominations.

Although he didn’t have the longevity of some peers, totaling 18 sacks in his final three seasons before retiring at 34, Taylor’s peak might be the best we’ve ever seen from any position.

Taylor single-handedly changed the face of the NFL with his dominance at the edge position. He is accredited with the increase in value in offensive tackles and protecting the quarterback’s blind side.

The accolades to back Taylor’s case as not only the best pass rusher but also the best defensive player of all time are unfathomable. He is tied for the most Defensive Player of the Year Awards, winning one his first his rookie season and being the only player to ever do so.

Taylor also is one of two players to win the MVP as a defensive player, a feat that should not be taken lightly. Finally, Taylor catapulted the Giants’ franchise into relevancy as he led the way to two Super Bowls.

The first of these Super Bowls came during his 1986 season, which may be the greatest football season of all time. In that season, Taylor recorded 20.5 sacks in the regular season, won both the Defensive Player of the Year and the MVP, and recorded a 34-yard pick-six on a playoff run that led to the Giants winning their first-ever Super Bowl.

The Minister of Defense also deserves his flowers as he was a feared man throughout his reign in the NFL, finishing with 1,111 tackles and 198 sacks (second all-time). His dominance combined with his longevity was unparalleled and when you talk about the most complete and comprehensive body of work it’s no surprise that White takes the cake.

But in terms of their peak and the accolades to show from that period, it appears that Taylor has a little more silverware in his closet (one more Super Bowl, DPOY, and MVP) and is the slightly better pass rusher.

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Giants’ Kayvon Thibodeaux has great line about filling Lawrence Taylor’s shoes

After getting ribbed a bit by Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants LB Kayvon Thibodeaux offered up a great line about filling the GOATs shoes.

On Thursday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, thousands gathered for a historic event — New York Giants 100: A Night with Legends.

Celebrating their 100th season, the Giants welcome home many of their all-time greats, from Bill Parcells to Tom Coughlin and from Phil Simms to Eli Manning. Also in attendance was Lawrence Taylor, widely considered the greatest defensive player in NFL history.

Before taking the stage, Taylor had a moment to catch up with current Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. Unsurprisingly, that exchange resulted in some classic LT commentary and a great line from Thibs about filling Taylor’s shoes.

“I mean, (there’s) LT back there, man. Just him, Michael Strahan, Carl Banks, Osi Umenyiora. We’re talking about legends,” Thibodeaux said. “When you have a guy like LT, right? We just kind of exchanged in the back and he’s like, ‘Man, how many sacks did you have last year?’ And I’m like, ‘I had 11.5. Pretty good.’ He’s like, ‘What’d you play? Three games?'”

Thibodeaux got a laugh out of Taylor but the tongue-in-cheek comment also hit home.

“When you’ve got those shoes to fill, you have no choice but to be great,” Thibodeaux said. “I’ve got the greatest guys to look up to. Now I just continue to set goals and accomplish them.”

Thibodeaux is on his way to becoming an elite player in the NFL but he’s still a long way off from Taylor status. However, with the GOAT motivating him and Thibodeaux continuing to set his internal standard higher, the sky is very much the limit.

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