Wednesday, 27 November 2024

Lawrence Taylor

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Athletes 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Football
Statistics: 2 Super Bowls (XXI & XXV)
1 MVP (1986)
1 Bert Bell Award (1986)
3 Defensive Player of the Year Awards (1981, 1982 & 1986)
8 First Team All-Pro Selections (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988 & 1989)
10 Pro Bowls (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 & 1990)
1-Time Sack Leader (1986)
1-Time All-American (1980)
1 ACC Player of the Year Award (1980)
1,089 NFL Tackles
132.5 NFL Sacks
9 NFL Interceptions
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Member of the New York Giants Ring of Honor
Number retired by the New York Giants
Named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
Named to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team
Named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team
There is no exaggeration when football journalists say that Lawrence Taylor redefined linebacking. Before Taylor, linebackers would read and react, but Taylor was fast, explosive, and aggressive, that he made offenses respond to him. Offensive coordinators planned around stopping Taylor or limiting the damage he would do as this was the best you could hope for.

Taylor led New York to two Super Bowls, championships that would never have occurred without him in the lineup. Taylor was also a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a league MVP, and Bert Bell Award winner, an incredible accomplishment for a defensive player.

Excessive Recreational drug use likely prevented Taylor from being even greater than he was, but the case remains strong that he is the best defensive player in football history.

We are proud to nominate Lawrence Taylor for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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