Lawrence Taylor Biography

Lawrence Julius Taylor, born February 4, 1959, played 13 seasons in the NFL as a linebacker for the New York Giants. He is widely regarded as the greatest defensive player in football history and among the top players ever. After an All-American college career at the University of North Carolina from 1978 to 1981, he was drafted second overall by the Giants in 1981. Taylor earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and became the only player to win Defensive Player of the Year in his rookie season. He recorded double-digit sacks each year from 1984 to 1990, including a career-high 20.5 in 1986. Taylor was named First-team All-Pro in eight of his first ten seasons and Second-team All-Pro in the remaining two. In the 1980s, Lawrence Taylor was part of a New York Giants linebacker group that included Carl Banks, Gary Reasons, Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelley, Pepper Johnson, and Harry Carson.