Lawrence Taylor
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Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed "L.T.", is an American former football linebacker who spent his entire career playing for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest defensive player of all time.[1][2][3][4][5]
After an
Taylor has lived a controversial lifestyle, during and after his playing career. He was known for his on-game persona, and at one point inadvertently caused a
Early life
Taylor was the first of three sons born to Clarence and Iris Taylor in
College
After graduating from
NFL career
1981 NFL Draft and training camp
In the
On draft day, Phillips made good on his promise not to draft Taylor and the Saints instead selected
Taylor's talent was evident from the start of
Taylor developed what has been described as a "love-hate relationship" with Bill Parcells, the Giants’ defensive coordinator when he was drafted and later their head coach.[29] Parcells often rode players in the hopes of driving them to better performance. Taylor did not appreciate this approach, and early on told Parcells, "I've had enough. You either cut me or trade me but get the fuck off my back."[30] Parcells kept on Taylor, but privately told some veterans, "I like that LT. That motherfucker's got a mean streak."[29]
Early career: 1981–1985
Taylor made his NFL regular season debut on September 6, 1981, in a 24–10 loss to the
The 1982 NFL season, which was shortened to nine regular season games by a players strike, included one of the more memorable plays of Taylor's career. In the nationally televised Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions, the teams were tied 6–6 early in the fourth quarter, when the Lions drove deep into New York territory. Lions quarterback Gary Danielson dropped back to pass and threw the ball out to his left toward the sidelines. Taylor ran in front of the intended receiver, intercepted the pass, and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown.[37] This play was indicative of Taylor's unusual combination, even for a linebacker, of power with speed. He was again named Defensive Player of the Year.[38]
After the 1982 season, Perkins became head coach of the University of Alabama and the Giants hired Parcells to replace him. In the coming years this change proved crucial to the Giants and Taylor. Leading up to the 1983 season, Taylor engaged in a training camp holdout that lasted three weeks and ended when he came back to the team under his old contract with three games left in the preseason.[39]
Although Taylor recorded nine sacks and made the All-Pro team for the third consecutive season in 1983,
The Giants' record rebounded to 9–7 in 1984,[45] and Taylor had his fourth All-Pro season.[32] He got off to a quick start, recording four sacks in a September game. In the playoffs the Giants defeated the Los Angeles Rams 16–13, but lost 21–10 to the eventual champion 49ers.[46]
In contrast to the previous season the Giants headed into the
Mid-career and championships: 1986–1990
In 1986, Taylor had one of the most successful seasons by a defensive player in the history of the NFL. He recorded a league-leading 20.5 sacks and became one of just two defensive players to win the NFL
With the Super Bowl win, Taylor capped off an unprecedented start to his career. After six years, he had been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (1981), NFL Defensive Player of the Year a record three times (1981, 1982, 1986), First-team All-Pro six times,[32] become the first defensive player in NFL history unanimously voted the league's MVP (1986), and led his team to a championship (1986). After the win, however, Taylor felt let down rather than elated. Taylor said:[57]
When the Super Bowl was over ... Everyone was so excited, but by then I felt deflated. I'd won every award, had my best season, finally won the Super Bowl. I was on top of the world right? So what could be next? Nothing. The thrill is the chase to get to the top. Every day the excitement builds and builds and builds, and then when you're finally there and the game is over ... And then, nothing.
The Giants appeared to have a bright future coming off their 1986 championship season as they were one of the younger teams in the league. They struggled the next season however, falling to 6–9 in the strike-shortened 1987 season.[58] Taylor caused strife in the locker room when he broke the picket line after early struggles by the team. He explained his decision by saying "The Giants are losing. And I'm losing $60,000 a week."[59] He finished the season as the team leader in sacks with 12 in 12 games played,[58] but missed a game due to a hamstring injury, ending his consecutive games played streak at 106.[60]
The Giants looked to rebound to their championship ways in 1988 but the start of the season was marred by controversy surrounding Taylor. He tested positive for cocaine and was suspended by the league for thirty days, as it was his second violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. The first result in 1987 had been kept private and was not known to the public at the time. He was kept away from the press during this period and checked himself into rehab in early September.[61] Taylor's over-the-edge lifestyle was becoming an increasing concern for fans and team officials. This was especially true given the eventual career paths of talented players like Hollywood Henderson and others whose drug problems derailed their careers. The Giants went 2–2 in the games Taylor missed. When Taylor returned he was his usual dominant self as he led the team in sacks again, with 15.5 in 12 games played.[62] The season also contained some of the more memorable moments of Taylor's career. In a crucial late-season game with playoff implications against the New Orleans Saints, Taylor played through a torn pectoral muscle to record seven tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.[32][63] Taylor's presence in the lineup was important as the Giants' offense was having trouble mounting drives, and was dominated in time of possession.[64] Television cameras repeatedly cut to the sidelines to show him in extreme physical pain as he was being attended to by the Giants staff. Taylor had already developed a reputation for playing through pain; in a 1983 game against the Eagles the team's training staff had to hide his helmet to prevent the injured Taylor from returning to the field.[65] Taylor's shoulder was so injured that he had to wear a harness to keep it in its place.[32] The Giants held on for a 13–12 win, and Parcells later called Taylor's performance "[t]he greatest game I ever saw."[66] However, the Giants narrowly missed the playoffs in 1988 at 10–6 by losing tie-breakers with the Eagles in their division and the Rams for the Wild card.[62]
In 1989, Taylor recorded 15 sacks.[38] He was forced to play the latter portion of the season with a fractured tibia, suffered in a 34–24 loss to the 49ers in week 12, which caused him to sit out the second half of several games.[67] Despite his off-the-field problems, Taylor remained popular among his teammates and was voted defensive co-captain along with Carl Banks.[68] The two filled the defensive captain's spot vacated by the retired Harry Carson.[68] The retirement of the nine-time Pro Bowler Carson, broke up the Giants linebacker corps of Carson, Reasons, Banks, and Taylor, which spearheaded the team's defense nicknamed the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew" in the 1980s. The Giants went 12–4,[69] and advanced to the playoffs. In an exciting, down-to-the-wire game, the Rams eliminated the Giants 19–13 in the first round, despite Taylor's two sacks and one forced fumble.[70]
Taylor held out of training camp before the 1990 season, demanding a new contract with a salary of $2 million per year.[71] Talks dragged into September with neither side budging, and as the season approached Taylor received fines at the rate of $2,500 a day.[72] He signed a three-year $5 million contract (making him the highest paid defensive player in the league[73]) just four days before the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite sitting out training camp and the preseason, Taylor recorded three sacks and a forced fumble against the Eagles.[74] He finished with 10.5 sacks and earned his 10th Pro Bowl in as many years, although the season marked the first time in Taylor's career that he was not selected First-team All-Pro.[32] The Giants started out 10–0 and finished with a 13–3 record. In the playoffs, the Giants defeated the Bears 31–3,[75] and faced the rival 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. The Giants won 15–13,[75] after Taylor beat two successive blocks by 49ers tight end Brent Jones and fullback Tom Rathman to get into the 49ers offensive backfield to be in position to recover a key fumble forced by nose tackle Erik Howard late in the game to set up Matt Bahr's game-winning field goal. In Super Bowl XXV, they played the Buffalo Bills and won one of the more entertaining Super Bowls in history, 20-19,[75] after Buffalo's Scott Norwood missed a potential game-winning field goal in the closing seconds of the game.[76]
Final years and decline: 1991–1993
Following the 1990 season, Parcells, with whom Taylor had become very close,[77] retired, and the team was taken over by Ray Handley.[78] 1991 marked a steep decline in Taylor's production. It became the first season in his career in which he failed to make the Pro Bowl squad, after setting a then record by making it in his first ten years in the league. Taylor finished with 7 sacks in 14 games[38] and the Giants defense, while still respectable, was no longer one of the top units in the league.
Taylor rebounded in the early stages of what many thought would be his final season in 1992. Through close to nine games, Taylor was on pace for 10 sacks and the Giants were 5–4.[79] However, a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in a game on November 8, 1992, against Green Bay[80] sidelined him for the final seven games, during which the team went 1–6.[81] Before the injury Taylor had missed only four games due to injury in his 12-year career.[80] Throughout the 1992 season, and the ensuing offseason, Taylor was noncommittal about his future, alternately saying he might retire, then later hinting he wanted a longer-term contract.[82]
Taylor returned for the 1993 season enticed by the chance to play with a new coach (Dan Reeves),[83] and determined not to end his career due to an injury. The Giants had a resurgent season in 1993. They finished 11–5, and competed for the top NFC playoff seed.[84] Taylor finished with 6 sacks,[84] and the Giants defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed.[85] They defeated the Minnesota Vikings 17–10 in the opening round of the playoffs.[84] The next week on January 15, 1994, in what would be Taylor's final game, the Giants were beaten 44–3 by the San Francisco 49ers.[84] As the game came to a conclusion, television cameras drew in close on Taylor who was crying. He announced his retirement at the post-game press conference saying, "I think it's time for me to retire. I've done everything I can do. I've been to Super Bowls. I've been to playoffs. I've done things that other people haven't been able to do in this game before. After 13 years, it's time for me to go."[86]
Taylor ended his career with 1,089 tackles, 132.5 sacks (plus 9.5 tallied as a rookie before the stat was officially recognized), nine interceptions, 134 return yards, two touchdowns, 33 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, and 34 fumble return yards.[32]
Legacy
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.[16][87]
Taylor is considered one of the best players to ever play in the NFL, and has been ranked as the top defensive player in league history by some news outlets, media members, former players and coaches.[16][19][88] He has also been described as one of the most "feared" and "intimidating" players in NFL history.[16][89] Taylor's explosive speed and power is credited with changing the outside linebacker position from one of "read and react" to aggression and attack.[90]
Washington Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs developed the two tight end offense and the position of H-back to prevent Taylor from blitzing into the backfield unhindered.[52][91] "We had to try in some way have a special game plan just for Lawrence Taylor. Now you didn't do that very often in this league but I think he's one person that we learned the lesson the hard way. We lost ball games."[52][87] His skills changed the way offensive coaches blocked linebackers. In the late '70s and early '80s, a blitzing linebacker was picked up by a running back. However, these players were no match for Taylor.[92] The tactic employed by San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh in the 1982 playoffs, using an offensive guard to block Taylor, was copied around the league. However, this left a hole in pass protection that a blitzing middle linebacker could exploit. Later, Walsh and other coaches began using offensive tackles to block Taylor. Later it became common for offensive linemen to pick up blitzing linebackers. In addition to the changes in offensive schemes Taylor influenced, he also introduced new defensive techniques to the game, such as chopping the ball out of a quarterback's hands (to potentially force a more valuable turnover) rather than simply tackling him for a loss.[93] This exemplified a team-first strategy that dampened Taylor’s sack totals while increasing the prospects of Giants success.
Drug and lifestyle problems
For me, crazy as it seems, there is a real relationship between wild, reckless abandon off the field and being that way on the field.
— Taylor, in 1987[94]
Taylor began using illicit drugs during his professional rookie season, 1981–1982.[95] He would pass the NFL's drug tests, however, by routinely obtaining his teammates' urine to submit as his own urine samples.[89]
As his drug habit escalated, he would spend up to thousands of dollars a day on "coke and women."[89] His first wife, Linda, once had to pick him up from a crack house.[96] And he once attended a team meeting still handcuffed from the night before by some "ladies that were trying out some new equipment", but "just didn't happen to have the key" he would recall.[89]
In 1987, he finally tested positive for cocaine, and admitted to using it. The next year, 1988, he failed a second drug test, whereupon the NFL suspended him for 30 days. With that, he abstained from drugs until his 1993 retirement, as a third failed drug test would end his career.[89] Yet he would later recall that in retiring, "I saw blow as the only bright spot in my future."[97]
During 1995, he went through drug rehab twice. But over the next three years, he was arrested twice, via undercover police officers, for attempts to buy cocaine.
Post-NFL life
Investments
In Taylor's final year in the NFL, he started a company called All-Pro Products. The company
Tax issues
In 1997 Taylor pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return in 1990, and in 2000 he was "sentenced to three months of house arrest, five years of probation, and 500 hours of community service for tax evasion."[102]
Television pundit
After his career ended, Taylor worked in several regular television jobs. He first worked as a football analyst for the now defunct
Movies & video games
Taylor pursued a career in acting, appearing in the
Hall of Fame induction
In 1999, when Taylor became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there were some concerns his hard-partying lifestyle and drug abuse would hurt his candidacy.[108] These concerns proved to be ill-founded, however, as he was voted in on the first ballot. His son Lawrence Taylor Jr. gave his introduction speech at the induction ceremony.[109] Taylor's ex-wife, his three children, and his parents were in attendance and during his induction speech Taylor acknowledged them saying, "thank you for putting up with me for all those years."[109] He also credited former Giants owner Wellington Mara for being supportive of him saying, "[h]e probably cared more about me as a person than he really should have."[109]
Autobiography
In 2004 Taylor released an autobiography, LT: Over the Edge.[89] Taylor often spoke of his NFL years, which he played with reckless abandon, and the drug-abusing stages of his life as the "L.T." periods of his life. He described "L.T." as an adrenaline junkie who lived life on a thrill ride. Taylor said in 2003 that "L. T. died a long time ago, and I don't miss him at all ... all that's left is Lawrence Taylor."[110]
Advertising and television
Taylor re-emerged into the public eye in July 2006, after appearing on the cover of a Sports Illustrated issue dedicated to former athletes and sport figures. In the magazine, Taylor credited his hobby of
Run-ins with the law
In 2009, Taylor started having troubles in his personal life again. On November 8, he was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Florida for leaving the scene of an accident after striking another vehicle with his Cadillac Escalade.[102] He had already committed the same offense in 1996 when he totaled his Lexus in a one-car accident and left the scene, saying he did not think the law required the reporting of a single driver incident.[116] He was released on a $500 bond, and the other driver later sued him, seeking $15,000.[117][118]
In May 2010, Taylor was arrested for raping a 16-year-old girl at a Holiday Inn located in Montebello, New York.[119] He was charged with felony third-degree statutory rape, for allegedly engaging in sexual intercourse with someone under 17.[120] He was also charged with third-degree patronization for allegedly paying the underage girl $300 to have sex with him.[121] The girl told investigators that her pimp commanded her to tell Taylor that she was 19, which Taylor corroborated. The pimp, 36-year old Rasheed Davis, was charged with federal child sex trafficking.[122][123] The girl was represented by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred when Taylor pleaded guilty on March 22, 2011, and was sentenced to six years probation as part of a plea agreement, in which he pleaded guilty to the misdemeanors of sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute. He also registered as a low-risk, level-one sex offender.[124][125] On October 26, 2012, a court rejected the victim's claims that Taylor assaulted her.[126]
As of 2016, Taylor resides in Pembroke Pines, Florida.[110] On June 9, 2016, Taylor's wife was arrested for domestic violence in Florida after she threw "an unknown object" and struck Taylor in the back of the head.[127]
In May 2017, Taylor put up for
NFL career statistics
Legend | |
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AP DPOTY
| |
NFL Defensive Player of the Year | |
Team won the Super Bowl | |
Led the league | |
Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | Games | Sacks | Interceptions | Fumbles | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | GS | Int | Yds | TD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |||
1981 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 9.5* | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
1982 | NYG | 9 | 8 | 7.5 | 1 | 97 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1983 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 9.0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
1984 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 11.5 | 1 | –1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1985 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 13.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 25 | 0 |
1986 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 20.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1987 | NYG | 12 | 11 | 12.0 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1988 | NYG | 12 | 12 | 15.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
1989 | NYG | 16 | 15 | 15.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1990 | NYG | 16 | 16 | 10.5 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
1991 | NYG | 14 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
1992 | NYG | 9 | 9 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
1993 | NYG | 16 | 15 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career[32][38] | 184 | 180 | 132.5† | 9 | 134 | 2 | 56 | 11 | 34 | 0 |
* Unofficial statistic (sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982); however, this number is stated on Taylor's Pro Football Hall of Fame bio[32] and is considered to be accurate.
[130]
† Including the 9.5 Taylor unofficially recorded as a rookie, his total is 142.
- NFL 'unofficial' record: 56 career forced fumbles
See also
Notes
- ^ "NFL Power Rankings: Top 50 Greatest Defensive Players In NFL History". BleacherReport.com.
- ^ "The Top-20 Defensive Players in NFL History". thegruelingtruth.com. February 26, 2022.
- ^ "Top 10 defensive players ever". NFL.com.
- ^ "Top 10 defensive players ever". NFL.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Mori, Dan. "NFL Power Rankings: Top 50 Greatest Defensive Players In NFL History". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- OCLC 56520144.
- ^ "Lawrence Taylor sentenced to six years' probation". Los Angeles Times. March 22, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c Harris, Nolte, and Kirsch. pg.449
- ^ a b Taylor and Serby. pg. 5
- ^ Taylor and Falkner. pg.7
- britannica.com, accessed March 29, 2007.
- ^ Taylor and Serby. pg. 17
- ^ Shampoe. pg. 65
- cstv.com, accessed February 26, 2007.
- ^ Powell. pg. 80
- ^ espn.com, accessed January 29, 2007.
- ^ Knight Ridder. Peppers is drawing comparisons to Taylor., April 16, 2002, available online via accessmylibrary.com, accessed February 17, 2007.[permanent dead link]
*Q & A with North Carolina DE Julius Peppers, Pro Football Weekly, March 20, 2002, accessed February 17, 2007. - ^ "1981 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Sansevere, Bob. Giants' L.T.: His mean streaks revolutionized NFL, made him the best., Knight Ridder, January 8, 1994, available at accessmylibrary.com, accessed February 17, 2007.
- ^ a b Anderson, Dave. By Sports of The Times; N.F.L.'s Dangerous Trend, The New York Times, April 19, 1981, accessed February 17, 2007.
- ^ a b Pervin. pg. 98
- ^ a b Litsky, Frank. Giants pick Taylor; Jets pick runners, The New York Times, April 29, 1981, accessed February 17, 2007.
- ^ a b c Anderson, Dave. Yellow Flag For a No. 1, The New York Times, September 7, 1981, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Harvey, Randy. It's Real Hollywood Ending for Transformed Henderson, Los Angeles Times, March 28, 2000, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Litsky, Frank. Linebacker's debut is eagerly anticipated, The New York Times, August 7, 1981, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Frank Litsky, Giants sets (sic) back Bears, 23-7, The New York Times, August 9, 1981, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Danyluk. pg. 297
- ^ Associated Press. The Michael Jordan of Football Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Sports Illustrated, January 30, 1999, accessed February 17, 2007.
- ^ a b c d Pervin. pg. 99
- ^ Taylor and Serby. pg. 34
- ^ Taylor and Serby. pg. 41
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lawrence Taylor bio, profootballhof.com, accessed February 2, 2007.
- ^ a b Merron, Jeff. LT best NFL rookie of all time, espn.com, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ April 19, 2007 Top 15 Rookie Impacts of the 30 years #1, Sports Illustrated, accessed June 17, 2020.
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- ^ Rappoport, Ken Last word on Young's comments, Associated Press. reprinted in Portsmouth Daily Times, November 26, 1982, accessed November 17, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Lawrence Taylor Archived May 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
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- ^ 1983 New York Giants Archived February 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
- ^ Ziegel. pg. 82
- ^ Pervin. pg. 101
- ^ a b c Eskenazi, Gerald. Taylor buys out Generals' pact, The New York Times, January 18, 1984, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Eskenazi, Gerald. pg. 46. — Trump later stated that in the event of the USFL folding (which occurred in 1985), he would have held on to Taylor's rights to employment: "I'd put him in a doorman's uniform and have him work at one of my buildings." (ibid)
- ^ 1984 New York Giants Archived April 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
- ^ 1984 New York Giants Archived April 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ Litsky, Frank. Giants end Summer 5-0 Mowatt injured, The New York Times, August 31, 1985, accessed June 17, 2020.
- ^ Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 807
- ^ "LT remembers Theismann's brutal injury: 'I've seen a lot worse hits'". ESPN. November 18, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "LT remembers Theismann's brutal injury: 'I've seen a lot worse hits'". ESPN. November 18, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ 1985 New York Giants Archived April 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ a b c Charles, Nick. Taylor made: 'L.T.' has a date with Canton, destiny, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, August 12, 1999, accessed January 29, 2007. Note: Taylor is still the only defensive player to win the award unanimously, as of 2010 he is the last defensive player to win it.
- ^ Lawrence Taylor, infoplease.com, accessed March 23, 2007.
- ^ Sprechman and Shannon. pg. 13
- ^ a b 1986 New York Giants Archived February 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 22, 2007.
- ^ Sports Illustrated. Volume 66 Issue 4 Archived June 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, January 26, 1987, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ Taylor and Serby. pg. 105
- ^ a b 1987 New York Giants Archived April 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ Araton, Harvey. Sports of The Times; L.T.'s Rush Helped Sack Phil Simms, The New York Times, October 11, 1994, accessed November 2, 2010.
- ^ Pervin. pgs. 102–3
- ^ Harvin, Al. N.F.L.; Taylor Entering Rehabilitation, The New York Times, September 3, 1988, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b 1988 New York Giants Archived February 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ a b c Schwartz, Larry.Taylor redefined the outside linebacker position, espn.com, November 19, 2003, accessed February 21, 2007.
- ^ Box score No vs. NYG 11/27/1988 Archived December 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 21, 2007.
- ^ Russo & Allen. pg. 135
- ^ Gutman. pg. 132
- ^ Litsky, Frank. Taylor's Ankle Is Broken, but He Feels Better, The New York Times, December 2, 1989, accessed December 7, 2021.
* Anderson, Dave. SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Will L. T. Try to Play on a Broken Ankle?, The New York Times, December 3, 1989, accessed December 7, 2021.
*Litsky, Frank. Despite Fracture, Taylor Plays, The New York Times, December 4, 1989, accessed December 7, 2021.
*Anderson, Dave. SPORTS OF THE TIMES; Aggravating Is Kind Word, The New York Times, December 4, 1989, accessed December 7, 2021. - ^ a b The New York Times. Sports of The Times; L.T., as in 'Leadership Thing', September 18, 1989, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ 1989 New York Giants Archived April 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ Litsky, Frank. Rams Win Toss and Game as Giants' Season Ends, The New York Times, January 8, 1990, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Dave. Sports Of The Times; Why L. T. Deserves $2 Million, The New York Times, July 22, 1990, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ Litsky, Frank. Giants and Marshall Settle But Talks on Taylor Stall, The New York Times, September 1, 1990, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ Taylor's Contract Makes him Highest Paid, JET, pg. 46, September 24, 1990.
- ^ Litsky, Frank. FOOTBALL; (sic) Marshall Struggles to Regain Job, The New York Times, September 15, 1990, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c 1990 New York Giants Archived February 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ "Jan. 27, 1991: Giants beat Bills in Scott Norwood game". Newsday. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- fhmonline.com, accessed February 23, 2007.
- ^ "Parcells steps down; Handley replaces him". UPI. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ 1992 New York Giants Archived April 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 20, 2007.
- ^ a b Anderson, Dave. Sports of the Times; Life Without L.T. Begins, and Giants Find It a Struggle, The New York Times, November 16, 1992, accessed March 23, 2008.
- ^ 1992 New York Giants Archived April 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ Eskenazi, Gerald. PRO FOOTBALL; Giants Want Taylor for a Year; He Wants More, The New York Times, March 31, 1993, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ Murray, Ken (December 19, 1993). "Giant steps: Reeves directs team's ascent". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c d 1993 New York Giants Archived February 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed February 18, 2007.
- ^ 1993 NFL Standings, Stats and Awards Archived April 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, databasefootball.com, accessed March 15, 2007.
- ^ Anderson, Dave. Sports of The Times; L.T. Decides 'It's Time For Me to Go', The New York Times, January 16, 1994, accessed December 7, 2021.
- ^ a b Walsh. pg. 238
- ^ Smith and Moritz. Note: The Sporting News has Taylor ranked fourth behind only offensive players Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, and Joe Montana. See "here for web verification". Archived from the original on December 11, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), for a link to the top three players hit the "back" button on the bottom of the page.
*Smith, Stephen. NFL's Top 100 Players of All-Time: Debate Archived July 30, 2012, at archive.today, November 5, 2010, accessed November 8, 2010. Note: This list made by the NFL Network, ranks him third overall, behind two offensive players (Rice and Brown).
* Best defensive player in NFL history?, espn.com, March 26, 2007, accessed April 17, 2007.
* Celizic, Mike. No way Rice is greatest player ever: 42-year-old might be best WR ever, but Brown, LT are best players, msnbc.com, September 6, 2005, accessed February 24, 2007.
* Prisco, Pete. Year-End Awards: Can Tomlinson steal L.T. nickname? Archived January 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, cbssportsline.com, January 3, 2007, accessed April 17, 2007.
* Does LT's conduct make him Hall of Fame worthy? Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, accessed January 29, 2007.
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External links
- Official website
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
- Lawrence Taylor at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Video NFL Top 100 Players #3 on YouTube
- Lawrence Taylor at Curlie
- Lawrence Taylor at IMDb
- Lawrence Taylor's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database