Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor on the golf course in 2007.
Position(s): Outside Linebacker	Jersey #(s): 56
Born: February 4, 1959 (1959-02-04) (age 49) Williamsburg, Virginia
Career Information
Year(s): 1981–1993
NFL Draft: 1981 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2
College: North Carolina
Professional Teams
New York Giants (1981-1993)
Career Stats
Tackles	1,088
Sacks	142
Interceptions	9
Stats at NFL.com
Career Highlights and Awards
10x Pro Bowl selection (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) 10x All-Pro selection (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) 2x Super Bowl champion (XXI, XXV) NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team NFL 1980s All-Decade Team 1981 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 1986 AP NFL MVP 1986 PFWA NFL MVP 1986 Bert Bell Award 56 retired New York Giants 3x AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1981, 1982, 1986) 1x NEA NFL Defensive Player of the Year (1986) 2x UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1983, 1986) 2x NFC Defensive Player of the Year (1984, 1986)
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Lawrence Julius Taylor (born February 4, 1959), nicknamed L. In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time This article relates to Sports. For the Vietnam War bombing raids see Operation Linebacker and Operation Linebacker II. In team Sports the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, or uniform number is the Number Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia In an organised Sports league, a season is the portion of one Year in which regulated Games of the sport are in session The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd Regular season of the National Football League. The 1993 NFL season was the 74th Regular season of the National Football League. The NFL Draft is an annual Sports draft in which NFL teams select newly-eligible players for their rosters The 1981 National Football League Draft amateur college selection procedure known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting This is a List of Athletic Conferences of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd Regular season of the National Football League. The 1993 NFL season was the 74th Regular season of the National Football League. Most forms of Football have a move known as a tackle. In most cases this move is one that prevents an opposing player from carrying out what they intend In American football and Canadian football, the sack occurs when the Quarterback is tackled behind the Line of scrimmage before he In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the All-star game of the National Football League (NFL The 1982 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 31, 1982 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1983 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 6, 1983 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1984 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1984 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1985 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 27, 1985 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1986 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 1986 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1987 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1987 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1988 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 7, 1988 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1989 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on January 29, 1989 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1990 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 4, 1990 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. The 1991 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 3, 1991 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu Hawaii. All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California to Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Florida to decide the National Football League The National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team was chosen by a selection committee of media and league personnel in 1994. The NFL 1980s All-Decade Team was chosen by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities most notably the Associated Press, to the player who is considered most valuable The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities most notably the Associated Press, to the player who is considered most valuable The Bert Bell Award for the Professional American football Player of the Year is presented by the Maxwell Football Club. The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since Beginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA annually awarded the George S From 1970 to 1996 the United Press International awarded the NFC Player of the Year to players from the NFL 's National Football Conference (NFC Beginning in 1969 the Kansas City Committee of 101 began its annual NFL awards Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. T. , is a retired Hall of Fame American football player. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the Hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL). This article relates to Sports. For the Vietnam War bombing raids see Operation Linebacker and Operation Linebacker II. The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York City suburb of East Rutherford New Jersey. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. He is considered to be one of the greatest defensive players in the history of football, and has been called the greatest defensive player of all time by members of the media, former players, and coaches. ^[1]

After an All-American career at the University of North Carolina (UNC) (1978–1981), Taylor was drafted by the Giants as the second overall selection in the 1981 NFL Draft. An All-American "team" is an honorary Sports team composed of outstanding Amateur players those considered the best players of a specific season for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ( UNC, North Carolina, or simply Carolina) is a public, Coeducational Research The 1981 National Football League Draft amateur college selection procedure known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting Although controversy surrounded the selection due to Taylor's contract demands, the two sides quickly resolved the issue. Taylor won several defensive awards after his rookie season. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Taylor was a disruptive force at outside linebacker, and is widely considered to have changed the pass rushing schemes, offensive line play, and offensive formations used in the NFL. This article relates to Sports. For the Vietnam War bombing raids see Operation Linebacker and Operation Linebacker II. A play in American football is a set of player and ball movements to either advance the ball (for offensive plays or prevent the advancement of the ball (for defensive plays In American football, each team has 11 players on the field at one time American football Strategy is the strategic deployment of players and assignment of tasks to offensive and defensive players of American football Taylor produced double-digit sacks each season from 1984 through 1990, including a career high of 20. In American football and Canadian football, the sack occurs when the Quarterback is tackled behind the Line of scrimmage before he 5 in 1986. He also won a record three Defensive Player of the Year awards and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his performance during the 1986 season. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities most notably the Associated Press, to the player who is considered most valuable He was named first-team All-Pro in each of his first nine seasons and was a key member of the Giants' defense, nicknamed "The Big Blue Wrecking Crew", that led New York to victories in Super Bowl XXI and XXV. Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California to Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Florida to decide the National Football League During the 1980s Taylor and fellow linebackers Carl Banks and Hall of Famer Harry Carson gave the Giants linebacking corps a reputation as one of the best in the NFL. Carl E Banks (born August 29, 1962 in Flint, Michigan) is a former American football Linebacker who played for three teams Harold Donald Carson (born November 26, 1953 in Florence South Carolina) is a former American football inside linebacker who played

Taylor had a controversial lifestyle, during and after his playing career. He admitted to using addictive drugs such as cocaine as early as his second year in the NFL, and was suspended several times by the league for failing drug tests. Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant For the episode of the American television series The Office, see " Drug Testing " His drug abuse escalated after his retirement, and he was jailed three times for attempted drug possession. However, Taylor cleaned up his lifestyle and has lived a sober, drug-free life since 1998. He worked as a color commentator on sporting events for several years after his retirement and, as of 2008, is pursuing a career as an actor. A color commentator, sometimes known as a color analyst, is a member of the Broadcasting team for a sporting event who assists the Play-by-play An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works

Contents 1 Early life 2 NFL career 2.1 1981 NFL Draft and training camp 2.2 Early career: 1981–1985 2.3 Mid-career and championships: 1986–1990 2.4 Final years and decline: 1991–1993 3 Impact on the NFL 4 Drugs and extreme measures 5 Post-NFL life and recovery 6 Career statistics 7 See also 8 Notes 9 Sources 10 External links

Early life

Taylor was the second of three sons born to Clarence and Iris Taylor in Williamsburg, Virginia. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state His father worked as a dispatcher at the Newport News shipyards, while his mother was a schoolteacher. Dispatchers are communications personnel responsible for receiving and transmitting pure and reliable messages tracking vehicles and equipment and recording other important information Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships These can be Yachts military ^[2] Referred to as Lonnie by his family,^[3] Taylor was a mischievous youth. His mother recalls, "[h]e was a challenging child. Where the other two boys would ask for permission to do stuff, Lonnie. . . would just do it, and when you found out about it, he would give you a big story. "^[3] Taylor concentrated on baseball as a youth, in which he played the position of catcher,^[4] and only began playing football at the age of 15. Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in Cricket. ^[2] He did not play organized high school football until the following year (eleventh grade),^[5] and was not heavily recruited coming out of high school. Eleventh grade (called Grade 11 or Senior 3 in some regions also known as junior year in the U In College athletics, recruiting is the term used for the process whereby college coaches add new players to their Roster of student-athletes each off-season ^[6]

After graduating from Lafayette High School in 1977,^[7] Taylor attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a team captain,^[8] and wore jersey number #98. Lafayette High School is a public secondary school in James City County Virginia, just outside the city limits of Williamsburg Virginia. In team Sports the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, or uniform number is the Number Originally recruited as a defensive lineman, Taylor switched to linebacker before the 1979 season. A defensive lineman is any of the down positions on the defensive side of Canadian and American football. ^[9] He had 16 sacks in his final year there (1980),^[10] and set numerous defensive records. His awards included All-America and Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year honors in 1980. An All-American "team" is an honorary Sports team composed of outstanding Amateur players those considered the best players of a specific season for The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. ^[2] While there, the coaching staff was impressed by his intense level of play. "As a freshman playing on special teams, he'd jump a good six or seven feet in the air to block a punt, then land on the back of his neck," said North Carolina assistant coach Bobby Cale. "He was reckless, just reckless. "^[10] UNC later retired Taylor's jersey and it later became common for subsequent players to frequently be measured against Taylor. When Julius Peppers, a fellow alumnus and current member of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, attended UNC he was frequently compared to Taylor. Julius Frazier Peppers (born January 18, 1980 in Wilson North Carolina) is a professional American football player The Carolina Panthers are a professional football team based in Charlotte North Carolina, representing both North Carolina and South Carolina in the Peppers commented at the time, that while he appreciated the comparisons to Taylor, he was anxious to leave the university and get out of Taylor's shadow. ^[11]

NFL career

1981 NFL Draft and training camp

In the 1981 NFL Draft, Taylor was drafted by the NFL's New York Giants as the # 2 pick overall. The 1981 National Football League Draft amateur college selection procedure known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting The NFL Draft is an annual Sports draft in which NFL teams select newly-eligible players for their rosters In a poll of NFL General Managers (GMs) taken before the draft 26 out of the 28 GMs stated that if they had the first selection they would select Taylor. General Manager or GM for short is a descriptive term for certain executives in a Business operation ^[12] One of the only two GMs who stated that they would not take Taylor was the GM of the New Orleans Saints, who had the first pick in the draft. The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans Louisiana. ^[12] Giants General Manager George Young was one of the many who saw Taylor's potential and even predicted before the draft that he would be better than NFL legends such as Dick Butkus: "Taylor is the best college linebacker I've ever seen. George Young ( September 22, 1930 - December 8, 2001) was an American football executive Richard Marvin "Dick" Butkus (born 9 December 1942) is a former American football player widely regarded as the greatest Linebacker Sure, I saw Dick Butkus play. There's no doubt in my mind about Taylor. He's bigger and stronger than Butkus was. On the blitz, he's devastating. In American football or Canadian football, a blitz or red dog is a team defensive maneuver in which one or more Linebackers or Defensive "^[12] Shortly before the draft controversy arose however, as Taylor and his agent Mike Trope expressed a desire to sign a contract for a then unheard of rookie salary of $250,000 U.S. dollars per season. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ^[13] Several players on the Giants even threatened to walkout if Taylor was paid that salary, as they refused to play for less than an unproven rookie. In labor disputes, a walkout is a labor strike, the act of employees collectively leaving the workplace as an act of protest ^[13] On draft day the Saints selected George Rogers as their first overall pick, which left the Giants with decision of whether to select Taylor. George Washington Rogers (born December 8, 1958 in Duluth Georgia) is a former American football player who achieved distinction in both the Despite the controversy, and to the raucous approval of the crowd in attendance at the draft (which was held in New York), the Giants selected Taylor. ^[14] Taylor took to New York immediately, and expressed his excitement about the opportunity to play in the city. ^[15] Shortly after the draft several Giants players backed down from their stance, as Taylor stated that he had "talked to some players and coaches" and "got things straightened out. "^[14] Despite the contract controversy, one of the factors that the Giants stated they considered in selecting Taylor was his solid reputation coming out of college. "He was the cleanest player in the draft. By that I mean there was no rap on him,"^[16] head coach Ray Perkins said after he was drafted. Walter Ray Perkins (born December 6, 1941 in Mount Olive Mississippi) is a former American football Wide receiver and coach "Great potential as a linebacker, a fine young man, free of injuries. "^[16]

Taylor's talent was evident from the start of training camp. In the National Football League, NFL Training Camp refers to the time before the season commences ^[10][17] Reports flowed out of the Giants training compound of the exploits of the new phenom before he had even stepped onto the field for an actual game. ^[10][17] Taylor's teammates took to calling him Superman and jokingly suggested that his locker should be replaced with a phone booth. Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon ^[10] Phil Simms, the team's quarterback, stated the week before the Giants pre-season opener, "[o]n the pass rush, he's an animal. Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3 1955 in Lebanon Kentucky) is a former American football Quarterback, and currently a Television Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. A play in American football is a set of player and ball movements to either advance the ball (for offensive plays or prevent the advancement of the ball (for defensive plays He's either going to run around you or over you. With his quickness, he's full speed after two steps. "^[15] Simms later commented that he was looking forward to the season starting because, "[o]nce the season starts at least I won't have to play against him any more. "^[16] Taylor made his NFL exhibition debut on August 8, 1981, recording 2 sacks in the Giants 23–7 win over the Chicago Bears. Events 1220 - Sweden is defeated by Estonian tribes in the Battle of Lihula. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. ^[18] Years after facing Taylor in an exhibition game, Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Terry Bradshaw recalled, "[h]e dang-near killed me, I just kept saying, 'Who is this guy?' He kept coming from my blind side and just ripped my ribs to pieces. Quarterback ( QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. Terry Paxton Bradshaw (born September 2 1948 is a former American football Quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League "^[19] Before the season had even started word began to spread around the league about Taylor and his intense, hard-hitting style of play. ^[16][20]

Early career: 1981–1985

Taylor's NFL regular season debut occurred on September 6, 1981 in a 24–10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game was relatively non-noteworthy for Taylor except that he was charged with a penalty for a late hit on Eagles running back Perry Harrington. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with ^[16] Taylor went on to finish his rookie season with 9. 5 sacks and 133 tackles. ^[21] and his rookie season has been called of the greatest in NFL history by writers for ESPN and Sports Illustrated. ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. ^[22][23] Taylor was named 1981's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, becoming to date the only rookie to ever win the Defensive Player of the Year award. Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio ^[24] Taylor's impact contributed to the Giants defense going from allowing 425 points in 1980 to 257 in 1981. ^[22] The Giants finished the season 9–7, up 5 games from the previous season's 4–12 record, and advanced to the NFL divisional playoffs, where they lost 38–24 to the eventual Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team ^[25]The 49ers' win was due in part to a special tactic 49ers coach Bill Walsh used to slow down Taylor. William Ernest "Bill" Walsh ( November 30 1931 &ndash July 30 2007) was an American head football coach of the Walsh assigned guard John Ayers, the team's best blocker, to block Taylor, and although Taylor still recorded a sack and three tackles, he was not very effective in subduing the 49ers offense. In American and Canadian football, a guard ( G) is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line John Ayers (born April 14, 1953 &ndash October 2, 1995 in Carrizo Springs Texas) was a National Football League ^[26]

Taylor's second year was cut short by the 1982 NFL strike and the Giants struggled to a 4–5 finish in the abbreviated season. Template talkInfobox Union for usage -->The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is the ^[27] The season included one of the more memorable plays of Taylor's career however. 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. Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American Holiday, which is a form of harvest festival. The Detroit Lions are an American football team based in Detroit Michigan. Lions quarterback Gary Danielson dropped back to pass and threw the ball out to his left toward the sidelines. Gary Dennis Danielson (born September 10, 1951 in Detroit Michigan) is a former professional American football Quarterback. ^[28] Taylor ran in front of the intended receiver and intercepted the ball. In what would become one of the best-known plays of Taylor's career, he ran 97 yards down the sideline for the go-ahead score that proved to be the difference as the Giants won 13–6. ^[29] After the season Taylor was again awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. ^[30]

Shortly after the 1982 season Perkins resigned as head coach to take over the same position at the University of Alabama and Bill Parcells was hired from within to replace him. Bill Parcells (born Duane Charles Parcells August 22, 1941 in Englewood New Jersey) is the current Executive Vice President of Football Parcells had been the team's defensive coordinator, and in the coming years this change would prove 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 Taylor came back to the team under his old contract with three games remaining in the preseason. The 1983 NFL season was the 64th Regular season of the National Football League. ^[31]

Although Taylor recorded nine sacks and made the All-Pro team for the third consecutive season in 1983,^[21] the Giants struggled. The team finished 3–12–1,^[32] and Parcells received heavy criticism during the season from both the fans and the media. After the season, Taylor was involved in a fight for his services between the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League and the Giants. The New Jersey Generals were a franchise of the United States Football League (USFL established in 1982 to begin play in the spring For the proposed "New USFL" see United States Football League (2010. ^[33] Taylor had been given a $1 million dollar interest-free, 25 year loan by the General's owner Donald Trump on December 14, 1983, with the provision that he would begin playing in the USFL in 1988. Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American Business magnate, Socialite, Television personality, and Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) ^[33] Taylor quickly regretted the decision and less than a month later attempted to get out of the agreement. The Giants, who were eager to keep Taylor, took part in attempting to free Taylor from the agreement. The final agreement between Trump and the Giants included three parts: 1) Taylor had to return the $1 million dollars to Trump, 2) the Giants were required to pay Trump $750,000 dollars over the next five seasons in order for Trump to release Taylor's rights, and 3) Taylor was given a new 6-year $6. 2-million-dollar contract by the Giants. ^[33][34]

The Giants record rebounded to 9–7 in 1984,^[35] and Taylor had another All-Pro season. ^[21] Taylor got off to an exceptional start to the season, getting four sacks in a September game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and eight total sacks in the Giants' first four games. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (often shortened as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa Florida. ^[36] Due to this start opposing teams double and triple teamed him even more than usual throughout the remainder of the season and Taylor finished with 11. 5 sacks. ^[30] In the playoffs the Giants defeated the Los Angeles Rams 16–13, but ultimately lost 21–10 to the eventual champion 49ers. ^[37]

In contrast to the previous season the Giants headed into the 1985 season with a sense of optimism after their successful 1984 campaign and a 5–0 pre-season record in 1985. The 1985 NFL season was the 66th Regular season of the National Football League. ^[38] The Giants finished the season with a 10–6 record, and Taylor spearheaded a defense that led the NFL in sacks with 68. ^[39] Taylor himself had 13 sacks. One of the more memorable plays of Taylor's career occurred during this season. On a Monday Night Football game against the Redskins, Taylor's sack of Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann inadvertently resulted in a compound fracture of Theismann's right leg. Monday Night Football ( MNF) is a Live television broadcast of the National Football League. Joseph Robert Theismann (born September 9 1949 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA is a former American football Quarterback A bone fracture (sometimes abbreviated # or Fx or Fx) is a medical condition in which a Bone is cracked or broken Immediately after the sack, a distraught Taylor frantically screamed for paramedics to attend to Theismann. A paramedic is a medical professional usually a member of the emergency medical service, who primarily provides Pre-hospital advanced medical and Although this sack by Taylor ended Theismann's career, Theismann has never blamed Taylor for the injury. Taylor claims he has never seen the video clip of the play and says he never wants to. The two are currently great friends, pairing up during many celebrity golf tournaments. During the first round of the playoffs, the Giants defeated the defending champion 49ers 17–3. ^[40] However, the Giants lost to the eventual champion Chicago Bears in the second round 21–0. The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. ^[40]

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. Taylor recorded a league-leading 20. 5 sacks and became one of just two defensive players to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award (Alan Page was the other) and the only defensive player to be the unanimous selection for MVP. The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities most notably the Associated Press, to the player who is considered most valuable Alan Cedric Page (born August 7, 1945 in Canton Ohio) is a Jurist and former professional American football player ^[41][42][43] In addition, Taylor won the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Giants finished the season 14–2 and dominated their opposition in the NFC playoffs, beating San Francisco and Washington by a combined score of 66–3. The 1986 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D ^[44] Taylor appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated alone the week leading up to Super Bowl XXI with a warning from the magazine to the Denver Broncos regarding Taylor. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California to ^[45] The Giants overcame a slow start in Super Bowl XXI to cruise past the Denver Broncos 39–20. The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. ^[44] Taylor made a key stop on a goal line play in the first half, tackling John Elway as he sprinted out on a rollout, a play which prevented a touchdown. John Albert Elway Jr (born June 28, 1960) is a retired Hall of Fame American football Quarterback.

With the Super Bowl win, Taylor had just capped off an unprecedented start to his career. Six years into his career Taylor had won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award (1981), the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award a record three times (1981, 1982, 1986), been named to the AP All-Pro first team six times (1981–86),^[21] became the first defensive player in NFL history to be unanimously voted the league's MVP (1986), and led his team to a championship (1986). Since 1967 The Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL American football players one for an offensive The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since

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 stumbled mightily the next season however, and fell to a record of 6–9 in the strike-shortened 1987 season. The 1987 NFL season was the 68th Regular season of the National Football League. ^[46] Taylor continued to produce at his usual all-pro level after missing the first 4 four games due to the strike and he finished the season as the team leader in sacks with 12 in 12 games played. ^[46]

The Giants looked to rebound to their championship ways in 1988 but the start of the season was marred by controversy surrounding Taylor. Taylor 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 1988 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. ^[47] 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. Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson (born March 3, 1953 in Austin Texas) was an American football Linebacker in the NFL Despite this distraction the Giants would tread water until Taylor was able to play, going 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 the 12 games he played in. ^[48] 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. The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans Louisiana. ^[21][49] Taylor's presence in the lineup was especially important as during the game the Giants' offense had trouble mounting many drives and was dominated in time of possession. ^[50] Several times throughout the game television cameras cut to the sidelines to show Taylor in extreme physical pain as he was being attended to by the Giants staff. Taylor's shoulder was so severely injured that he had to wear a harness to keep it in its place. ^[21] The Giants held on for a 13–12 win, and Parcells later called Taylor's performance "[t]he greatest game I ever saw. "^[51] However, due to the tie-breaker system, the Giants missed the playoffs in 1988 despite a 10–6 record. The National Football League (NFL Playoffs are a Single-elimination tournament held at the end of the 16-game Regular season to determine the ^[48]

In 1989, Taylor recorded 15 sacks. ^[30] He was forced to play the latter portion of the season with a fractured tibia, which he suffered in a 34–24 loss to the 49ers in week 12. The tibia, shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two Bones in the Leg below the Knee in vertebrates and connects ^[52] Despite the off-the-field problems that Taylor experienced, he remained popular among his teammates and was voted defensive co-captain along with Carl Banks in 1989. Carl E Banks (born August 29, 1962 in Flint, Michigan) is a former American football Linebacker who played for three teams ^[53] The two combined to fill the vacated defensive captain's spot left by the retired Harry Carson. Harold Donald Carson (born November 26, 1953 in Florence South Carolina) is a former American football inside linebacker who played ^[53] With the retirement of the nine-time Pro Bowler Carson, the Giants linebacker corps of Carson, Banks, and Taylor — which spearheaded the team's defense nicknamed the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew" in the 1980s — was broken up. The Giants went 12–4,^[54] and advanced to the playoffs. The NFL playoffs following the 1989 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XXIV. 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. ^[55]

The 1990 season got off to an inauspicious start for Taylor and the Giants as Taylor held out of a training camp, demanding a new contract with a salary of $2 million dollars per year. The 1990 NFL season was the 71st Regular season of the National Football League. ^[56] Talks dragged into September with neither side budging, and as the season approached Taylor received fines at the rate of $2,500 dollars a day. ^[57] Taylor signed a contract just four days before the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite sitting out training camp and the preseason, Taylor started against the Eagles and finished with three sacks and a forced fumble. ^[58] Taylor finished the season 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 would not make the first team on the Associated Press All-Pro team. In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the All-star game of the National Football League (NFL ^[21] The Giants started out 10 – 0 and finished with a 13–3 record. The 1990 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history In the playoffs the Giants defeated the Bears 31–3,^[59] and went on to face their rival the 49ers in the NFC conference championship game. The Giants won a close game 15–13,^[59] as Taylor recovered a key fumble late in the game to set up Matt Bahr's game-winning field goal. Matthew David Bahr (born July 6, 1956 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania) is a former professional American football Placekicker in In Super Bowl XXV Taylor's Giants faced off against the Buffalo Bills and in one of the more entertaining Super Bowls in history won 20–19,^[59] after Scott Norwood missed a potential game winning field goal for Buffalo at the end of the game. Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa Florida to decide the National Football League The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo New York Metropolitan area, playing seven of their home games in the suburb Scott Allan Norwood (born July 17, 1960 in Alexandria Virginia) is a former American football Placekicker in the NFL who

Final years and decline: 1991–1993

Following the 1990 season Parcells, whom Taylor had become very close to,^[60] retired and the team was taken over by Ray Handley. Ray Handley (born October 8, 1944) is a former American football player and coach who is best remembered for his stormy two seasons as head coach of the 1991 marked a steep decline in Taylor's production. It became the first season in his career that he did not make the Pro Bowl, after setting a then record by making it his first ten years in the league. In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the All-star game of the National Football League (NFL Taylor finished with 7 sacks in 14 games^[30] 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 9 games Taylor was on pace for 10 sacks and the Giants were 5–4. ^[61] However, a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in a November 8 game against Green Bay,^[62] sidelined him for the final seven games, during which the team went 1–6. The Achilles tendon (or occasionally Achilles’ tendon) also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendocalcaneous, is a Tendon of the posterior Events 1519 - Hernán Cortés enters Tenochtitlán and Aztec ruler Moctezuma welcomes him with great a Celebration The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay Wisconsin. ^[63] Before the injury Taylor had missed only 4 games due to injury in his 12 year career, including two the previous year. ^[62] Throughout the 1992 season, and the ensuing offseason, Taylor was noncomittal about his future, alternately saying he might retire, then later hinting he wanted a longer-term contract. ^[64]

Taylor returned for the 1993 season enticed by the chance to play with a new coach (the newly hired Dan Reeves), and determined not to end his career due to injury. The 1993 NFL season was the 74th Regular season of the National Football League. Daniel Edward Reeves (born January 19, 1944 in Rome Georgia) is a former American football player and head coach The Giants experienced a resurgent season in 1993. They finished 11–5 and competed for the top playoff seeds in the conference. ^[65] Taylor finished with 6 sacks,^[66] and the Giants defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed. ^[67] The Giants played the Vikings in the first round of the playoffs and defeated them 17–10. ^[66] The next week on January 15, 1994 in what would ultimately be Taylor's final game the Giants faced the 49ers and were beaten convincingly 44–3. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) ^[66] As the game drew to a conclusion television cameras drew in close on Taylor who was visibly crying. Taylor 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. "^[68]

By the time Taylor retired, he had amassed 1,088 tackles, 132. 5 sacks (not counting the 9. 5 sacks he recorded as a rookie because sacks did not become an official statistic until 1982), 9 interceptions, 134 return yards, 2 touchdowns, 33 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, and 34 fumble return yards. ^[21]

Impact on the NFL

“	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[10]

Taylor is often considered to be one of the greatest defensive players in the history of football,^[69] and has been ranked as the greatest defensive player in history by media members, former players, and coaches. John Earl Madden (born April 10, 1936) is a former National Football League player a former head coach with the Oakland Raiders, a football ^[10][12][70] He is also widely considered to be one of the most feared players to ever step onto the football field. ^[10][71] Taylor's explosive speed and power is credited with having changed the position of outside linebacker from a "read and react" type of position to a more attacking, aggressive position. ^[72]

Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs developed the two tight end offense and the position of h-back to prevent Taylor from blitzing into the backfield unhindered. The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D Joe Jackson Gibbs (born November 25, 1940) is a Hall of Fame American football coach and NASCAR Championship team owner The tight end ( TE) is a position in American football on the Offensive team. An H-Back (not to be confused with a Half-Back) is an offensive position in American football, and is also known as F-Back. ^[41][73] As Gibbs stated, "[w]e 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. "^[41] His skills at outside linebacker forced other coaches to retool their offensive schemes to manage his impact. In the late 70's and early 80's, a blitzing linebacker was almost always picked up by a running back. However, these players were usually no match for Taylor. ^[74] The tactic employed by Bill Walsh in the 1982 playoffs, namely of employing an offensive guard to block Taylor, began to be copied around the league. This move, however, left a hole in the offensive protection that a middle linebacker could exploit. Later, Walsh and other coaches began using offensive left tackles to block Taylor. Although Taylor made adjustments to his game to remain dominant, it soon became common in the NFL for offensive linemen to pick up blitzing linebackers, such as Taylor. 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 the quarterback's hands rather than tackling him. ^[69]

Drugs and extreme measures

“	For me, crazy as it seems, there is a real relationship between wild, reckless, and abandoned off the field and being that way on the field.	”
—Taylor in 1987[75]

In contrast to his success on the football field, Taylor's personal life has been marred by drug usage and controversy. The term narcotic (ναρκωτικός is believed to have been coined by the Greek physician Galen to refer to agents that benumb or deaden causing loss When Taylor was once asked what he could do that no outside linebacker could, his answer was, "Drink". ^[10] However, alcohol abuse was not the largest of his substance abuse problems. After admitting to and testing positive for cocaine in 1987, he was suspended from football for 30 days in 1988 after failing a second drug test. After his second positive test he gave up drugs for five years as a third positive test would have ended his career. ^[71] However, as he approached retirement he looked forward to picking up the habit again, saying in his second autobiography "I saw coke as the only bright spot in my future. "^[76] After his retirement he began abusing drugs on a regular basis. He went through drug rehab twice in 1995, only to later be arrested twice over a three-year span for attempting to buy cocaine (from undercover officers). ^[77] During this period Taylor lived almost exclusively in his home with white sheets covering his windows and only associated with other drug users. ^[71] Taylor later stated, “I had gotten really bad. I mean my place was almost like a crack house. In the United States crack house is a term used to describe an old often abandoned or burnt-out building often in an inner-city neighborhood where drug dealers and drug users buy "^[71] In his first autobiography Taylor also admitted that he had begun using drugs as early as his second year in the NFL. ^[78]

In a November 2003 interview with Mike Wallace on the television newsmagazine 60 Minutes, Taylor claimed he hired and sent prostitutes to opponents' hotel rooms the night before a game in an attempt to tire them out,^[71] and that at his peak, he spent thousands of dollars a day on narcotics. Mike Wallace (born Myron Leon Wallace on May 9, 1918) is an American journalist. A newsmagazine, also spelled news magazine, is usually a weekly Magazine featuring articles or segments on current events Not to be confused with the BBC news magazine program Sixty Minutes (TV series. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. ^[71] During the interview he also recounted several other instances of his hard-partying lifestyle during his years in the NFL, including an episode when he arrived to a team meeting in handcuffs after a night spent with some call girls. A call girl or escort is a Sex worker who (unlike a street walker) is not visible to the general public Taylor stated, "A couple of ladies that were trying out some new equipment they had. You know? And I just happened to, and they just didn't happen to have the key. ”^[71] He also recounted that to beat NFL drug tests he would submit the urine of his teammates. ^[71]

Post-NFL life and recovery

In Taylor's final year in the NFL (1993) he started a company called All-Pro Products. The company went public at $5 a share, and amazingly tripled in value during the first month of its existence. Initial public offering (IPO, also referred to simply as a "public offering" is when a company issues Common stock or shares to the public for the first The stock price went up to $16. 50 a share, at which point Taylor's stake had an estimated value of more than $10 million. ^[79] However, the company ceased production shortly thereafter and Taylor, who never sold his stock, lost several hundred thousand dollars. Taylor had been defrauded by several members of the penny stock firm Hanover Sterling & Company, who had short sold the company's stock, making it worthless. In the US a penny stock is a common Stock that trades for less than $5 a share and are traded Over the counter (OTC through quotation services such as the In Finance, short selling or "shorting" is the practice of selling a Financial instrument that the seller borrows first (does not own and then ^[80] The Securities and Exchange Commission ruled that two traders had manipulated the price of the stock,^[81] which skyrocketed while the company was losing over $900,000. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (commonly known as the SEC) is an independent agency of the United States government which holds primary responsibility

In the first few years after his career ended Taylor worked in several regular television jobs. Taylor initially worked as a football analyst for the now defunct TNT Sunday Night Football. The NFL on TNT was the weekly United States Television broadcast by Turner Network Television (TNT of Sunday evening National Football League ^[49] For a brief time after that Taylor appeared as a personality in the WWF, defeating Bam Bam Bigelow in the main event of WrestleMania XI. World Wrestling Entertainment Inc ( WWE) is a publicly traded privately controlled integrated media (focusing in Television, Internet, Scott Charles Bigelow ( September 1 1961 &ndash January 19 2007) was an American professional wrestler, best known WrestleMania XI was the eleventh annual WrestleMania pay-per-view event held by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF at the Hartford Civic Center ^[49] He also worked as a color commentator on an amateur fighting program entitled Toughman on the FX channel. A color commentator, sometimes known as a color analyst, is a member of the Broadcasting team for a sporting event who assists the Play-by-play FX (for Fox eXtended is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporation 's Fox Entertainment Group. ^[82] On September 4, 1995, the Giants retired Phil Simms jersey during halftime of a game against the Cowboys. Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3 1955 in Lebanon Kentucky) is a former American football Quarterback, and currently a Television In some team Sports such as Football (soccer and rugby, Matches are played in two halves Simms decided to celebrate the moment by throwing an impromptu ceremonial pass to Taylor. Simms recalled, "[a]ll of a sudden it kind of hit me, I've put Lawrence in a really tough spot; national TV, he's got dress shoes and a sports jacket on, and he's had a few beers and he's going to run down the field and I'm going to throw him a pass. "^[83] Simms then motioned for Taylor to run a long pattern and after 30–40 yards threw him the pass. Taylor later commented that the situation made him more nervous than any play of his career, "I'm saying to myself (as the pass is being thrown), 'If I drop this pass, I got to run my black ass all the way back to Upper Saddle River because there ain't no way I'm going to be able to stay in that stadium'. "^[83] Taylor caught the pass, however, and the capacity crowd in attendance cheered in approval. ^[84]

Taylor has recently been pursuing a career in acting, appearing in the Oliver Stone movie, Any Given Sunday where he played a character very much like himself. William Oliver Stone (born 15 September) is an American Film director and Screenwriter. Any Given Sunday is a 1999 film directed by Oliver Stone featuring an Ensemble cast, consisting of Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz He also appeared as himself in both the HBO series The Sopranos and the film The Waterboy. The Sopranos is an American Television drama series created by David Chase. The Waterboy is a movie starring Adam Sandler, released in 1998 Taylor later appeared with Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Roundtree, Christian Bale, Jeffrey Wright, Vanessa Williams, Toni Collette and Busta Rhymes in the 2000 version of Shaft. Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21 1948 is an American Academy Award -nominated and BAFTA -winning actor Richard Roundtree (born July 9 1942) is an American actor and former male fashion model known for portraying John Shaft in the Film Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974 is a British For the Austalian film director see Geoffrey Wright. Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American multiple award-winning Film Vanessa Williams is the name of three contemporaneous African-American singers and/or actresses who are sometimes confused Vanessa L Antonia "Toni" Collette (born 1 November 1972 is an Academy Award - and Golden Globe -nominated Australian actress and Musician Trevor George Smith Jr, (born May 20 1972 better known as Busta Rhymes, is an American actor and Musician of Jamaican descent Shaft is a 2000 movie that was directed by John Singleton, story by Shane Salerno and John Singleton screenplay by Taylor also added his voice to the controversial video game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, playing the steroid-riddled, possibly insane former football player B. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is a sandbox-style action-adventure computer and Video game designed by Rockstar North (formerly J. Smith, a character that poked fun at his fearsome, drug-fueled public image. He also added his voice to the controversial video game Blitz: The League, which was partially based on his life in the NFL. Blitz The League is an American football game by Midway as an unlicensed extension of their NFL Blitz series ^[85]

In 1999, when Taylor became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, there were some concerns that his hard-partying lifestyle and drug abuse would hurt his candidacy. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the Hall of fame of the National Football League (NFL ^[86] 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. ^[87] Taylor's wife, his three children, and his parents were in attendance and during his induction speech Taylor acknowledged them saying, "[t]hank you for putting up with me for all those years. "^[87] 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. Wellington Timothy Mara ( August 14 1916 &ndash October 25, 2005) was the co-owner of the NFL 's New York Giants from "^[87]

In recent years, Taylor has cleaned up his life and lived a healthy, clean lifestyle since 1998. ^[88] Taylor's soul-wrenching admission with Mike Wallace in 2003 reignited his popularity with the public. Taylor often speaks of his playing career, which he played with reckless abandon, and the drug-abusing stages of his life as the "L. T. " periods of his life. ^[88] Taylor described "L. T. " as an adrenaline junkie who lived life on a thrill ride. ^[88] Taylor commented 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. "^[88] In July 2006 Taylor again re-emerged into the public eye, appearing on the cover of a Sports Illustrated issue dedicated to former athletes and sport figures. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. In the magazine Taylor credited his hobby of golf with helping him get over his previous hard-partying ways and drug filled lifestyle. ^[89]

Career statistics

Sources:^[21][30]

SEASON	TEAM	GP	Sacks	Int	Yds	TD	FR	Yds	TD
1981	New York	16	9. 5*	1	1	0	1	4	0
1982	New York	9	7. 5	1	97t	1	0	0	0
1983	New York	16	9	2	10	0	2	3	0
1984	New York	16	11. 5	1	-1	0	0	0	0
1985	New York	16	13	0	0	0	2	25	0
1986	New York	16	20. 5	0	0	0	0	0	0
1987	New York	12	12	3	16	0	0	0	0
1988	New York	12	15. 5	0	0	0	1	0	0
1989	New York	16	15	0	0	0	0	0	0
1990	New York	16	10. 5	1	11t	1	1	0	0
1991	New York	14	7	0	0	0	2	0	0
1992	New York	9	5	0	0	0	1	2	0
1993	New York	16	6	0	0	0	1	0	0
Totals		184	142**	9	134	2	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,^[21] and is considered to be accurate.
** This total includes the 9. 5 Taylor unofficially recorded as a rookie. However, the NFL officially recognizes 132. 5 sacks for Taylor.

Key to Abbreviations
GP= Games Played
Int= Interception
Yds= Yards
t= Play resulted in a touchdown
TD= Touchdowns
FR= Fumbles Recovered

See also

• History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)

Notes

Sources

External links

• Lawrence Taylor at the Internet Movie Database

Persondata
NAME	Lawrence Taylor
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	none
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Hall of Fame American football player.
DATE OF BIRTH	February 4, 1959
PLACE OF BIRTH	Williamsburg, Virginia
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH

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