- In full:
- Lawrence Julius Taylor
- Byname:
- L.T.
- Born:
- Feb. 4, 1959, Williamsburg, Va., U.S. (age 67)
- Awards And Honors:
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1999)
- Super Bowl (1991)
- Super Bowl (1987)
- All-America team (1980)
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1999)
- 1 NFL Most Valuable Player award
- 2 Super Bowl championships
- 8 All-Pro selections
- 10 Pro Bowl selections
- 1986 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- 1982 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- 1981 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- 1981 Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
- 1986 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)
- Education:
- University of North Carolina
- Height/Weight:
- 6 ft 3 inches, 237 lb (1.90 m, 107 kg)
- Position:
- linebacker
- Jersey Number:
- 56 (New York Giants, 1981–1993)
- Draft:
- Drafted by the New York Giants in the first round (second overall) of the 1981 NFL draft.
- Games Played:
- 184
- Sacks:
- 132.5
Lawrence Taylor
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Who is Lawrence Taylor?
Lawrence Taylor (born February 4, 1959) is widely regarded as one of football's best linebackers. During his NFL career with the New York Giants, he won Super Bowl championships in 1986 and 1990.
Taylor played college football at the University of North Carolina, where he was named All-American in 1980. In 1981, the New York Giants drafted him into the NFL as the second overall pick. During his 13-year career, he was named All-Pro six times (1981–87) and made 10 Pro Bowl appearances (1981–90 seasons). In 1999, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Off the field, Taylor struggled with cocaine addiction and legal issues.
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What position did Lawrence Taylor play in football?
Lawrence Taylor played the position of linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the New York Giants from 1981 to 1993. At the University of North Carolina, Taylor initially played defensive lineman before being moved to outside linebacker.
Taylor revolutionized the play of outside linebacker. He possessed the strength and speed to make plays anywhere on the field and was the most disruptive defensive player of his era.
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For which NFL team did Lawrence Taylor play his entire career?
Lawrence Taylor played his entire National Football League (NFL) career for the New York Giants. Drafted in 1981, he played linebacker for the Giants until he retired after the 1993 season. During his time with the team, Taylor won Super Bowl championships in 1986 and 1990. Over his 13-year career, Taylor recorded 132.5 sacks, 1,088 tackles, 33 forced fumbles, and 9 interceptions. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
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What made Lawrence Taylor's style of play different from other defenders?
Lawrence Taylor revolutionized the outside linebacker position, which was traditionally a "read and react" position. Instead of waiting to see how a play developed, Taylor played as an attacking linebacker, using his combination of size and speed to make plays all over the field. He was known for making hard, vicious hits and was the most disruptive defensive player of his era. During his 13-year career, he was named All-Pro six times and made 10 Pro Bowl appearances.
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What major awards and honors did Lawrence Taylor earn during his career?
Lawrence Taylor, one of football's best linebackers, earned many awards and honors in his career. In 1999, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Taylor received one NFL Most Valuable Player award and won two Super Bowl championships. He was an eight-time All-Pro selection and a ten-time Pro Bowl selection.
Taylor was named Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1981, 1982, and 1986. He was also the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1981 and received the Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year) in 1986.
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How did Lawrence Taylor change the way defense is played in American football?
Lawrence Taylor revolutionized the linebacker position in American football. Traditionally, outside linebackers would read the play and then react. Taylor, however, played aggressively, using a combination of size and speed to disrupt plays anywhere on the field.
As an attacking linebacker, Taylor had the ability to cover receivers and rush the quarterback, making him a disruptive force. His style of play helped to shift the emphasis of the 4-3 defense to outside linebackers. Taylor's impact earned him numerous accolades, including the NFL's Most Valuable Player award in 1986.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Lawrence Taylor (born Feb. 4, 1959, Williamsburg, Va., U.S.) is an American collegiate and professional gridiron football player, considered one of the best linebackers in the history of the game. As a member of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL), he won Super Bowl championships following the 1986 and 1990 seasons.
Taylor, who did not play organized football until the 11th grade, attended the University of North Carolina, where he initially played defensive lineman before being moved to outside linebacker. With a rare combination of size and speed, Taylor, 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 metres) tall and weighing 240 pounds (109 kg), excelled as a linebacker, and he was named All-American in 1980.
Taylor entered the NFL draft in 1981 and was the second overall pick, selected by the New York Giants. By the end of his first professional season, he had 9.5 quarterback sacks (an unofficial number, since the NFL did not keep statistics on sacks until the following season) and a reputation for making hard, vicious hits. He was named Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, an honour that he received again the following season. In 1986 he led the league with 20.5 sacks, guided the Giants to victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI, and was named Most Valuable Player of the NFL—the second defensive player in league history to receive the honour. Taylor and the Giants won a second championship in January 1991, defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
Taylor revolutionized the play of outside linebacker, traditionally a “read and react” position (the linebacker would watch the play develop, then move to stop it). Taylor was an attacking linebacker who possessed the strength and speed to make plays anywhere on the field. He was the most disruptive defensive player of his era. During his 13-year career, he was named All-Pro six times (1981–87) and made 10 Pro Bowl appearances (1981–90 seasons). He retired from professional football after the 1993 season with career totals of 132.5 sacks (not including sacks from his rookie year), 1,088 tackles, 33 forced fumbles, and 9 interceptions. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Taylor’s life off the field was troubled both during and after his football career. He struggled with a cocaine addiction, and in 1988 he was suspended by the NFL for failing a drug test. Between 1996 and 1998 he was arrested three times on drug charges. After completing a rehabilitation program in 1998, he pursued a career in acting. Taylor’s LT: Over the Edge (2003; cowritten with Steve Serby) detailed his tumultuous past. In May 2010 he was arrested and charged with third-degree rape and solicitation of a prostitute after he allegedly had sexual relations with a 16-year-old girl at a hotel in Suffern, N.Y. In January 2011 he pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute—both misdemeanour charges—and was sentenced to six years of probation.