Lawrence Taylor

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 one of, if not the greatest defensive player of all time.

He and Alan Page (1971) are the only defensive players in league history to earn the award.

Taylor was named First-team All-Pro in eight of his first ten seasons, and Second-team All-Pro in the other two.

Taylor was a key member of the Giants' defense, nicknamed the "Big Blue Wrecking Crew", that led New York to victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.

After graduating from Lafayette High School in 1977, Taylor attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a team captain, and wore No. 98.

After an All-American career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1978–1981), Taylor was selected by the Giants as the second overall selection in the 1981 NFL draft.

Although controversy surrounded the selection due to Taylor's contract demands, the two sides quickly resolved the issue.

Originally recruited as a defensive lineman, Taylor switched to linebacker before the 1979 season.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Taylor was a disruptive force at outside linebacker, and is credited with changing defensive game plans, defensive pass rushing schemes, offensive line blocking schemes, and offensive formations used in the NFL.

During the 1980s Taylor, Carl Banks, Gary Reasons, Brad Van Pelt, Brian Kelley, Pepper Johnson, and Hall of Famer Harry Carson earned the Giants linebacking corps a reputation as one of the best in the NFL.

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 compound fracture of the right leg of quarterback Joe Theismann.

He had 16 sacks in his final year there (1980), and set numerous defensive records.

He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 1980.

While there the coaching staff marveled at his intense, reckless style 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."

UNC later retired Taylor's jersey.

Taylor was named both the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1981 and the only NFL player to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in his rookie season.

In the 1981 NFL draft, Taylor was selected by the New York Giants in the first round as the 2nd pick overall.

In a poll of NFL general managers (GMs) taken before the draft 26 of the league's 28 GMs said if they had the first selection they would select Taylor.

One of the two GMs who said they would not take Taylor was Bum Phillips, who had just been hired as coach and general manager by the New Orleans Saints.

As fate would have it for Taylor, the Saints were also the team who had the first pick in the draft.

Giants GM George Young 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. 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."

On draft day, Phillips made good on his promise not to draft Taylor and the Saints instead selected Heisman Trophy-winning halfback George Rogers with the first pick, leaving the Giants with the decision of whether to select Taylor.

Taylor produced double-digit sacks each season from 1984 through 1990, including a career-high of 20.5 in 1986.

He also won a record three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (since tied by J. J. Watt and Aaron Donald), and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his performance during the 1986 season.

He admitted to using drugs such as cocaine as early as his second year in the NFL, and was suspended for 30 days in 1988 by the league for failing drug tests.

His drug abuse escalated after his retirement, and he was jailed three times for attempted drug possession.

From 1998 to 2009, Taylor lived a sober, drug-free life.

He worked as a color commentator on sporting events after his retirement, and pursued a career as an actor.

His personal life came under public scrutiny in 2010 when he was arrested for the statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl.

After he pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute, Taylor was registered as a low-risk sex offender.

Taylor was the first of three sons born to Clarence and Iris Taylor in Williamsburg, Virginia.

His father worked as a dispatcher at the Newport News shipyards, while his mother was a schoolteacher.

Referred to as Lonnie by his family, Taylor was a mischievous youth.

His mother said that "[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."

Taylor concentrated on baseball as a youth, playing catcher, and only began playing football at the advanced age of fifteen.

He did not play organized high school football until the following year (eleventh grade), and was not heavily recruited coming out of high school.