The NFL Draft CONTROVERSY Between Lawrence Taylor and the New York Giants

[@jimcalladio4345]

That's hysterical, a 4-12 team threatening to walk out! I would have gave them directions to every door in the building!

[@SolitudeofaTiger]

HA!

[@proctorjunior14]

Agreed!!!

[@mayhemjr.803]

He should've offered to drive them all anywhere they wanted to go.😂

[@kevinmiller6324]

Lawrence Taylor-the Giants own version of Dick Butkus.

[@kenrickeason]

Now I bet they were like *"Damn, We wouldn't have no rings without him"*

[@MrDevtun]

Belichick: Lawrence was late to the team meeting again. Parcells: Yeah? Belichick: Yep. Parcells: Well, why did you start the meeting without him ?

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

Belichick stated that story in the NFL 100 segment about LT.

[@KevinHuff23]

LT was the Greatest Of All Time, completely changed the game! He faced double and triple teams on the majority of his pass rushes and STILL dominated, he was 6'4, 240lbs, could run like a gazelle, and played with a mean streak like NOBODY ELSE.

[@jeffholt3841]

You can do that if snort some coke, take roids and smoke crack during the game!

[@KevinHuff23]

@@jeffholt3841 You realize that 95% of the NFL did coke and roids in the 80s right?

[@jimwerther]

@@jeffholt3841 Where is the evidence that he took steroids?

[@nybirdman]

@@jimwerther don’t mind that idiot. Some people just say shit without knowing anything about LT. If the dummy knew anything, he’d know that LT was notorious for NOT working out. So it seems a little illogical for a guy who doesn’t work out or take care of his body at all to go do steroids. But ya know, it’s the internet, so people say dumb things all the time. Another thought, a lot of ex giants said he would’ve lasted a few more years if he actually did work out and do the ice baths for recovery. But LT just wanted to play and party. Crazy.

[@jimwerther]

@@nybirdman 👍

[@MrBsailor]

This sounds like the time the bottom feeding Cleveland Cavaliers vets hinted that Lebron James wasn't welcomed and that he wouldn't make an impact 🤨🤨🤨

[@sterlingwilliams8645]

You see they quickly got rid of those dudes too lol

[@kenrickeason]

I remember that too.. If I was the owner I would have asked.. Why in the hell ISN'T our records showing more wins and losses? Sit your clown a_$es down and let this process take it course..

[@johnwade7963]

that video is on youtube. Carlos Boozer said that they already had players on the team better than Lebron. Darius Miles said Lebron could come jump on their bandwagon

[@JPibbs2198]

Yes!!

[@salvadorperez8537]

Absurd whoever even thought that big guards have always dominated the NBA back to ROBERTSON EDR J, GERVING ETC

[@tylerlaquinta2996]

What's crazy is you said "40 years ago...1981"

[@johnharris6655]

An offensive coordinator once said of Taylor, "First you try to block him with a back, then you try a tight end, then a guard and finally a tackle. In the end you don't block Taylor you try to just slow him down a little."

[@danieldamasco4109]

I like that

[@XxxWTFgamesxxX]

Alan Page also won AP MVP in 71, so Lawrence is one of two defenders to win it, not the only one.

[@johnbenson4672]

Now he needs an Alan Page video to make up for the oversight.

[@nickbradfordsr80]

The AP isn't the only voters registration... LT was voted by everyone, AP, PFWA, etc. So that's why LT is technically the only defender voted unanimously MVP

[@nickbradfordsr80]

@@johnbenson4672 see my response

[@johnbenson4672]

@@nickbradfordsr80 Please tell me who the PFWA awarded the MVP to in 1971. Oh, that's right, they didn't give out awards from 1967 to 1974. Sporting news? Yup, they voted Alan Page as NFL MVP in 71 as well. Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL MVP award (digging real deep) didn't award the MVP to Alan Page in 71 but they didn't award the MVP to LT in 86 either so technically LT is NOT the only defender unanimously MVP. He wasn't unanimously voted MVP in 86! You want to dig up anyone else, maybe the Cuyahoga County Sportswriters Association?

[@nickbradfordsr80]

@@johnbenson4672 ok so then riddle me this who won NFL MVP in 1990 and 1998?

[@michaeldonnan6767]

I'm a Giants fan and old enough to remember this. The whole "walk out" story was made up by the New York press. The New York Post and the New York Daily News were shit-stirrers back then and still are today. A lot of players were upset because rookies were getting the biggest contracts (not just with the Giants but league wide) but nobody on the Giants threatened to walk out. At least nobody important. But after LT read it he did ask the Giants not to draft him. Luckily he was already in New York for the draft. Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt and Brian Kelly took him to Beef Steak Charlies for dinner. They explained to him that they wanted him to come to New York to play and get as much money as he possibly could. They told him the walk-out stuff was bullshit and the more money he made the better it was for them because it would help them get bigger deals when they signed their next contracts.

[@robertblount1377]

I remember the story of the rookie LT in his first training camp scrimmage. He completely hurdled a blocker and took the running back's head off toward the sideline. The Giant players looked at each other with wide eyes and said "hmmmmmmm." They were instant converts.

[@MGAF688]

Alan Page won MVP in 1971. You may not know who he is but he is in the Pro Football HOF.

[@43captrexkramer]

If you don't know Page you don't know football.

[@chriscurtis3150]

Even more impressive is Alan page was also a minnesota Supreme Court Justice! So obviously he was incredibly intelligent. Probably smartest man ever to play the game. 50% of all lawyers fail the BAR Exam , > than 2 times. So I imagine he could read an offensive play rather easy

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

One of the Purple People Eaters for the Vikings.

[@johnharris6655]

Now you know why the players fought so hard for free agency.

[@DMS-pq8]

And a rookie salary cap

[@Lawomenshoops]

And to bring things back full circle, in 1983, after LT made All Pro two years in a row, he held out of training camp when Billy Ray Smith, signed a huge contract, after being draft #5 overall by the San Diego Chargers! LT said something like, that kid hasn't broken a NFL huddle and is making $500K. I've made All Pro two years in a row, and I'm making $150K!

[@damisnsilletti2762]

That money is so laugh able compared to today. Let would make 25 million a year if he played today

[@kenrickeason]

@@damisnsilletti2762 And he would deserve it.. in 1980s money you must count for inflation.. And you don't think for a player like Lawrence Taylor you think they wouldn't pay that type of money for him?

[@JPibbs2198]

@@kenrickeason even accounting for inflation, LT was making the equivalent of a 7th round pick today. The NFL must've seen a huge jump in revenue in those early 80s if just 3 yrs later another 1st round pick was making 2.5x more than LT on a rookie contract

[@SkunkApe407]

Now look at Smith Jr's numbers against Taylor's. Smith's 26.5 sacks over a period of 10 years is laughable compared to Taylor's 142 in 12 years. Smith's highest accolade was 2nd Team All-American. Taylor went to two Super Bowls, was a League MVP, multi-time DPoY, 8 time First Team All-Pro, 10 time Pro Bowl, and the 1986 NFL sack leader, just to name a few of his plethora of achievements. Simply put, Smith was a bum, and Raylor was right to complain. He was making peanuts as a future HoF inductee, and they wanted to pay Smith almost five times as much.

[@ghoffmann821]

Well, the difference is talent level. In the case of this video, comically unjustified. In the case of Smith, career numbers suggest it was justified. Also, one player who was, objectively, underpaid at that point vs. the majority of a team....a bit of apples and oranges.

[@Lawomenshoops]

Bill Parcells would motivate LT, by showing film of Hugh Green, and saying things like "Who is that LB Hugh Green?" or "See that great play, made by a great LB-Hugh Green?" Finally LT got tired of it, and said- Bill, if he was so damn good, why didn't you draft him?

[@From-North-Jersey]

Parcells didn't coach "To You" he coached "At You" Parcells nicknamed one of his corner backs "Toast" because Elvis Patterson got burned deep so much. During his tenure in New England pats management forced Terry Glenn a wide reciever on him. Glenn was injury prone and would not play hurt which angered Parcells who watched Phill Simms play the second half of a season on a broken metatarsal bone in his foot. When ever the press asked about why Glenn was not in the game he would say"She wasn't feeling well and didn't want to play." or something similar. When Glenn was healed Bill would not play him, when asked why he would say "She is feeling fine, but we just don't need her."

[@UncleClaudeSportsandThangs]

@@From-North-Jersey Terry Glenn (R.I.P.) later became a Parcells favorite and even joined him on the Cowboys but yes, you're right about his coaching style. Maurice Carthon is a good example of a "Parcells Guy".

[@From-North-Jersey]

@@UncleClaudeSportsandThangs Mo Carthon the last of the pure strain Fullbacks. I loved watching 44 hit linebackers like they were ball carriers.

[@ralphkiner5389]

Parcells was the Defensive Coordinator for the Giants in ‘81.

[@malbuff]

I remember that the early predictions for the 1981 draft had Hugh Green of Pittsburgh rated as the top defensive player in the draft. Green finished second to Rogers in the Heisman voting-- extremely rare for a defender-- and won several player of the year awards. He ended up being drafted 7th, by Tampa, just ahead of Ronnie Lott. There were three Hall of Fame defensive players taken in the first eight picks that year (Kenny Easley being the third). Hugh Green had a good NFL career for bad teams, but the Giants' choice of Taylor was a franchise-changer, as was the 49ers' choice of Lott.

[@eugenedenbrook322]

Man, that was a helluva draft then! Hugh Green was pretty good, but no LT. Still think 83' was best in my lifetime, and the Heisman winner & 2nd best prospect (Walker) wasn't even in it (as I recall).

[@patricklionel9666]

No doubt. Lawrence Taylor and Ronnie Lott were both UNANIMOUS First Team All-Pro selections as rookies.

[@patricklionel9666]

@@eugenedenbrook322 , the 1981 NFL Draft was slightly better. 6 players from the 1981 NFL Draft were First Team 1980s All-Decade

[@aabowens]

The only player to ever come close to him was Derrick Thomas from the chiefs

[@ecnumber1fan]

I agree, Derrick Thomas is not far behind him imo. He was such a joy to watch (unless you were one of his opponents) and one of my personal favorites. May he RIP.

[@mattfrancis6046]

As far as edge rushers/OLBs or defensive players in general? Good point if your talking about OLBs. Defensive players in general? Reggie White bulldozes his way into that conversation.

[@fortunateson2]

I'd say Reggie White or Dick Butkus

[@rogertayloRRR]

Glad everyone woke up and apologized to him. It worked out better than they imagined

[@From-North-Jersey]

Most of the guys on the team when Lawrence was drafted were cut during Taylors second season by Bill Parcells. He didn't like the attitude of the players and cleaned house. The players that complained about LT coming to town were the first ones thrown overboard.

[@Torgo1969]

Cut, or traded? Just curious.

[@From-North-Jersey]

Cut. Bill hated most of the team he inherited. He felt they were content being viewed as "lovable losers" and were happy with the way things were. They were making good money between their salaries and paid personal appearances, and didn't even have to try hard. Clock punchers and bean counters milking the cash cow,not football players. The players were cut at the following seasons training camp. Bill invited every player willing to show up and work hard to training camp to let every player know every single roster slot was up for grabs. Didn't matter how long you were there or how high you were drafted the roster spots would go to who ever worked the hardest to earn them no exceptions. By the time the season started more than half the team from the previous season had been replaced.

[@Torgo1969]

@@From-North-Jersey Wow. That's a bold move. But Parcells and Belichick resurrected the NYGs, so good for them. (I guess you would know this, being from NJ. I grew up in Syracuse and became a NYG fan when Joe Morris joined them.)

[@From-North-Jersey]

@@Torgo1969 I used to have a Morris #20 jersey, one of my ex girlfriends stole it, it still bugs me.

[@nicholassmith479]

Keep in mind that the average NFL career lasts four years. At least 25 percent of the players will be cut anyway. A new coach is rarely gonna keep the same core of players from previous tenors. So it’s par for the course to clean house an put your own people players in. Every coach does it. Parcells is no different. He was just more successful and in NY.

[@bleeding4721]

40 years ago...damn I'm getting old

[@MGAF688]

Time to move into the rest home then.

[@johnnieadams7827]

I was 6 yrs old

[@jblack2442]

🤣🤣🤣🤣Yes we are!!

[@nybirdman]

He got drafted right before I was born and I feel old.

[@jedwing]

Same.

[@buster60341]

Before Lawrence Taylor was drafted by the Giants they were a laughingstock team in the NFL but he did change their organization and he was the greatest defensive player in the NFL

[@Torgo1969]

We remember Joe Pisarcik and that awful fumble that symbolized the NYG's faliure. But the mid-to-late 1980s and early 90s were a joy to be a Giants fan.

[@buster60341]

@@Torgo1969 As much that I hate the Giants with a passion but I do respect and like those Giants teams in the mid-80s

[@johnharris6655]

They were so bad in 1980 that Derek Jensen of the Raiders ran an onside kick back for a touchdown against them.

[@mayhemjr.803]

They hired a pretty good GM George Young who turned them around

[@michaelnewton1332]

If only the Giants had made Belichick head coach in 1991 when Parcells left. God, what could have been!!

[@TheWundaman71]

The biggest play he made was perhaps picking Roger Craig’s pocket and ending the 49er quest to 3 peat

[@jasonbournesburner3845]

Oh yeah!!!!! I remember that! that was vicious!

[@silajeep1]

Yeah I really hated on the miners back then, but I like them now. Still a Giants and cowboys fan always tho

[@patricklionel9666]

CORRECTION: NT Erik Howard forced 49er RB Roger Craig to fumble. Taylor beat two successive blocks by TE Brent Jones and FB Tom Rathman to get to Craig's location in the scrum along the line of scrimmage to get the ball before it hit the ground.

[@jneroo226]

He may have run the Combine 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, but come game time he was a lot faster.

[@ecnumber1fan]

Kind of makes me wonder about the primitive stop watches that they used back in the day. LT was as fast as he needed to be. The great Barry Sanders once said that other guys would boast a better 40 time but when it came to an actual foot race it was a different story.

[@robertpercy2028]

Yeah, I think that in 1981 a LB running 4.7 was really fast tho. But it is also just a 40 time you get to run once or twice. Watching him run around on defense as a kid. He looked like he ran a 3.9 lol

[@boothguru807]

According to reports, Lawrence Taylor ran the 40 yard dash in 4.60 seconds at 6-Foot-3, 240 pounds.

[@gtaylor2455]

A big part of the 40 is your stride. Guys who play on the line can be fast as hell first 10-20 yards. If you don't play a position where stride matters 40 can be hard. Today guys pay gurus to train them for the combine. Professional trainers of professionals will tell you that most professional athletes don't run a very good 40 until they are trained how to run a 40. The exception would be wide recievers, rb, and DB. Since max speed matters a whole hell of a lot at those positions.

[@CTubeMan]

As the unofficial Official Jaguar Gator 9 historian I will point out that you made a video about the Giants dysfunction in the early 1970s. Jerry Barca wrote “Big Blue Wrecking Crew” about the lead up to the Giants winning Super Bowl 21. Barca pointed out how dysfunctional and coked out the Giants were in the late 1970s, with Van Pelt being one of the key faces of the dysfunction. Between that and their 4-12 season in 1980 I’m amazed that the Giants players thought they had that much leverage.

[@SteelerFanInRI]

Lmao right? The entire city of Dallas literally called these people clowns once and they were just like "lulz I know, right; we totally are." Totally delusional thinking on their end.

[@jimwerther]

"Van Pelt one of the key faces of the dysfunction" Why is that?

[@CTubeMan]

@@jimwerther Drug use mostly, though in fairness many Giants in that were on drugs (and I don’t need to detail for y’all LT’s drug issues). But when Bill Parcells decided to coach his way in 1984 one of the big moves he made was trading Van Pelt.

[@jimwerther]

@@CTubeMan If you say so: this was before my time. But I don't know why drug use is bad in 1979 and just fine in 1984.

[@NJGuy1973]

Who was most coked out: - Early '70s NY Giants - 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates - 1980 Atlanta Hawks - Fleetwood Mac recording "Tusk"

[@r.williamcomm7693]

George Rogers was excellent when he first came to the NFL but LT is still one of the greatest players of all time, maybe the best defender ever.

[@tr5947]

Another career squandered by drugs and bad decisions from an otherwise good guy.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

@@tr5947 Actually it didn’t harm Rogers’ career but it was embarrassing in 1982. He went to rehab & got back on track & I think his last run scored a TD in the Super Bowl. Accumulated injuries made him retire but he played 8 seasons & had decent stats. But I understand your perception of him because I thought that too for years.

[@jamesmckane1205]

No maybe HE IS THE GREATEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER EVER

[@joeylawn36111]

George Rogers was good, but he played for the Saints, a team that hadn’t figured out how to win yet. Back then, they had never even made the playoffs.

[@r.williamcomm7693]

@@joeylawn36111 Agree. Bum Phillips wanted him to be his new Earl Campbell. Rogers finished his career w/a TD run in the Super Bowl for the Redskins.

[@logalogalog]

7:27 Alan Page also won MVP as a defensive player.

[@bzen5917]

As impressive as that was, I was more impressed that AFTER his NFL career he not only became a judge but also the first black judge to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court for over 20 years!

[@laudanum669]

LT was not the only defensive player to win MVP of the league, Alan Page who played DT for the Viking's won MVP in 1971.

[@calennon3]

They say football is the only major sport where one guy can’t win a game for his team. Those people never saw Lawrence Taylor play football

[@67marlins81]

Wow.....I never knew about this controversy. Thanks for posting, this is an interesting story and I appreciate you presenting it.

[@YaBoiJern757]

To me Lawrence Taylor was the scariest player of all time bar none

[@mayhemjr.803]

I guess you never heard of Dick Butkus. He scared the shit out of quarterbacks just snarling at them before they even snapped the ball.

[@UncleClaudeSportsandThangs]

@@mayhemjr.803 Mean Joe Greene was scarier than Butkus. In fact, Greene spit in Dick's face, Butkus looked up and him, and promptly ran to the sideline. This happened in either Greene's rookie or second season.

[@mayhemjr.803]

@@UncleClaudeSportsandThangs lol. I can believe that. Joe Greene was one big scary dude. What about Tombstone who played for Denver? I heard he scared many as well

[@lordrayden3045]

Never heard of Deacon Jones huh?

[@mayhemjr.803]

@@lordrayden3045I have. Deacon was super scary

[@Torgo1969]

Never knew this dramatic story. Thanks for sharing. I think my fave moment of Taylor's career was Jan 1991 against SF when he recovered Craig's fumble (caused by Eric Howard) and he pranced around with the ball for a few seconds! He earned that moment of glory after being an unsung hero on Leonard Marshall's crushing hit on Montana a few minutes earlier.

[@bocagoodtimes1460]

Absolute horror! The Giants were beat! The Niners just needed two more first downs and it would have been Threepeat time! Ugggggh! :)

[@Torgo1969]

@@bocagoodtimes1460 The Niners and Giants had some proper scraps over the years. And with SF driving down the field and the Candlestick fans getting loud my college buds and I were pulling our hair out that day in 1991 as we watched on TV at the opposite end of the country.

[@bocagoodtimes1460]

@@Torgo1969 IT was a magical moment for sure! I'll always have fond thoughts for the Teams that beat the Patriots in the Bowl :)

[@chipschannel9494]

Montana relaxed just a split second ( you could see it in his body language)having just dodged LT when Marshall showed up! Blindside!(Giants fan then ) watching it unfold in slow motion wanting to shout and warn Joe . Lol , you had to feel bad for him on the side line drooling looking as if he had just been run over by a truck ,and they kept showing it also!

[@patricklionel9666]

The 1990 NFC Championship Game is one of the greatest football games you'll ever see. On the play that NT Erik Howard caused the fumble, go back and watch the video of that play and pay attention to what Lawrence Taylor did at the snap of the ball. At the snap Taylor swung TE Brent Jones 90 degrees to his left and then beat a block by FB Brent Jones to run along the line of scrimmage where Craig was and was in position to grab the ball out of the air and recover the fumble. If Taylor doesn't beat those blocks, that fumble gets recovered by the 49ers.

[@chosenone9102]

GOD REALLY LOVES BELICHICK! How lucky do you have to be. To get to coach both GOATS AT THEIR RESPECTED POSITIONS # TOM BRADY # LAWRENCE TAYLOR

[@kevin7151]

Excellent video. This happened about 40 years ago, so its great that you can make people aware of the impact of the Giants pick that might not have happened.

[@stevenwhite7525]

And Brad Van Pelt pretty much lost his starting position after LT was drafted, as well.

[@joecox9544]

Not true. Giants played a 3-4 defense. Van Pelt played on the opposite side outside LB as Taylor.

[@John-tx1wk]

No. As Joe said BVP played on the opposite side from LT. In the three years they were on the Giants together BVP started 38 games and LT started 40. LT did not take his spot.

[@stoneycase7833]

He was an absolute beast I'm a Redskins fan but loved watching him play

[@ariefraiser140]

Washington Football Team Fan.

[@jedwing]

Same with me. Those games were incredible.

[@jasonbournesburner3845]

@@ariefraiser140 No, in those days it was the Redskins.

[@jasonbournesburner3845]

Stoney, I still cant watch the infamous "SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP" play with Joe Theisman. that was horrible! LT best ever on D.

[@ariefraiser140]

@@jasonbournesburner3845 But Stoney used the present tense so he was talking about the team he's a fan of now.

[@jackgarrett7349]

This is why you don't let players run the team.

[@WardenSpectreCommander]

Can you blame LT ? Who wants to go somewhere you were hated instantly . Humble and sensible of him to downplay the drama by asking them not to draft him

[@theeunknown3988]

Well make them love you, don't pull an Eli Manning.

[@therock8288]

Better new coverage but horrible cost of living and taxes

[@TheCybertiger9]

been watching football for 55 years and I must admit LT was the GOAT

[@MountainStreamLives]

That the giants players were threatening to walk is so laughable. George Young probably told them all, “go ahead. We can come in last again without you too.”

[@refiii9499]

And bill parcels and bill belichek were salivating over Taylor and would have cut the whole team and started from scratch before letting Taylor not be a giant.

[@philipnj7873]

Parcells and Belichick would have had minimal sway over anything related to the draft or player cuts. Parcells joined the Giants as defensive coordinator in January of ‘81. Belichick was the linebackers coach.

[@refiii9499]

Parcels joined the giants as linebacker coach in 1979 promoted to defensive coordinator in 81 and head coach in 83. Belichick came with parcels in 79 and was special teams and defense coordinator assistant. Belichick and parcels had huge say in who was drafted I’m sure of. Another thing LT was the number one requite of that draft and I’m very sure-they made their voices loud and cleared to who to take.

[@philipnj7873]

@@refiii9499 not entirely accurate, Parcells was named defensive coordinator in early ‘79. But, he quit before the season. When he returned to the NFL in 1980 it was with New England, not the Giants. He rejoined the Giants in early’81. If you know anything about his relationship with GM George Young you’ll know that friction over personal decisions were frequent and part of why Parcells never mentioned Young in his hall of fame speech. Anyway, ultimately doesn’t matter. He joined the Giants and after Parcells terrible first season as head coach it worked out

[@jamesmckane1205]

I remember reading that my beloved Giants took a linebacker with their first pick. I yelled we have linebackers we need a running back. I might have been wrong on that one. 🤣🤣🤣

[@Torgo1969]

Joe Morris FTW. That made me a NYG fan.

[@jamesmckane1205]

@@Torgo1969 From upstate New York. Watched him at Syracuse. I wanted and got my wish when the G Men drafted him in the 2nd round 🤗

[@Torgo1969]

@@jamesmckane1205 Yep, he was a huge part of their 1st SB season. Against SF in the playoffs at the Meadowlands, hearing Pat Summerall, "And Morris is gone!". I'm from North Syracuse and went to college in Ithaca and I met a lot of NYG fans from the downstate NY counties. Memories of the Jan 1991 game against SF came flooding back when I watched that old game on youtube during pandemic downtime! My buds and I were climbing the walls and tearing our hair out during that immortal 4th Quarter.

[@jamesmckane1205]

@@Torgo1969 I'm from the Binghamton area 😥

[@atmorgan7628]

I did the same thing when the Saints traded for this QB named Drew Brees, i said why, he'll never take them anywhere. I think i might have been wrong also,

[@sheinon7310]

Easily the smarter decision the giants ever made. Mike Singletary was my favorite player, because I grew up a bears fan, but even as great as he was, LT was on another planet.

[@dallrevenge9256]

The NFL owed all these players money. They were totally under payed.

[@jamielancaster01]

$250,000 a year in 1981 would be $761,140 in today’s money (2021). Or about $2.3 million over 3yrs.

[@gilbertgiles]

LT did just the right thing. It was the telegram that shamed them. Well done LT.

[@michaelnewton1332]

I will always remember reading about when LT would have a bad game and people would ask Bill Parcells "What's the matter with Taylor?" So that entire week of practice, Parcells would call him "What's The Matter With." By Sunday, LT was ready to kill someone because Parcells pissed him off so much.

[@danielpenrodii2389]

I’d be upset too if I just made five straight Pro Bowls and found out some rookie was going to instantly make more than double my salary. Cant really blame that guy!

[@From-North-Jersey]

Actually you can blame him. Every team gets at least one player on the pro bowl team, if they don't have a player who deserves to be in the pro-bowl they socially promote the least shitty player on the team. Which is how Van Pelt made 5 pro-bowls. He was the least shitty giants player 5 years in a row so he got a 5 trips to hawaii to ride pine.

[@sludge4125]

It was obvious that brad “lucy” van pelt couldn’t carry LT’s jock strap.

[@nasetvideos]

Such an interesting story. I don't remember this about the money being the reason why the veterans didn't want Taylor to be drafted...and then the Monday telegram and Monday resolution were incredible. "The room where it happens"--Gotta wonder what was said to the Giants' Vets that day.

[@troyb.4101]

Lawerence Taylor the greatest defensive player ever. He changed the entire game.

[@jblack2442]

LT, Derrick Thomas, Reggie White. They were all very difficult to deal with on a game to game basis.

[@troyb.4101]

@@jblack2442 Eagles had the best defense. Jerome Brown,Cyle Simons, Seth Joiner, nine in the box.Not much time to throw the ball.

[@jblack2442]

@@troyb.4101 Yeah I remember that. That defense was crazy. And they didn't make the playoffs.

[@jewsco]

@@troyb.4101 how many playoff wins did those eagles have? Oh right zero

[@patricklionel9666]

Yes, he changed the game in profound ways. During Taylor's rookie season, Parcells would notice Taylor ignoring the play calls requiring him to drop back into coverage. Late in the season in a game vs the St. Louis Cardinals, Taylor rushed when he should have dropped off into coverage. Even though Taylor managed to sack QB Neil Lomax Parcells admonished Taylor once he returned to the sideline. Later in the same game, same situation pops up again and AGAIN Taylor rushes the QB instead of dropping off into coverage but this time he sacks Lomax, forces a fumble, and DE George Martin picks up the football and runs it in for a touchdown. On his own, Taylor created 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and contributed to his team getting a touchdown. After that game Parcells realized he had to adjust his game plans so the team could better benefit from Taylor's ability to contribute in ways Parcells had never seen before.

[@unreconstructed]

He sent the giants a fucking TELEGRAM. Jesus. Times change so much, so fast.

[@bens5661]

This may be a hot take, but the Saints selecting Rickey Jackson in the 3rd round of the '81 Draft was as good a value pick as LT 2nd overall (Rogers won OROY, remember, so that pick worked)

[@gluserty]

Pretty good for the Saints getting a player of Jackson's caliber; a great player in his own right.

[@bens5661]

@@gluserty dude's in the Hall of Fame for a reason, he actually played longer than LT (spent '94 and '95 in SF, winning SB XXIX)

[@43captrexkramer]

That lb core was nasty, Jackson, V. Johnson, Mills, and of course their own 56 Swilling.

[@patricklionel9666]

Rickey Jackson was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1981 Draft.

[@patricklionel9666]

Lawrence Taylor has superior coaching with Parcells and Belichick. Between Parcells and Belichick as head coaches they have 8 Super Bowl victories and a total of 12 Super Bowl appearances. They KNEW how to coach. They KNEW how to win close games. They KNEW how to beat teams that had more talented rosters.

[@chadwickwhite6107]

WTF?! Why would you want to QUIT when your coach wants to draft someone to HELP the team?

[@owlontheprowl1657]

Im still waiting for anyone AS good....

[@charlesheld3725]

Once again Alan Page is forgotten.

[@56eddieb]

You did forget that Alan Page had won MVP of the league before LT , but they are the ONLY 2

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

LT is the reason why a two tight end set exists.

[@marcus813]

I can't believe that players on a club that was one of the NFL's laughingstocks at the time threatened to walk out over money paid to Taylor. Thank goodness that situation didn't keep the Giants from drafting the man who would turn out to be one of the most important players in their history.

[@guittadabe5214]

I had no idea!

[@maskandvaccinefreeandproud2110]

I enjoyed this. I’ll have to check out more. Thank you

[@BigDaddy-fx4nx]

I do remember that, it was a long time ago. I was like so don't draft this guy the team stinks anyway one guy won't make a difference. It was difficult being a Giants fan those day I suffered through the 60 and 70s.

[@jamesmckane1205]

So did I. The only bright spot was 1970 when they went 9-5 but missed the playoffs because Detroit went 10-4 😥

[@Torgo1969]

Ouch. I'm from Syracuse so I didn't become a big NYG fan until Joe Morris joined them. Good times.

[@BigDaddy-fx4nx]

@@Torgo1969 He was a good back, he was small and short, he realized the only way to make it was to hit the weights and worked hard. He built his thighs and overall legs to huge proportions, that gave him the power to break tackles.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

Jaworski still has nightmares about him 🤣

[@julianbell9161]

As a Giants fan, thank fucking god they drafted him. He was the catalyst that turned us from a bottoming feeding joke of a team to a dominant powerhouse of the 80s

[@BrianStDenis-pj1tq]

For those who didn't see him play live... the hype is not exaggerated. He ruined other teams. Offenses had to change how they blocked. Still didn't work. He was used in a new way, an attacking outside linebacker position (ie pass rusher). Later, that type of position was called "falcon" and used by other greats like Derrick Thomas of the Chiefs. The outside linebacker rusher in a 3-4 defense is still in use today.

[@MP-tf7cc]

There were a number of blue chip players in that draft, especially defensive players - Ronnie Lott, Kenny Easely, Hugh Green, Mike Singletary...

[@patricklionel9666]

Let's not forget: Howie Long Rickey Jackson EJ Junior Dennis Smith Mark May Hanford Dixon James Wilder Joe Delaney Dexter Manley Todd Bell Sam Mills Everson Walls Jay Hilgenberg Deron Cherry Jim Burt Joe Jacoby

[@NJGuy1973]

@@patricklionel9666 Joe Delaney needs a video made about him.

[@semicharmedlife311]

We have our opinions, and I'm by my own admission biased as a die hard Miami fan, but even though L.T. (or Reggie White) might be the most dominant defensive player I've watched play, I feel like the best all-around defensive player was LB Ray Lewis. Did it all at the highest level and was one of the game's all-time great leaders.

[@stanlibuda5786]

LT was one of a kind. That is for sure. But to say he was the best LB of all time.... the people who say that were never chased and then hit by Dick Butkus.

[@virgilrobertsjr7870]

LT was unbelievable! Arguably the best defensive player in NFL history! 😎

[@jedwing]

No argument from a Washington Redskin fan. I remember some game where he got 12 tackles and 2 sacks and I said, we controlled him! Yikes!

[@patricklionel9666]

@@jedwing hahahahaha!!!

[@freeparking301]

I’m an Eagles fan and I want an LT jersey. When you’re good enough for Parcells and Belichick to allow you to line up wherever you sought fit that alone says a lot.

[@thelastjohnwayne]

The Giants were lucky that the Saints took George Rogers out of South Carolina.

[@bigpint1657]

Wow so the fuckery with the saints front office gos that far I didn't even watch the draft after my fav players get picked because I know the saints and Micky will make bullshit moves

[@gordtron]

watching LT highlights is like watching tigers hunting.

[@charliewilson3528]

If it's my turn to pick on my all time defense team. My first pick is Laurence Taylor. The argument gets more interesting the further you go.

[@d0nKsTaH]

To Ellen Ripley, the Xenomorph (Alien) was a monster. To NFL Quarterbacks in the 1980's to the mid 90s... there was L.T.

[@gregoryburton1241]

That team was shit because they paid the players like shit! LT’s performance elevated defensive players value league wide. I was not a Giants fan, but I loved to watch LT play. What a Beast!!!

[@bigred6991]

He did what he did on cocaine and escorts before games!!! Damn!! And he was a beast!!! He ended Joe Theismann career with one vicious hit!!

[@freeparking301]

He would send those escorts to the opposing team’s hotel to “tire out” his opponents. The look on LT’s face when he seen Theisman’s leg is a sight to behold too as he frantically waves to Washington’s sideline to get him some help.

[@jimwerther]

That is some seriously fuzzy math at 4:04

[@mjf8897]

when you see that opening screen and you don't immediately click away to something else you hate yourself.

[@Mikemercedes7676]

Great video👍🏽

[@therealchristaholic]

Good info, never knew this

[@autiebell1357]

Geeter and Van Pelt were good players but that was about it on the 1980 Giants.

[@johnre5342]

Your forgetting about Harry Carson who is in the hall of fame

[@autiebell1357]

@@johnre5342 You are right. I am forgetting about Carson. I just always remember the Giants pre Lawrence Taylor as a team that couldn't get out of it's own way. Joe Pisarcik and the Miracle in the Meadowlands type of incompetence.

[@kyledamron]

I love nfl defenses of the 80s especially early to mid 80s when the Raiders still had one of the best defenses

[@Yasuke4d]

Amazing. NFL Salaries went from 100K to 100m. 😳

[@jimheeren8078]

Page won the NFL mvp as a defense player as well for the Vikings.

[@irvinglee9125]

The high salary of Lawrence Taylor raises the average salaries of football players as a general rule. I don't know what the CBA states at the time, but it seems ridiculous in hindsight

[@MackeyDeez]

They should've got rid of all of the players who threatened to mutiny

[@yujirohanma5199]

My favorite football player of All-time. No one embodied PURE DOMINANCE on defense more than LT#56 .

[@jamesrobertsonrobertson5690]

Thankfully, they regretted those comments!!

[@kylorenkardashian79]

Great content, great script, great highlights, horrible mic. get a better mic fam

[@MsJacqueline143]

They were talking about the greatest defensive player ever you look at old old film them you look at 80s film when Lawrence played and you look at film now in these days and decades did not matter LT was like no one ever seen out there and nobody’s ever topped hisprece

[@davidbaron8330]

Yeah, Kerry Collins demanded a trade when Accorsi drafted Eli. See, ya, Kerry.

[@jamesmckane1205]

I lived in North Carolina for 3 years and they never told me what he said to get the entire O line not to protect him. Must have been pretty racist 😱

[@SteeleZack]

The Falcons drafted Pitts and just recently traded Jones.

[@tallsmile28]

LT is not the only defender to win the MVP. Alan Page of the MN Vikings won it as well.

[@johnharris6655]

Vikings took Darrin Nelson and the Raiders took some guy named Marcus Allen.

[@jomic9060]

and the falcons took gerald riggs the pick b4 the raiders took Allen

[@bocagoodtimes1460]

Doesn't make much sense really....the more one guy makes...the more other guys make! Plus making your team better you would get more money for playoff wins!...As a NINER fan...I wish he had never be drafted by the Giants...we might have a couple more Super bowls :)

[@leroypalmer2764]

Thats nuts looking back LT is gonna go down as the best defensive player of all time !

[@kincamell2]

Much Gratitude

[@indiablackwell]

Ironic one of the highlights of how bad the Giants were was a clip of Joe Theismsn running for a TD

[@red5llaw]

Laurence Taylor is a FANTASTIC player, A great Man and an all round Class Act. Thank You for the wonderful memories Mr. Taylor. Kudo's.

[@billobrien3809]

Alan Page won the AP MVP in 1971.

[@dykhed6669]

LT was the 2nd defensive player to win the MVP Alan Page was the 1st

[@burtknighten1873]

Sent a telegram? Lol

[@markarnold933]

He was one of the reason for the super bowl win

[@texasstadium]

Dallas wanted Taylor in the worst way. No chance. The other teams quit trading with the Cowboys after the 1970's.

[@blkplaguelmc]

There's that music again