Lawrence TaylorNew York Giants · #56
Lawrence Taylor recorded 132.5 official career sacks and 41 forced fumbles over 13 seasons, all with the New York Giants. He won the 1986 NFL MVP, three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and two Super Bowls, entering the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Lawrence Taylor — the report card
Read his whole game at a glance, then dive into any skill. Grades are percentiles vs every active player at his position.
Where Lawrence Taylor stands
Live ladders from the Balladex models, and what he's chasing. Rankings recompute nightly from real production, accolades, and search demand.
Lawrence Taylor — every number, three levels deep
Headline → metric → the raw history behind it. Real career data; tracking-only metrics labeled.
How the model sees Lawrence Taylor
Projection = recency-weighted per-season production, nudged along a position aging curve, banded by his year-to-year volatility. No black box — every number shows its work.
Lawrence Taylor career stats, season by season
| Season | G | Tkl | Sack | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 DROY | 16 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 1982 DPOY | 9 | 7.5 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1983 | 16 | 9.0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1984 | 16 | 11.5 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 1985 | 16 | 13.0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1986 MVP | 16 | 20.5 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1987 | 12 | 12.0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 1988 | 12 | 15.5 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 1989 | 16 | 15.0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1990 SB | 16 | 10.5 | 1 | 3 | ||
| 1991 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1992 | 9 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1993 | 16 | 6.0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| Career | 184 | 0 | 132.5 | 9 | 41 | 0 |
The Lab
Every number, live and interactive. Real career data; models labeled.
Are the New York Giants built to win?
Team projection rolled up from the roster + last-season baselines — and what it means for his role.
The Ballad of Lawrence Taylor
Birth to now — the making of a legend, narrated and scored.
The beginning
Lawrence Taylor was a Giants linebacker who redefined the pass rush, won the 1986 NFL MVP, and posted 132.5 official career sacks.
Turning pro
Drafted 1981, Round 1 (#2 overall) as a Linebacker.
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Drafted 2nd overall by the Giants in 1981
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Named All-Pro as a rookie and DPOY the same year
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Won 1986 NFL MVP with 20.5 sacks
Off the court
- Height
- 6'3"
- Weight
- 237 lb
- Draft
- 1981, Round 1 (#2 overall)
- Born
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Age
- 67
- Jersey
- #56
Away from football, Taylor's life was famously turbulent, with public battles against substance abuse that he later chronicled openly. He remained a larger-than-life figure in the New York area, dabbling in acting and appearing in films and television while staying connected to the Giants franchise he helped define.
A relentless, instinctive competitor whose intensity on the field bordered on ferocity and made him the emotional engine of the Giants defense.
Lawrence Taylor — frequently asked
The questions people ask most about Lawrence Taylor, answered.
