Legendary coach Invoice Belichick is aware of a factor or two about expertise on the professional stage. Like many different nice coaches, he hardly ever put a lot inventory in rookies. Besides one.
That was linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who burst on the scene with the New York Giants in 1981. In a current interview on The Pat McAfee Present, Belichick stated Taylor was the one rookie he ever coached who was prepared for the NFL from Day 1.
“Lawrence Taylor was a unique story,” Belichick stated, through Yardbarker. “Lawrence Taylor from Day 1 impacted the group, confirmed he was the very best participant on the sphere — method higher than everybody else — and (we) constructed a protection round him from that time going ahead. It’s often not Day 1 of (a participant’s) rookie 12 months. I’d say Lawrence Taylor could be the one exception to that rule.”
In 1981, the Giants chosen Taylor second total out of North Carolina, a godsend of a decide after the New Orleans Saints handed on him at No. 1 in favor of South Carolina working again and Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers.
Belichick was a particular groups and defensive assistant underneath head coach Ray Perkins and defensive coordinator Invoice Parcells. All Giants followers know the way this story seems, so there’s no sense in going by means of the glory days that got here whereas Taylor roamed the Meadowland.
Taylor was All-Professional and Corridor of Fame-caliber from the second he stepped on the follow subject that summer season. The Giants already had two Professional Bowl linebackers in Harry Carson and Brad Van Pelt, and one other stable one in Brian Kelley.
That’s why followers had been perplexed why normal supervisor George Younger selected to take a linebacker at No. 2 total as a substitute of attempting to repair one of many league’s worst offensive items.
However that questioning would finish rapidly as soon as they noticed the power and energy of Taylor, who reworked the Giants right into a contender virtually all by himself. It was a tremendous second in NFL historical past.
Few may ever bear in mind a defensive participant who had a lot impression on a group’s destiny, not even the good Dick Butkus. The Giants went from a doormat to a playoff group in Taylor’s first season.