Giants Country

Giants Celebrate 30th Anniversary of LT's Jersey Retirement

Thirty years ago on this date, the New York Giants celebrated the end of an era with the jersey retirement of their best player ever.

Patricia Traina

Jan 9, 1994; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor (56) during the game against the Minnesota Vikings during the 1993 NFC Wild Card Game at Giants Stadium. The Giants won 17-10.
Jan 9, 1994; E. Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor (56) during the game against the Minnesota Vikings during the 1993 NFC Wild Card Game at Giants Stadium. The Giants won 17-10. / RVR Photos-Imagn Images
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There has never been another player in the history of the NFL like Lawrence Taylor, the legendary New York Giants linebacker, and Hall of Famer who went by his initials, "LT."

And there probably never will be.  

All Taylor, the Giants first first-round pick in the 1981 draft and the second overall pick that year, did during his 13-year career with the Giants was terrorize quarterbacks and force some of the greatest coaching minds into the game during that era like Bill Walsh of the 49ers and Joe Gibbs of the now Washington Commanders to come up with ways to slow down his relentless pursuit.

Those tactics, many of which are still deployed in the game today, included the introduction of an H-back to deal with Taylor’s blitzes (Gibbs), and switching from a running back to an offensive lineman (first a guard then later a tackle) by Walsh instead of trusting the job to a running back. 

Taylor owns a long list of accomplishments that includes the 1986 league MVP award, two Super Bowl championships, eight first-team All-Pro nods, 10 Pro Bowl berths, and inclusion on the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team, the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, and the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. 

The Giants retired his jersey number 30 years ago on October 10, 1994. 

Voted the No. 1 Giant in the franchise’s Top 100 players in franchise history, Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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