Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 16, 1994 TAG: 9401160118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E4 EDITION:
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: SAN FRANCISCO LENGTH: Medium
After the Giants lost 44-3 to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs, Taylor made official the decision many had expected.
"I think it's time to pretty well call it quits," he said.
He said he had made the decision some time ago, although he had avoided making it official until Saturday."
"I've been to the Super Bowl. I've been to the playoffs. I've earned the respect of players and people around the country," he said.
Taylor, 34, retires with 132 1/2 sacks, tops among linebackers and second only to the 137 of Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White.
Taylor redefined the role of pass-rushing linebackers and was the model for countless other linebackers. When he came into the league in 1981, blitzing and pressuring the quarterback weren't the elemental parts of the NFL game they are now.
Taylor had planned to retire after the 1992 season, but he reconsidered after an Achilles tendon injury knocked him out in the ninth game.
This time, he says it's for real.
"I want to take a couple of weeks off. Maybe I'll look for Michael Jordan and play some golf with him," Taylor said.
He didn't finish his career the way he wanted, getting no sacks in a disastrous outing for the Giants' defense.
"At a point, I knew we couldn't stop them," he said. "Over the years, I've found a way to do something to stop a team."
Taylor made an NFL-record 10 Pro Bowl appearances, the last in 1990. In 1992, despite the injury that caused him to miss the final seven games of the season, he still led the Giants with five sacks.
An All-American at North Carolina, Taylor was voted NFL rookie of the year in 1981 and defensive player of the year in 1981 and 1982. In his first training-camp scrimmage, he had four sacks and a fumble recovery.
In 1986, he was unanimously voted the league's MVP, registering a career-high 20 1/2 sacks and 105 tackles. That year, he led the Giants to their first NFL title since 1963.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB