The 33rd Team ranked the top 10 pass rushers of all time and only Reggie White was ranked above New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor.
This is what the 33rd Team had to say about the cross-town rival in the 80s.
Averaging an incredible 13 sacks a season, including a final year with only 5.5 sacks after taking the entire previous season off, Reggie White’s career had historic peaks and longevity. A superstar with the Philadelphia Eagles, totaling 124 sacks in eight years, including 21-sack and 18-sack seasons, White became the best NFL free-agency signing ever when he inked a deal with the Green Bay Packers at 31 years old.
At that point, White was supposed to be on the downside of his career, coming off six All-Pro seasons, but he was far from done. White spent six seasons in Green Bay, earning another two first-team spots. His 68.5 sacks in six seasons were punctuated by his final year, earning the 1998 Defensive Player of the Year Award with 16 sacks at 37.
Smith certainly earned the all-time sacks record, but he also needed four additional seasons to top White’s career mark of 198. White’s high-end impact throughout his career is the blueprint for how the position is judged historically, and there’s no better indicator of being the greatest of all time at one’s craft.
And this is what the 33rd Team had to say about the most dominant pass rusher of all time.
The title of best pass rusher of all time is basically a coin flip between Lawrence Taylor and Reggie White. Taylor revolutionized the outside linebacker position, proving to be far too explosive and violent to be contained. He was transcendent, and the fact that he ranks ninth all-time in sacks shouldn’t undermine his impact on the game.
Upon landing with the New York Giants from North Carolina, Taylor was an immediate star. The No. 2 pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, Taylor won Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year with 9.5 sacks. He finished his career nabbing an NFL MVP Award, two more Defensive Player of the Year nods, 10 Pro Bowls, and eight All-Pro nominations.
Although he didn’t have the longevity of some peers, totaling 18 sacks in his final three seasons before retiring at 34, Taylor’s peak might be the best we’ve ever seen from any position.
Taylor single-handedly changed the face of the NFL with his dominance at the edge position. He is accredited with the increase in value in offensive tackles and protecting the quarterback’s blind side.
The accolades to back Taylor’s case as not only the best pass rusher but also the best defensive player of all time are unfathomable. He is tied for the most Defensive Player of the Year Awards, winning one his first his rookie season and being the only player to ever do so.
Taylor also is one of two players to win the MVP as a defensive player, a feat that should not be taken lightly. Finally, Taylor catapulted the Giants’ franchise into relevancy as he led the way to two Super Bowls.
The first of these Super Bowls came during his 1986 season, which may be the greatest football season of all time. In that season, Taylor recorded 20.5 sacks in the regular season, won both the Defensive Player of the Year and the MVP, and recorded a 34-yard pick-six on a playoff run that led to the Giants winning their first-ever Super Bowl.
The Minister of Defense also deserves his flowers as he was a feared man throughout his reign in the NFL, finishing with 1,111 tackles and 198 sacks (second all-time). His dominance combined with his longevity was unparalleled and when you talk about the most complete and comprehensive body of work it’s no surprise that White takes the cake.
But in terms of their peak and the accolades to show from that period, it appears that Taylor has a little more silverware in his closet (one more Super Bowl, DPOY, and MVP) and is the slightly better pass rusher.
