New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor expressed frustration over the team's dismal performance in their season opener, saying he could "pick 22 of us right now and go out and play better than these guys."
New York Giants fans were left reeling after their team's embarrassing 28-6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, but it's not just the fans who are feeling down. Former players are also frustrated, including one of the franchise's greatest ever.
Lawrence Taylor, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and widely considered one of the best defensive players of all time, expressed his disappointment with the Giants' performance on the "Bleav in Giants" podcast.
Giants Legend Lawrence Taylor Offers Bleak Assessment of Team's Performance
"I can tell you when we were lining up to be introduced as the top 100 players, a guy who never really comments on games because he doesn't watch many of them was Lawrence Taylor," explained former Giants teammate Carl Banks. "He looked at me and — this is a true story, folks. If you want to know what we [the 100 greatest Giants] were thinking at halftime."
"Lawrence looked at me at halftime and said, 'Carl, I could pick 22 of us right now and go out and play better than these guys. We'd be in this game.' The youngest guy in that line was probably 50 years old. Lawrence Taylor looked at me and said, 'I can get 22 of us right now and go out there right now and whoop these guys' a--.'"
Giants Legend Lawrence Taylor Offers Bleak Assessment of Team's Performance
Taylor's comments underscore the frustrations felt by both fans and former players alike. The Giants, who wore their commemorative "century red" uniforms to celebrate the team's 100th season, were outmatched by the Vikings in every phase of the game.
Quarterback Daniel Jones, who signed a $160 million contract before last season, had a disappointing performance, throwing two interceptions and being sacked five times. The offense failed to score a touchdown, and the defense was unable to generate any pressure on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Giants Legend Lawrence Taylor Offers Bleak Assessment of Team's Performance
The Giants' lackluster display was a far cry from the championship-caliber team they were just a few years ago. Since their Super Bowl victory in 2011, the Giants have made the playoffs only twice, with their most recent appearance coming in 2022 under first-year head coach Brian Daboll.
Now, after one game in the 2023 season, it's clear that the Giants have a lot of work to do. Taylor's comments suggest that the team lacks the grit and determination that was once a hallmark of the franchise.
"To start your season off looking the way you did on both sides of the ball … you look like you're stuck in 2023," Banks said.
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