Before he was head coach of the Patriots, Bill Belichick was linebackers coach and defensive coordinator of the Giants, where he spent 10 years coaching Lawrence Taylor. During that time, Belichick now says, he coached the best defensive player ever to play in the NFL.
Belichick made his comments on NFL Network’s program unveiling the Top 100 players in NFL history. Taylor was chosen as one of the linebackers.
“I had the honor of coaching the greatest defensive football player in the history of the game. He helped make me a great coach,” Belichick said.
Belichick recalled a 1981 playoff game when Taylor lined up as a punt gunner and forced a fumble, and Belichick says Taylor could have played anywhere on the field.
“This guy could do it all. Offense, defense, special teams. Wherever you wanted him to play, he could have been a great two-way player,” Belichick said.
For his part, Taylor appeared on the show and said he considers Reggie White the greatest defensive player in history.
“When I look at the best defensive player to ever play the game, I don’t put myself No. 1,” Taylor said. “I’m looking at Reggie White as No. 1.”