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Giants Now: Lawrence Taylor to be inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame

GIANTS-NOW-JULY-1-2026

Lawrence Taylor recorded 73.5 of his 132.5 career sacks in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Now he will be inducted into the state's Hall of Fame.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame recently announced its next class of Jersey legends "whose accomplishments have shaped the world as we know it." The list of 13 inductees is headlined by the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker who was voted the No. 1 player in Giants history during the franchise's 100th season celebration.

The Class of 2026 also includes Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, in the "Enterprise" category; and Tom Weatherall, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish® New Jersey, in the "Unsung Hero" section. Both organizations have been longtime partners of the New York Giants.

The inductees will be honored at the 18th Annual NJHOF Induction Ceremony on Sept. 24, hosted by Danny DeVito at American Dream.

View photos of the New York Giants' Top 100 Players in franchise history, ranked by an independent committee, in celebration of the Giants' 100th season.

Taylor joined the Giants as the second overall selection of the 1981 NFL Draft and played his entire 13-year career for the team. When Taylor retired, he was the NFL's No. 2 all-time sack leader with 132.5. That total does not include the 9.5 sacks he accumulated as a rookie in 1981 before the sack was an official statistic.

Taylor established an NFL record by appearing in 10 consecutive Pro Bowls from 1981 to 1990. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1981 and a unanimous choice to the NFL's All-1980s team. He was also a unanimous selection as the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 1986, when he had a career-high 20.5 sacks, 105 tackles, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. No defensive player has won the award since him. Taylor was also named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team when the league celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The list of other Giants legends in the NJHOF include Eli Manning (Class of 2019-2020), Harry Carson ('18), Phil Simms ('24), Ron Johnson ('24), Tiki Barber ('23), Vince Lombardi ('08), Wellington Mara ('12), and Bart Oates ('18).

The best photos of Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, who was voted the No. 1 player in Giants history.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2026:

Arts & Letters

Big Joe Henry, "Livin' Large and Lovin' Life" New Jersey radio personality and philanthropist

Education, Research, Engineering & Science

Geraldine R. Dodge*, author, philanthropist, and benefactor of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

Thomas M. Eastwick, Founder and President of Eastwick College and the HoHoKus School of Trade and Technical Sciences

Enterprise

James E. Burke*, Former CEO of Johnson & Johnson

Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey's largest health network

Christopher J. Paladino, President of New Brunswick Development Corporation (DEVCO)

Performing Arts & Entertainment

The Rascals, American rock band known for top-chart hits including "Groovin"

SZA, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and Academy Award nominee

Public Service

Donald Milford Payne Sr.*, New Jersey's first African American elected to Congress

Governor Christine Todd Whitman, writer, former Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and New Jersey's 50th Governor

Sports

Dr. John J. McMullen*, Former owner of the New Jersey Devils and Houston Astros

Lawrence Taylor, Former New York Giants linebacker for 13 seasons

Unsung Hero

Tom Weatherall, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish® New Jersey

2026-5K

The Giants Foundation 5K & Kids Run

Bring your friends, family and neighbors out to run The Giants Foundation 5K Presented by Quest® on Sunday, November 8th and finish in the end zone at MetLife Stadium!

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