Top 10 Linebackers in New York Giants History

Author:
Brian Lokker
Updated:
Dec 1, 2020
Original:
Sep 10, 2020

Giants linebackers Lawrence Taylor, left, and Carl Banks, right, douse head coach Bill Parcells with Gatorade after winning Super Bowl XXV.
© Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

10 Greatest Giants Linebackers of All Time

The Giants have had some great linebackers on their roster over the years, including three Hall of Famers to date. Six have been inducted into the Giants’ Ring of Honor, and several more have been selected to the Pro Bowl or received All-Pro honors or other accolades. Many other Giants linebackers through the years have been solid players even if they’ve been less celebrated.

Linebackers play one of the most demanding positions in football; it requires them to be strong and tough, yet quick and agile. The most successful linebackers are adept at reading offenses and being able to make snap decisions.

But comparing and ranking linebackers can be difficult. Some stats, like tackles, are often subjective or unreliable. And the linebacker’s role—and to some extent, the skillset he needs—varies depending on the team’s defensive alignment and his individual position: middle, inside or outside, right or left.

Ranking Criteria

Overall contributions to the Giants
Individual honors and accolades
Championships and playoff appearances
Defensive stats
“Big play” ability
Longevity with the team and consistency and reliability

Here is my ranking of the top 10 Giants linebackers, along with some honorable mentions.

10. Gary Reasons (1984–91)

Gary Reasons, a fourth-round draft pick from Northwestern State, was a key member of the Giants' strong 3–4 defensive units from the mid-1980s to the early '90s. He was the starter at left inside linebacker for five of his eight seasons.

During Reasons’ tenure, the Giants went to the playoffs five times and won two Super Bowls. In addition to his consistently solid defensive play, Reasons is remembered for his 30-yard run on a fake punt in the fourth quarter of the 1990 NFC Championship game, which helped the Giants beat the 49ers 15–13 and advance to the Super Bowl.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 122 games in 8 seasons (1984–91)
NFL All-Rookie Team: 1984
Super Bowl championships: 2 (XXI, XXV)
NFC Championships: 2 (1986, 1990)
NFC East Division championships: 3 (1986, 1989, 1990)

9. Antonio Pierce (2005–09)

Although Antonio Pierce played only five seasons in New York, he cemented his place in Giants history with his smart leadership and hard-hitting play at the middle linebacker position. With 139 tackles in 2006, he was named to the Pro Bowl.

The Giants made the playoffs in each of Pierce’s first four seasons, thanks in part to his defensive leadership. In the Giants’ remarkable run to the Super Bowl XLII championship in the 2007 playoffs, Pierce not only quarterbacked the defense but also made numerous big plays himself. He was credited with 25 tackles in the playoffs, with 11 of them coming in the Giants' Super Bowl win over the Patriots.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 69 games in 5 seasons (2005–09)
Pro Bowl: 1 (2006)
Super Bowl championship: 1 (XLII)
NFC championship: 1 (2007)
NFC East Division championships: 2 (2005, 2008)

8. Pepper Johnson (1986–92)

Pepper Johnson was a smart and reliable inside linebacker for seven seasons with the Giants. Playing with Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks on the outsides in the Giants’ 3–4 defense, Johnson was adept at putting pressure on the quarterback.

In 1990, Johnson had 3.5 sacks and 115 tackles to go along with an interception and three forced fumbles. He was selected for the Pro Bowl and named a First-Team All-Pro, and he won his second Super Bowl ring with the Giants. After his playing career, he won three more Super Bowls as an assistant coach with the Patriots.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 106 games in 7 seasons (1986–92)
Pro Bowl: 1 (1990)
First-Team All-Pro: 1 (1990)
Super Bowl championships: 2 (XXI, XXV)
NFC championships: 2 (1986, 1990)
NFC East Division championships: 3 (1986, 1989, 1990)

7. Brian Kelley (1973–83)

Brian Kelley was a versatile linebacker who excelled both in the middle and on the right side for the first half of his career, when the Giants used a 4–3 defensive alignment. When new head coach Ray Perkins switched to a 3–4 scheme in 1979, Kelley took the right outside linebacker position. With Lawrence Taylor’s arrival in 1981, Kelly moved over to the left inside slot as part of the famed “Crunch Bunch.”

The hard-hitting Kelley led the Giants in tackles each season from 1974 to 1976. He had 15 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries in his 11-year career, but the Giants had only one winning season with two playoff games during that span.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 143 games in 11 seasons (1973–83)
Playoff appearances: 1 (1981)

6. Carl Banks (1984–92)

The Giants drafted Carl Banks, an All-America linebacker from Michigan State, with the third selection in the 1984 NFL Draft. He soon established himself in the left outside linebacker position as an integral part of a fearsome linebacker corps that also featured future Hall of Famers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson on the right side.

A two-time Super Bowl champion, Banks was an outstanding run stopper who is credited with 627 tackles and 36 sacks in his nine seasons with Big Blue. In 1987, he recorded a career-high nine sacks and was named a Pro Bowler and a First-Team All-Pro.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 126 games in 9 seasons (1984–92)
Pro Bowl: 1 (1987)
First-Team All-Pro: 1 (1987)
Super Bowl championships: 2 (XXI, XXV)
NFC championships: 2 (1986, 1990)
NFC East Division championships: 3 (1986, 1989, 1990)
NFL All-Decade Team: 1980s
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2011

5. Brad Van Pelt (1973–83)

Brad Van Pelt was an elite multi-sport athlete at Michigan State. He earned All-America honors as a defensive back in 1971 and 1972 and received the 1972 Maxwell Award as college football’s player of the year.

Van Pelt had both size and speed and was a key player in the celebrated “Crunch Bunch” of Giants linebackers. In his 11 seasons with the Giants, he had 18 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries.

Van Pelt was selected for five consecutive Pro Bowls beginning in 1976, but, like Brian Kelley, he experienced only one winning season with the Giants. But there is no doubt that he earned a spot among the all-time best linebackers in Giants history.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 143 games in 11 seasons (1973–83)
Pro Bowls: 5 (1976–1980)
Playoff appearance: 1 (1981)
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2011

4. Jessie Armstead (1993–2001)

After three seasons as a special teams standout, Jessie Armstead earned a starting outside linebacker position in 1996. It was the first of five consecutive seasons with a team-leading 100+ tackles.

In his nine seasons with the Giants, Armstead had 778 tackles and was credited with 30.5 sacks. His career-best 132 tackles in 1997 helped propel the Giants to the NFC East title. He was selected to his first of five consecutive Pro Bowls, that season, and was named a First-Team All-Pro.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 144 games in 9 seasons (1993–2001)
Pro Bowls: 5 (1997–2001)
First-Team All-Pro: 1 (1997)
NFC championship: 1 (2000)
NFC East Division championships: 2 (1997, 2000)
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2010

3. Harry Carson (1976–88)

Harry Carson earned the starting middle linebacker job in his rookie season and played so well that he was named to the 1976 NFL All-Rookie Team. In the 1980s, he owned the right inside linebacker slot in the Giants’ vaunted 3–4 defense.

Carson was a superb run defender. He had 17 sacks and 14 fumble recoveries along with 11 pass interceptions, and he led the Giants in tackles in six seasons.

As the Giants’ sole captain in Super Bowl XXI, Carson had seven tackles to help secure the win. He earned nine Pro Bowl bids in his 13-year career, including seven in a row from 1981 to 1987.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 173 games in 13 seasons (1976–88)
NFL All-Rookie Team: 1976
Pro Bowls: 9 (1978, 1979, 1981–87)
Super Bowl championship: 1 (XXI)
NFC championship: 1 (1988)
NFC East Division championship: 1 (1988)
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Class of 2006
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2010

2. Sam Huff (1956–63)

Sam Huff, an All-America lineman at West Virginia University, became an immediate star for the Giants when defensive coordinator Tom Landry installed the rookie in the middle linebacker position in the Giants’ new 4–3 defense. As the anchor of the defense, Huff helped lead New York to the 1956 NFL championship and to Eastern Conference championships in five of the next seven seasons.

Huff’s approach to the game included the meticulous study of opposing offenses. He won plaudits for his individual efforts against some of the greatest running backs of his era, including Cleveland’s Jim Brown.

During his eight seasons with the Giants, Huff snagged 18 interceptions and recovered 11 fumbles. He was selected for four Pro Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 102 games in 8 seasons (1956–63)
Pro Bowls: 4 (1958–61)
First-Team All-Pro: 2 (1958, 1959)
NFL championship: 1 (1956)
Eastern Conference championships: 6 (1956, 1958–59, 1961–63)
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Class of 1982
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2010

1. Lawrence Taylor (1981–93)

Lawrence Taylor, the second pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, had an immediate impact on the Giants defense when he joined the team. Playing alongside his fellow “Crunch Bunch” linebackers Harry Carson, Brad Van Pelt and Brian Kelley, “LT” attacked offenses from his right outside linebacker position with great strength, blazing speed and superb athleticism.

Taylor helped lead the Giants to their first Super Bowl championship in 1986, when he had 105 tackles and a career-high 20.5 sacks. He was the unanimous choice as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.

He recorded 132.5 sacks and nine interceptions in his career. The Giants made the playoffs in seven of his 13 seasons and won a second Super Bowl in the 1990 season.

Taylor is widely considered the dominant defensive player of his era. The Giants retired his number the year after he retired, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Giants Career at a Glance

Games/Seasons: 184 games in 13 seasons (1981–93)
NFL Rookie of the Year: 1981
Pro Bowls: 10 (1981–1990)
First-Team All-Pro: 8 (1981–86, 1988–89)
NFL Defensive Player of the Year: 3 (1981–82, 1986)
NFL MVP: 1986
Bert Bell Award for Player of the Year: 1986
Super Bowl championships: 2 (XXI, XXV)
NFC championships: 2 (1986, 1990)
NFC East Division championships: 3 (1986, 1989–90)
Giants jersey No. 56 retired: 1994
NFL All-Decade Team: 1980s
Pro Football Hall of Fame: Class of 1999
Giants Ring of Honor: Class of 2010

Honorable Mention

John Cannady (1947–54)

In an eight-year career with the Giants, John Cannady had 14 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. “Big John” was a leader of the Giants 5–2 defense in 1950 when they tied for first place in the American Conference with a 10–2 record. He played in the NFL’s first Pro Bowl the same year and was selected to the Pro Bowl again in 1952.

Corey Miller (1991–97)

In seven years with the Giants, Corey Miller displayed his strength and versatility at several linebacker positions. When the Giants switched to a 4–3 defense in 1994, he became the starting strongside linebacker and held that job for four seasons. Miller had six interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 241 tackles in his Giants career. In his last season, the Giants won the 1997 NFC East Division title.

Harland Svare (1955–60)

Harland Svare was the Giants’ right linebacker for six seasons in the glory years of the 1950s, when their ferocious defense led them to win the NFL championship in 1956 and make two other trips to the title game to close the decade. Playing beside Sam Huff, the somewhat undersized Svare was known for his intensity and his football smarts. He became the Giants’ defensive coordinator in 1960—even as he was still playing—and in 1962 the Rams hired him as their head coach, the youngest in NFL history to that point.

Corey Widmer (1992–99)

Corey Widmer was a Giant for his entire eight-year pro career and was the starting middle linebacker for his last four seasons. He was known for his analytical football mind and his competitive on-field demeanor. Widmer had 7.5 career sacks, along with 385 tackles, including a career-high 103 in 1996. As a member of the 1997 NFC East Division championship team, he had six tackles in the Giants’ tough wild-card loss to the Vikings.

Who Will Be the Next to Crack the Top 10?

So that’s my list of the 10 best Giants linebackers plus several honorable mentions. Included are players on the roster every year from 1947 to 1963 and 1974 to 2001. Since 2001, only Antonio Pierce has cracked my top 10. Maybe someone will emerge soon to join the list. As a Giants fan, I hope so!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many linebackers have the Giants drafted in the first round?

The Giants have used four first-round picks to draft linebackers:

Jerry Hillebrand: No. 13 in the 1962 draft, from Colorado
Jim Files: No. 13 in the 1970 draft, from Oklahoma
Lawrence Taylor: No. 2 in the 1981 draft, from North Carolina
Carl Banks: No. 3 in the 1984 draft, from Michigan State

What is the Crunch Bunch?

The “Crunch Bunch” was the nickname of the Giants’ four starting linebackers from 1981 to '83:

#10 Brad Van Pelt at left outside linebacker
#55 Brian Kelley at left inside linebacker
#53 Harry Carson at right inside linebacker
#56 Lawrence Taylor at right inside linebacker

To promote their tough image, they created a poster of themselves sitting on a bulldozer, wearing their Giants uniforms and construction worker’s hard hats.

Kelley and Van Pelt were veterans who had been with the team since 1973. The 1983 season was their last as Giants. Carson and Taylor each played 13 seasons with the Giants, retiring after 1988 and 1993, respectively.

Who were the starting linebackers in the Giants' Super Bowl wins?

Super Bowl XXI (1986): left outside linebacker Carl Banks, left inside linebacker Gary Reasons, right inside linebacker Harry Carson, right outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor
Super Bowl XXV (1990): left linebacker Carl Banks, middle linebacker Pepper Johnson, right linebacker Lawrence Taylor
Super Bowl XLII (2007): strongside linebacker Reggie Torber, middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, weakside linebacker Kawika Mitchell
Super Bowl XLVI (2011): middle linebacker Chase Blackburn, weakside linebacker Michael Boley

Note: All stats are from Pro Football Reference.