Lawrence Taylor

Linebacker for the New York Giants Lawrence Taylor has sometimes been called one of the best defensive football players in history. An All-American during his career at the University of North Carolina, Taylor was drafted by the Giants in 1981, and he went on to play for the team until 1993. During that time, Taylor wracked up a record that continues to endure. But even as Taylor was setting records on the field, he was also the center of ongoing controversies, with drama swirling over everything from his salary to his admitted cocaine use. After retiring, Taylor began regularly appearing as a commentator and analyst on sports shows and acted in movies like Any Given Sunday and The Waterboy. He eventually gave up the hard-partying lifestyle he'd come to be known for and picked up a hobby in golf, sometimes appearing in celebrity tournaments. - Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide