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Kayvon Thibodeaux inspired by Lawrence Taylor, other great Giants pass rushers

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Kayvon Thibodeaux inspired by Lawrence Taylor, other great Giants pass rushers

Kayvon Thibodeaux experienced a humbling moment at the Giants’ celebration of their upcoming 100th season.

Speaking with Lawrence Taylor backstage at Thursday’s “Giants 100: A Night with Legends” event in Midtown, the 23-year-old Thibodeaux was quickly reminded of the lofty standards set by the Giants pass rushers who came before him.

“He’s like, ‘Man, how many sacks did you have last year.’ And I said, ‘11.5. Pretty good,’” Thibodeaux recalled on the stage at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. “He’s like, ‘What’d you play in, three games?’ When you have those shoes to fill, you have no choice but to be great.”

Now entering this third NFL season, Thibodeaux remains a building block as the Giants attempt to construct another ferocious front as the foundation of their defense.

The Giants hope the ascending Thibodeaux, whom they drafted No. 5 overall in 2022, and the newly acquired Brian Burns can generate elite pressure off the edges while All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence anchors the interior.

It’s an approach that’s paid off for the Giants in the past.

A linebacker group led by Taylor, Harry Carson and Carl Banks helped lead the Giants to their first Super Bowl championship after the 1986 season. Taylor and Banks delivered another Super Bowl title four years later.

Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora were then instrumental in the Giants’ upset of Tom Brady and the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl Super Bowl XLII.

Tuck, Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul were similarly essential in the Giants’ next Super Bowl win over Brady’s Patriots four years later.

“I’ve got the greatest guys to look up to,” Thibodeaux said. “Now, I just continue to set goals and accomplish them.”

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