No. 40 -- Lawrence Taylor ESPN SportsCentury : Season 1 Episode 13

Lawrence Taylor, nicknamed "L.T.", was a professional American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants (1981–1993) in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely considered to be the greatest defensive player in the history of American football. Taylor is the only NFL player to win the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in his rookie season. He won a record three AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards and was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his performance during the 1986 season.