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

Kayvon Thibodeaux experienced a humbling moment at the New York 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 his 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.”

Thibodeaux’s 11.5 sacks last season represented a significant jump from his four as a rookie, though he did not record a sack over his final four games in 2023.

The blockbuster addition of Burns, a two-time Pro Bowler who just turned 26, should help take pressure off of Thibodeaux with opposing offensive lines now needing to account for both.

The Giants traded a second-round pick and a fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers to acquire Burns, then gave him a five-year, $141 million contract. Burns boasts at least 7.5 sacks in each of his five NFL seasons, including a career-best 12.5 in 2022.

“It’s not a big contact camp, but he’s been a hard guy to block in spring, regardless of what side he’s lined up on,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said of Burns during Thursday’s event.

“I’d say he’s an exceptional teammate. I know that Dex is happy that he’s here. [Bobby] Okereke, Thibs, a bunch of the guys. He’s fit right in with the group and with our culture and what we’re trying to build.”

Thibodeaux and Burns fit into new defensive coordinator Shane Bowne’s 3-4 base defense as the edge pass rushers who line up outside of three down lineman.

A preview clip of the offseason edition of “Hard Knocks” featuring the Giants that aired at Thursday’s event showed Bowen breaking down the importance of pass rushers in his scheme.

“I want guys that attack,” Bowen said in the clip. “We’re going to be structured by having four elite pass rushers up front. Four guys we can line up, put their damn hand down, go win.”

That conversation came shortly before the Giants acquired Burns.

“I don’t gas anybody up,” Thibodeaux said Thursday. “I talk a lot s–t, I’ll be honest with you. Brian Burns is nice. He’s legit. You talk about his leadership, his mentorship, him dropping gems and us being able to challenge each other, compete.”

Thibodeaux continued, “Right now, my girlfriend’s mad because I can’t stop talking about greatness. But I’m telling you, we’re going to achieve it.”

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