NFL greats recall dominant run defense of Giants LB Carl Banks

When recalling the nice defenses of the New York Giants again within the Invoice Parcells and Invoice Belichick period, the primary identify that rolls off the tongue is their legendary linebacker, Lawrence Taylor.

Different gamers who get recognition are Corridor of Fame linebacker Harry Carson and dominating defensive finish Leonard Marshall.

Carl Banks? He was good, too. Correction: Banks was higher than good.

The low-key Banks, the third general choice by the Giants within the 1984 NFL draft, was probably the greatest outdoors linebackers of his period. To today, many NFL historians and former gamers recount simply how good Banks was in Taylor’s shadow.

I’ve mentioned this earlier than and I’ll say it once more. Baldy as soon as informed me that Banks was probably the greatest OLB’s towards the run he performed towards and that groups sport deliberate to run away from him. Sure, even with LT on different facet.

— The Big Insider Podcast and Newspaper (@GiantInsider) February 11, 2025

The “Baldy” being referred to right here is Brian Baldinger, a former offensive lineman who performed for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Payments, and Philadelphia Eagles within the Eighties and early Nineties.

Baldinger, now an NFL Community analyst, is well-respected for his evaluation and, as a recent of his, can confidently say his first-hand accounts of Banks’ play are dead-on.

Banks, now a sport day radio voice throughout Giants video games together with Bob Papa, has garnered many an accolade through the years.

Papa tweeted out that the nice Corridor of Fame offensive sort out Anthony Munoz as soon as informed him that Banks “informed me the identical” factor about Banks that Baldinger had claimed concerning groups working away from Banks.

1987: The very best pair of OLB within the NFL within the 80s was @LT_56 & @CarlBanksGIII. They each made the Professional Bowl & named All Professional in 1987. Banks stuffed Herschel to sort out Dorsett for a loss & 3 performs later LT snagged a select of nowhere. LT then acquired a sack/fumble at Dallas #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/nPxiNSjipP

— BigBlueVCR (@BigBlueVCR) February 11, 2025

Banks is a member of the Giants Ring of Honor and was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Crew of the Eighties. He was an All-Professional choice in 1987.

Banks was a legend in faculty at Michigan State the place he was a three-time All-Large Ten choice. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports activities Corridor of Fame in 2011 and the MSU Athletic Corridor of Fame in 2012.

Banks was a semifinalist for the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2020.