Standing not far from a couple of former players who sacked Tom Brady in Super Bowl victories, Brian Burns demonstrated that he has brushed up on Giants history in the two months since he was the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.
The Giants are known for having a lot of pass-rushers, right?
“A lot of great pass-rushers,” Burns interjected.
Good point. So, how can he, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence — three former first-round draft picks — be a trio that continues the tradition started by Lawrence Taylor and Leonard Marshall, and continued by Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul?
“That is soon to be found out,” Burns said. “As of right now we’re just trying to get better every day. With our combined status, the sky’s the limit. We can really do anything — and we’re all young, so hopefully it’s for years to come.”
Burns and Thibodeaux arrived together Saturday at the Dexter Lawrence Celebrity Softball Game, organized by Giants superfan Joe Ruback at Clover Stadium in Pomona.
It raised $60,000 for St. Christopher’s Inc. to aid disadvantaged youth.
A crowd of about 2,000 clamored for the attention of Burns, Thibodeaux and Lawrence as much as any of the championship-winning Giants alumni on hand, including Tuck, who totaled four sacks in Super Bowls XLII and XLVI, and Jay Alford, whose sack closed out the first of those two upsets.
“To see the love and feel the energy they are giving us,” Burns said, “they’ve got big expectations for this team, so I’m excited.”
Burns, 26, has 46 sacks in 80 career games and just signed a five-year, $141.5 million extension. Lawrence, 26, has 12 sacks in the last two seasons, is regarded as the league’s premier pass-rushing nose tackle and is signed for four years and $90 million.
Burns (No. 16) was drafted one pick before Lawrence (No. 17) in 2019.
“I love his game,” Lawrence said. “He’s obviously going to bring some good knowledge to the room. There’s no telling [what we’re capable of.] We’ve just got to keep feeding off each other and growing with each other.”
Thibodeaux, 23, is coming off a breakout 11.5-sack season in his second year as a pro and has attached himself to Burns’ hip, whether in the weight room or off-field fishing trips.
“We only work out together,” Burns said. “Any time he’s not around, I go grab him and we push each other because he’s trying to outdo me all the time. We’ll have to see about that.”
Burns and Lawrence actually go back as far as the 2016 Army All-American Bowl, when the two high school recruits were roommates.
“That was the biggest kid I’d ever seen in my life,” Burns said, laughing. “I still have a video to this day of me and him sitting on the bus together. He was taking up the whole seat.”
The 6-foot-4, 340-pound Lawrence hasn’t gotten any smaller.
The attention he commands on the interior is key to leaving Burns and Thibodeaux in one-on-one matchups off the edges.
“I’m excited for it because I know [defenses] have to really key in on him,” Burns said. “Also having [Thibodeaux] opposite of me, they are pretty much going to have to pick their poison on who they want to key or slide to. It’s going to free us up a lot in separate situations.”
Burns should be acclimated to his new teammates by the time he faces his old team (Panthers) on Nov. 24, in a game relocated by the NFL to Germany.
“I was a little bummed about that,” Burns said. “I wanted to go back to Carolina and play, but Germany is a new experience for me.”
The first look at Burns, Thibodeaux and Lawrence together will be Thursday, at a media-attended OTA practice.
Burns’ contract, which the Panthers were reluctant to give him through two years of negotiations, is the third-biggest among NFL edge rushers, which creates expectations to perform.
“I view it all as a blessing,” Burns said. “God put me in this position to do great things and inspire certain people. As long as I’m disciplined and stick to my routine, everything will work out how it should be.”
