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NFL Legend Was the “Only Guy” Who Instilled Fear in Michael Jordan: “Sh*t, I better be careful with this guy”

Published 07/03/2022, 10:30 PM EDT

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Michael Jordan was one of the fiercest competitors in the game of basketball. Right from his college days at UNC to his days in the NBA, Jordan was famous for his no-fear attitude. Jordan never backed down from a fight. And always wanted to prove he was the best player on the court, no matter his opponent. This attitude of his gave Jordan an aura around him that actually instilled fear in the other player’s heads.

Jordan was also famous for going tough on his teammates during practice because he expected them to play better. So when there came news about how Michael Jordan feared a certain legendary NFL player on the court, one could let it slide as hearsay.

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But what happens when the one telling the story is Buzz Peterson, Jordan’s college roommate and teammate at the University of North Carolina?

NFL legend who instilled fear in Michael Jordan

A resurfaced article covered Peterson’s interview, where he talked about this. He said, “There is one guy that I always thought, and I know to this day — I don’t know if Michael won’t admit or not, but I swear that he had a little bit of fear of — and it wasn’t a basketball player. It was a football player by the name of Lawrence Taylor.”

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via Imago

He further said, “LT, phenomenal athlete. Could guard east to west, as quick as anybody, could jump, big hands, strong, and was a bit crazy. So Michael in the back of his mind said, “Sh*t, I better be careful with this guy.” And LT always wanted to guard him.”

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Lawrence Taylor is an NFL legend and is generally regarded as the greatest defensive player in the history of the National Football League. He is also one of the most destructive players the NFL has ever seen.

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Jordan’s time at the University of North Carolina was a successful one. As a freshman for the Tar Heels, he was the ACC freshman for the year. But his moment to shine came in 1982. He led the team to the NCAA Championship. In the final game of the tournament, Jordan defeated GeorgeTown, led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing. Jordan made the game-winning basket in the dying seconds of the game to grab his side the victory.

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Written by:

Nirjhar Sharma

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Nirjhar Sharma is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He is a sports enthusiast who follows all major sports and has been watching the NBA for the past 7 years now. A firm believer in the 'Greek Freak' being the best player in the league right now, he believes that the Bucks are primed for another championship run unless the injury bug bites them.
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Edited by:

Jito Tenson