Brian Burns Shines as Giants' Top Ranked Defender | New York Giants News

Brian Burns just soared to No. 14 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players of 2026 list — a historic milestone for the Giants, making him their highest-ranked defensive player ever on this player-voted countdown. He tied Jason Pierre-Paul’s franchise record with 16.5 sacks last season, but his breakout year was far from just sacks: he also led the team with 31 quarterback hits (most since 2006) and 22 tackles for loss, earning his third Pro Bowl and first with New York. Only eight players in NFL history have racked up at least 7.5 sacks in each of their first seven seasons — elite company alongside legends like Reggie White and DeMarcus Ware. Burns stays hungry, calling himself “paranoid” about performance and eager to push harder under the new coaching staff. This ranking isn’t just personal success — it’s proof the Giants have a true game-changer on defense. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4e315da627228fe6