Dexter Lawrence Responds to Giants Legend’s Criticism

New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence has fired back at the criticism of legendary linebacker Carl Banks, who earlier this week didn’t mince words in offering his take on Lawrence’s rather underwhelming 2025 season thus far. 

“Dexter Lawrence, nobody respects you anymore. Nobody,” Banks said on his Bleav in Giants podcast. “The pre-injury Dexter is not there in their heads. They don’t respect you. And there’s a difference. 

“You’re on the field, they’re blocking you with a [five]-year backup center. You’re not making a difference. The old Dexter would. There are a lot of things that go into your performance; only you know what that is. 

“Whether you’re still recovering or not, I’m just telling you now, I’m looking at enough tape to know that your opponents don’t respect you, not like they used to.”

Lawrence, understandably, wasn’t happy with Banks having aired his opinions publicly, calling the Giants legend "delusional" for his view.

“I don't really know what he's watching,” Lawrence said Wednesday after practice. He can say what he wants. I'm gonna keep doing what I'm doing, trying to help us get a win.”

Lawrence shook his head when asked if Banks’s words could serve as motivation. “Let's say this: I hope people start trying to disrespect me,” Lawrence said.  

According to NFL+, Lawrence has been double-teamed on a league-high 61.2% of his pass rushes this season, based on a minimum of 100 pass rushes. That makes it the second consecutive season where Lawrence has led the NFL in double-team rate. 

Coming into Week 8, Lawrence had seven pressures and zero sacks on 209 pass rushes for a career-low 3.3% pressure rate.

That’s a significant dip from a year ago, when, before his season-ending injury, Lawrence was not only leading all defensive tackles in sacks (9.0) and boasted the third-most pressures at the position (28), despite being double-teamed on a league-high 64.6% of pass rushes. 

Of the 28 pressures last year, half came against double-team blocks, per NFL+.  

Lawrence argued that numbers aren’t everything, something his position coach, Andre Patterson, opined a few weeks ago when asked about the two-time Pro Bowler’s sluggish start. 

“I think I'm doing what I can when I get the opportunities,” Lawrence said.

“Numbers (are) not everything–I've been an advocate over that last year, the year before that, the year before that. They are just something on the stat sheet. I think the way I play is disruptive, and you have people I play against that tell you the same thing.” 

Lawrence also shot down the theory that his dislocated elbow suffered last year was at fault for his sluggish start.

“My elbow is fine,” he said. “Check the numbers.” 

Lawrence said he was surprised that Banks chose to voice his opinion publicly rather than address it privately with him.

“Those words were strong words,” Lawrence said. “If that's how you feel, f– it.” 

Lawrence added that he’s not going to spend time fretting over what Banks had to say.

“I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing to get ready to win. That's it. I’ll keep preparing every week, getting ready to win and going out there and not getting respect,” he said.