Brian Burns Ascends to NFL Top 15 Following Career Year
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The New York Giants linebacker earned No. 14 ranking in players' poll after leading the team with 16.5 sacks.
New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns has returned to the NFL's annual "Top 100" players list, ranking No. 14 in a poll conducted by his peers, as Sports Illustrated first reported. This ranking places Burns ahead of several established stars, including Patrick Mahomes, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Derrick Henry.
The recognition follows a career-best 2025 season where Burns led the Giants with 16.5 sacks, a figure that ranked first in the NFC and second across the league. Sports Illustrated reports that Burns' impact extended beyond the pass rush, as he recorded career highs in QB hits (31), tackles for loss (22), forced fumbles (three), and passes defensed (seven). He also matched a career high with 42 run stops.
Grant Gordon of NFL.com, cited by Sports Illustrated, noted that Burns has evolved into a defender that opposing offensive coordinators must specifically account for in their game plans. This evolution was highlighted by a two-sack performance against the Philadelphia Eagles that contributed to a New York victory in Week 6.
Despite the accolades and second-team All-Pro honors, Sports Illustrated notes some statistical discrepancies. Burns ranked 26th in the league with 53 pressures, and among players with at least 100 pass rushing snaps, his 7.3% pass rush win rate was 188th. While the outlet suggests some statistical regression may occur in 2026, Burns' rise is significant given he was snubbed from the Top 100 list in 2025 after appearing on it from 2022 to 2024.