Brian Burns: Everything you need to know

Burns totaled 67 tackles, including 16.5 sacks, along with seven defensed passes, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over 17 games during the 2025-26 campaign. Burns started the season on a heater with 5.0 sacks over his first four games and never looked back. His ultimate total of 16.5 sacks was as many as he recorded over the previous two season combined, established a new career-best mark, and ranked second in the NFL. Burns earned his third Pro Bowl nod for his outstanding campaign and certainly justified the five-year, $141 contract he received from New York in March of 2024.

Burns logged four tackles (two solo), including 2.0 sacks, during the Giants' loss to the Vikings on Sunday. Burns had been struggling as of late, failing to record a sack across his previous three outings but he delivered a bounce-back performance during the loss, forcing a J.J. McCarthy fumble that Tyler Nubin ran back for a touchdown. The 27-year-old is having the best season of his career, having already compiled a personal-best 15.0 sacks and will look to add to his totals across the team's final two games of the season.

Burns recorded two total tackles in Sunday's 34-27 overtime loss to the Lions. Burns finished with his least impressive statline of the campaign, failing to secure a solo tackle for the first time this season while his two stops marked a new low for the linebacker this year. Burns has been exceptional in his second season in New York, compiling 13.0 sacks, which is second only to Miles Garrett (18.0) through 12 weeks, and he'll look to get back on track against New England in Week 13.