Chicago Bears defensive end Khalil Mack is establishing himself as one of the premier players of his generation. However, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is not ready to compare him to the likes of Hall of Fame linebacker and New York Giants legend, Lawrence Taylor.

In fact, he is not ready to compare any player to Taylor. Belichick was adamant about his status atop the NFL's greatest players, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk:

“Wait a minute, we’re talking about Lawrence Taylor now. I’m not putting anybody in Lawrence Taylor’s class. Put everybody below that. I have a lot of respect for a lot of good players, but we’re talking about Lawrence Taylor,” Belichick said.

Belichick's comments should come as no surprise. Belichick has never passed up an opportunity to give Taylor his praise. The two enjoyed great success together during their time with the Giants. Taylor undoubtedly made Belichick's job as defensive coordinator much easier.

The Bears superstar has undoubtedly been the been the best defensive player in the league this year. He also boasts quite the resume for a young player. However, he still has a ways to go before mirroring the type of career Taylor enjoyed. The Hall of Famer's laundry list of achievements includes two Super Bowls, 10 Pro Bowls, eight first-team All-Pro selections, an NFL MVP award, and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. It is easy to see why Belichick considers him to be in a class all by himself.

It is far-fetched to assume any player will be able to accomplish what Taylor did. However, Mack is at least off to a promising start. Although Belichick's mind will never be changed, it will be interesting to see if Mack can work his way into the conversation when it is all said and done.