A Better Late Than Never Tribute To Sean Taylor
The end of November marked 15 years since we lost the great Sean Taylor. Known for his passion, hard hitting, and unconventional ways, he was one of the best safeties in football during his short tenure in the league. Easily one of best players in the history of the Washington franchise, Taylor made it known that if you were coming in his air space that you would pay the price. Nobody was safe - even during the pro bowl as punter Brian Moorman can tell you. Check out his most iconic play here.
How It Started
Sean Taylor was one of the many high school football stars to come out of Florida. He played both ways as most did playing safety, linebacker, and running back. He was a dominate runner and even at a young age his will to win was unmatched. There is a famous clip of him in a game wide open in the endzone and he begins jumping up and down furiously to indicate nobody was on him. He ran for 1,400 yards and 44 touchdowns in the 2000 season which was capped off by a state championship. He also ran track and was recruited by Miami for both.
Once he got to college, Taylor decided he would solely focus on being a safety on the football field while running in the 100 and 200 meter in track, and at one point ran the 4x100 relay. The Hurricanes won the national championship in 2001 and he was a fixture on the defense until the end of the 2003 season when he declared for the draft. In his final season at The U, he had an amazing run with 10 interceptions, which led the country and tied a school record, and 77 total tackles - 57 of those being solo tackles which also led the country. Taylor’s three interceptions returned for a touchdown that season is still a school record. He was picked fifth overall in the 2004 draft where six Hurricanes were taken in round one, which was a school record.
Washington
It took a little time, but Taylor became a starting safety in Washington during the 2005 season. He was moved from strong to free safety and remained there for the rest of his career. Taylor was known for big hits and show stopping plays, and became a true enforcer at the safety position. He played the game like Ronnie Lott and from a hitting standpoint, they were very similar. He was also known to march to the beat of his own drum and was fined multiple times for late hits, uniform violations, etc. Taping the facemask was illegal but continued to do it. It became a signature style as did the tenacious style of play. Gregg Williams, his defensive coordinator in Washington called him the greatest athlete he had ever coached. His final season was in 2007. Taylor finished his career with 299 tackles, 12 picks, nine forced fumbles, and two sacks.
What Happened Next
Sean Taylor was known as someone who cared about his family and was generous with his money. In some cases, he kept bags of cash in his house and someone got wind of that. On November 26, 2007, there was an attempted burglary at his home with his fiancé and daughter. They escaped any harm, but Taylor was shot. His femoral artery (which is in the leg) was severed and caused blood loss which led to his death the next day.
Even years after his death, the Washington franchise has not done enough to honor him and keep his memory alive. Taylor’s number 21 was only just retired in 2020 and recently, a “statue” which was basically just a mannequin in the former team’s helmet and jersey was unveiled. It was disgraceful. The one detail that Taylor’s daughter very much appreciated were the soccer cleats since she and her mom played. While that was a nice touch, there so many missed opportunities due to laziness and lack of awareness. If the team felt this was the best thing to do, tape the facemask. How do you miss that? But the bigger issue is it’s not a statue. Pat Tillman got an actual statue depicting what was considered one of his signature moments. Looks like the people in charge of making this memorial wasn’t aware of that either.
Final Thoughts
Over the course of his career, Sean Taylor was sometimes considered defiant when he broke the rules and reckless because of the way he played the game. Let’s make sure he’s remembered for what he was - a damn good football player. Despite his short career, quality in this case matters more than quantity and that should warrant hall of fame consideration. If his own team won’t put in the effort to remember how great he was, then it’s up to us to carry that mantle. We cannot forget about Sean Taylor.