Taylor-Made: Jason Taylor's Legacy

Taylor-Made: Jason Taylor's Legacy


Kerry R. Thompson, Sr.

Fumble!!! Taylor picks it up and runs it in!!! What a perfect way to end a perfect career. Taylor’s fumble recovery had knocked the Jets out of playoff contention. But it was determined that the runner was down and they took the TD of the board. But that doesn’t change ANYTHING about Jason’s Taylor career, or the man that he became during his career.

Jason Taylor gave the NFL everything he had game after game. He sacrificed his body playing in every game from 2001-2007. Yet in his last game, ironically, it was the Dolphins that gave back to Taylor.
Jason Taylor’s career was littered with mediocre offenses and QB after QB; but Taylor’s performance never waivered, tallying over 8 sacks from 2001 to 2007. He constantly fought through countless offensive tackles and tight ends to wreak havoc in the backfield of opposing teams. Over his illustrious career, he amassed 578 tackles, 139.5 sacks 40 forced fumbles, 68 passes defensed, and 8 ints. The fact that every week he faced double teams makes these numbers impressive. But what is more impressive is that he took the same attitude to work everyday even though he wasn’t making the playoffs, winning the conference, or for that matter, winning games.

Taylor was an advocate for his community wherever he was playing football. His foundation (www.jasontaylorfoundation.com ) holds an annual celebrity golf tournament and benefits numerous charities. Just as late as Christmas day, Taylor was seen giving out gifts with his family at the local children’s hospital and celebrating with the kids in the cancer, burn units, and children born with deformities. He’s helped many kids through college with all expenses paid and raised millions of dollars for poverty stricken kids. There is a man with a heart of gold behind the menacing defensive lineman that QBs see. He was the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2007

Now honestly, that award is FAR more meaningful that the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award that Taylor won in 2006.

There will be many pass rushers that come into the NFL that may rival Jason Taylor in talent level, and maybe even rival his numbers. But let’s see just how many of them can work just as hard to be a leader off the field as they are on the field. This is when the man supersedes the athlete; and becomes Taylor-Made.