Sean Taylor

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL).

Taylor was born in Florida City, Florida, on April 1, 1983.

He spent his early years growing up with his great-grandmother in Homestead, Florida and later moved to his father's home at the age of 11.

Taylor was baptized at the Bethel Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florida City by Pastor David Peay.

He grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Miami, on a street lined with candy-colored houses.

Taylor played high school football in Pinecrest, a suburb of Miami.

He originally began his high school football career at Miami Killian High School, a Class 2A public school, but transferred to Gulliver Preparatory School, a preparatory school, where he was a three-sport star in football, track, and basketball.

Despite missing the first game of the season, the team's only loss, he helped Gulliver win the Florida Class 2A State Championship in 2000 with a 14–1 record.

Taylor was a star on both sides of the ball during that season, playing running back, defensive back and linebacker.

He rushed for 1,400 yards and a state-record 44 touchdowns and on two occasions, rushed for more than 200 yards during Gulliver's state playoff run.

He also compiled more than 100 tackles during the season and scored three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in the state title game victory over Marianna High School.

In track and field, Taylor won the state 2A 100-meter dash in 2000 and was also one of the state's top 400-meter dash sprinters.

Taylor was considered the top prospect in Miami-Dade County by the Miami Herald.

He was also rated the nation's No. 1 skill athlete and an All-American by Super Prep.

Taylor was also an Orlando Sentinel Super Southern Team selection, the No. 1 athlete on The Florida Times-Union Super 75 list and rated the No. 1 player in Florida by The Gainesville Sun.

Taylor was a member of their 2001 BCS National Championship team, and he won the Jack Tatum Trophy.

With the Redskins, he gained a reputation as a hard-hitting player and was nicknamed "Meast" from the expression "half man, half beast."

As one of only four true freshmen on the 2001 Miami Hurricanes football team, Taylor carved a niche for himself in Miami's secondary in nickel and dime defensive schemes.

During the season, Taylor was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Pittsburgh Panthers.

The Hurricanes won the national championship in 2001, and the 2001 Miami Hurricanes team has subsequently been ranked among the best in the history of college football.

In 2002, his first season as a starter, Taylor was a second-team All-Big East selection by the league's head coaches.

He finished third on the team in tackles with 85 (53 solo), broke up 15 passes, intercepted 4 passes, forced one fumble, blocked one kick and returned a punt for a touchdown.

He led all Miami defensive backs in tackles, interceptions and passes broken up, and had a career-high 11 tackles (2 solo) and intercepted 2 passes in the Hurricanes National Championship loss to Ohio State.

He made a critical play during the game, in which he intercepted Buckeyes quarterback Craig Krenzel in the endzone and returned the ball out of the endzone.

Buckeyes running back Maurice Clarett ran Taylor down, and in the process stripped the ball away from him.

Clarett recovered the ball for Ohio State, allowing them to kick a field goal to go up 17–7 at the time.

Taylor produced a historic season during his final year at Miami that culminated with a plethora of honors and awards.

He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL draft by the Redskins, where he played four seasons until his murder in 2007.

As a high school player, Taylor led Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship and set the state record for single-season touchdowns.

He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.

He made one Pro Bowl appearance in 2006.

During the 2007 season, Taylor was shot by intruders at his Miami area home and died the next day on November 27.

He received multiple posthumous accolades.

The season of his death, he earned his second Pro Bowl selection and was named second-team All-Pro.

In 2007, he was also named to the Florida High School Athletic Association's All-Century Team, which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state.

After his death, Taylor was honored at Gulliver by a plaque that was placed in the school's cafeteria.

Taylor was also inducted to Washington's Ring of Fame in 2008 and had his number, 21, retired in 2021.

The football field at Gulliver Prep was renamed Sean Taylor Memorial Field on September 5, 2009.

Taylor was recruited to play for coach Larry Coker's Miami Hurricanes football team at the University of Miami.

He was also a member of the Hurricanes track and field team, competing in events such as the 100-meter and 200-meters.