Sean Taylor

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was a free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. As a high-school player, Taylor led Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship and rushed for a state record 44 touchdowns in a season. He subsequently played college football as a defensive back for the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Hurricanes’ 2001 BCS National Championship team. He died in a car crash in Miami, Florida on September 5, 2009.

About Sean Taylor in brief

Summary Sean TaylorSean Michael Maurice Taylor was a free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. As a high-school player, Taylor led Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship and rushed for a state record 44 touchdowns in a season. He subsequently played college football as a defensive back for the University of Miami, where he was a member of the Hurricanes’ 2001 BCS National Championship team. Taylor’s success in college led to him being selected in the first round of the 2004 draft by Redskins where he gained a reputation as a hard-hitting player. He made one Pro Bowl appearance in 2006. During the 2007 NFL season, Taylor was shot by intruders at his Miami area home and died the next day on November 27. His death led to an outpouring of national support and sympathy, especially in the Washington, D. C. area, where Taylor had been a fan favorite as a Redskin. Posthumously, he earned a second Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro honors. Taylor was considered the No. 1 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. In 2007, he was also named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team, which selected the Top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state. In track & field, Taylor won the state 2A 100-meter dash in 2000 and was also one of the state’s top 400-meter sprint sprinters.

He also competed in events such as the 100 and 200-meters for the Miami Hurricanes football team, as well as the track and field team, for the Florida Gators. He played both offense and defense for Miami Killian High School, a Class 2A public school, but transferred to GullIVER Preparatory School. His championship HS team was coached by Steve Howey, Ralph Ortega, Dirk Moran, Lee Horn, Dave Burns, and John McCloskey. He finished third on the team in tackles with 85, broke up 15 passes, intercepted one kick, forced one fumble, blocked one kick and returned a punt for a touchdown. In his first season as a starter for the Hurricanes, Taylor was a second-team All-Big East selection by the league’s head coaches’ head coaches. He was also a teammate of future NFL player Buck OrteGA. He died in a car crash in Miami, Florida on September 5, 2009. He leaves behind a wife and two children. He is survived by his mother, two brothers and a brother-in-law, and a step-son. His funeral was held in Miami on September 11, 2009, at the Miami Beach, Florida, home of former Miami Hurricanes coach Larry Coker. The football field at Gullivers Prep was renamed Sean Taylor Memorial Field in his honor. Taylor also served as a captain of the Miami Dolphins football team.