Sean Taylor

For other uses, see Sean Taylor (disambiguation).

Sean Taylor

Taylor at Redskins training camp, August 2005
No. 21, 36
Position:	Safety
Career information
College:	Miami (Fla.)
NFL draft:	2004 / round: 1 / pick: 5
Career history
Washington Redskins (2004-2007)
Career highlights and awards
2x Pro Bowl selection (2007, 2008*) *Led voting prior to death and remained in lead throughout
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1 1983 – November 27 2007) was an American football free safety who played for the NFL's Washington Redskins franchise. Collegiately he played for the University of Miami, where he helped lead the Hurricanes to a national championship in 2001. Due to his ferocious style of hitting, his pro teammates had nicknamed him "Meast," a reference to half man, half beast.

Taylor died during his NFL playing career at the age of 24 from critical injuries sustained after being shot by an intruder at his Miami area home on November 26 2007. He died the following day at Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital, several hours following an emergency surgery at the hospital. Taylor's funeral service was held on December 3rd, 2007, at the Pharmed Arena at Florida International University.

High school football

Taylor played high school football at Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Florida, a suburb of Miami, where he helped Gulliver win the Florida Class 2A State Championship in 2000. At Gulliver, he was a star on both sides of the ball, playing running back (on offense) and defensive back and linebacker (on defense).

In 2000, Taylor rushed for 1,300 yards and a state-record 44 touchdowns. On two separate occasions, Taylor rushed for more than 200 yards during Gulliver’s state playoff run. He also racked up more than 100 tackles during the 2000 season and accounted for three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in the state title game victory over Marianna.

Taylor was considered the No. 1 prospect in Miami-Dade County by the Miami Herald and rated the nation’s No. 1 skill athlete and an All-American by SuperPrep. He 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 began his high school football career at 6A Miami Killian Senior HS, but left to Gulliver 2A where he could play both offense and defense. He is honored at Gulliver by a plaque which is located in the academy's cafeteria. Legend has it Taylor hit a kid so hard once in high school that the boy's helmet, the face mask and the screws, fell apart.

College career

University of Miami

2001 season

Taylor was recruited by the University of Miami Hurricanes, one of the premiere college football programs in the nation. Taylor enrolled there in 2001 and, that year, he was one of just four true freshmen to play for Miami in the 2001 national championship season. He carved a niche for himself in Miami's secondary in nickel and dime defensive schemes. In 2001, Taylor was named "Big East Special Teams Player" of the Week for his performance against the University of Pittsburgh. The 2001 season also proved a hugely successful one for the Hurricanes, with the team winning its fifth national championship since 1983, making them the most successful college football team of the past three decades with more national championships than any other Division I program during this period.

2002 season

In 2002, Taylor was a second-team All-Big East selection by the league's head coaches in his first season as a starter. He finished third on the team in tackles with 85 (53 solo), broke up 15 passes, intercepted 4 passes, forced 1 fumble, blocked 1 kick, and returned a punt for a touchdown. He led all defensive backs in tackles, interceptions, and passes broken up, and had a career-high 11 tackles (2 solo) and intercepted 2 passes in the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State University. One interception occurred on an infamous play where he was stripped by Maurice Clarett on the return, allowing Ohio State to retain possession.

2003 season

During his final year at Miami, Taylor produced a historic season that culminated with a plethora of honors and awards. He was a named a consensus first-team All-American, the "Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year" and a finalist for the "Jim Thorpe Award" given to the nation's best defensive back. He led the Big East Conference and ranked first nationally in interceptions per game (0.98) with 10, tying the record for interceptions in a season with former Hurricane standout Bennie Blades. He finished first in total tackles with 77 (57 solos). He intercepted two passes in Miami's impressive 28-14 win over the University of Pittsburgh, playing a key role as the Hurricanes limited All-American receiver Larry Fitzgerald to two receptions for 13 yards. He returned interceptions for an average of 18.4 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown return at Boston College, a 50-yard scoring runback at Florida State University, and a 44-yard scoring runback against Rutgers University. His three TD returns of interceptions is a Miami single-season record.

Lead blocker on special teams for Devin Hester.

NFL career

2004 NFL draft

Following Taylor's 2003 season, in what was his junior year, Taylor announced that he was entering the NFL draft, held in April 2004. Taylor was a first-round draft selection, taken by the Washington Redskins with the fifth overall selection. He also was the first University of Miami player drafted in 2004, which was somewhat surprising since there was a broad perception that Hurricanes' tight end Kellen Winslow II would be the first selection. Winslow, however, was taken was the next selection, the sixth overall, by the Cleveland Browns.

The drafting of Taylor by the Redskins in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft began a NFL Draft record of six players from the University of Miami being drafted in the first round, which is the record for the most players from one school being drafted in the first round of a NFL Draft (The other five players from the University of Miami that were drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft were Kellen Winslow II, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, Vernon Carey, and Vince Wilfork).

Pre-draft measureables
Wt	40y	20ss	3-cone	Vert	BP	Wonderlic
236 lb	4.51s	X	X	39"	11	10*

(* represents NFL Combine)

Washington Redskins

Following his 2004 selection by the Redskins, Taylor signed a seven-year, $18 million contract with the team.

2004 rookie season

On the field during the 2004 season, Taylor was successful, emerging as the Redskins' starting free safety by the third game of his rookie season. For the season, he had the team's second most interceptions, with four. In addition to his four interceptions, Taylor had 89 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack. He started for the Redskins in 13 of the season's 16 games.

Taylor's short NFL career, however, was overshadowed somewhat by controversy. He fired two of his agents, walked out of a mandatory NFL rookie symposium for which he was fined, and was accused of spitting on Cincinnati Bengals player, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who later called Taylor "a punk", during a 2004 game at FedEx Field. However, after an investigation, the NFL found nothing to substantiate the spitting allegation.

2005 season

Taylor continued his effective play in the 2005 season, finishing with 70 tackles, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble returned for a touchdown. In this year he became recognized as one of the hardest hitters in the NFL.

Taylor, along with fellow University of Miami and Redskins' teammate Clinton Portis, was fined $5,000 in the home game against the Philadelphia Eagles for violating the NFL dress code by wearing socks that did not match the Redskins' standard uniform. Portis was fined even more for additional infractions.

Taylor had ups and downs during a January 7, 2006 wild card game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although he scored a touchdown that proved to be the Redskins' margin of victory, he was ejected after spitting at running back Michael Pittman. He was subsequently fined $17,000, the amount of his game check.

2006 season

The 2006 season was arguably the most inconsistent of Taylor's career. He finished the year leading the Redskins' defense with 129 tackles, 1 interception and 3 forced fumbles. However, Taylor missed numerous tackles in his attempts to tackle the ball carrier and was exposed in coverage on several occasions. This was largely due to his defensive assignment, being forced to cover slot receivers, aid in double coverage, and make tackles near the line of scrimmage to help a struggling Redskins rush defense.

Taylor had his best game of the season in week 12 against the Carolina Panthers. Though he played well all game, his presence was felt most sharply in the final minutes, making a key 4th-down tackle and intercepting a Jake Delhomme pass to seal the victory. He earned NFL Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game.

Even while playing on a struggling Redskins defensive unit, Taylor's impact on the field was recognized when he was named a first alternate to the NFC's 2007 Pro Bowl team. When the first choice for safety, Brian Dawkins of the Philadelphia Eagles, chose not to play in the Pro Bowl due to an injury, Taylor was named to the vacated spot, marking his first and only Pro Bowl appearance.

2007 season

The 2007 season seemed to represent a personal turnaround for Taylor. Before the season in a rare interview he is often quoted as saying "...you play a kid's game for a king's ransom. And if you don't take it serious enough, eventually one day you're going to say, 'Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.'"

At the time of Taylor's death on November 27, 2007, he was tied for the most interceptions in the National Football Conference and second in the league with five despite having missed weeks 11 and 12 with a knee injury. Taylor also had 42 tackles and one forced fumble.

Prior to his murder, however, Taylor had been sidelined for two weeks and had returned to his Miami residence during his recuperation.

On December 18, 2007, Taylor was posthumously voted to his second Pro Bowl, becoming the first player in NFL history to be elected to the Pro Bowl after his death and the first player in any sport since Pelle Lindbergh of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers in 1986. He was elected to be the starting free safety over Dallas' Ken Hamlin.

Controversies

2004 DUI arrest in Virginia

On October 27 2004, Taylor was arrested at 2:45am for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol following a birthday party for former Redskins' receiver Rod Gardner. A Fairfax County, Virginia judge later acquitted Taylor of the charges in March 2005, after viewing a videotape of Taylor's roadside sobriety tests that, according to the judge, failed to demonstrate obvious intoxication. Taylor was, however, convicted for refusing to take a blood alcohol test requested of him by a Virginia state police officer. However, when this case was heard on appeal in March 2005, Taylor was acquitted of refusing to take the BAC test, with a judge ruling there was a lack of probable cause for the request.

Missing 2005 Redskins mini-camp

In May, 2005, Taylor, seeking a new contract with the Redskins, was the only Redskin who refused to appear for a Redskins' training mini-camp. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs acknowledged that the Redskins had had no contact with Taylor since he returned to Miami in January, 2005, and that he had failed to return repeated phone calls to him by Gibbs and other Redskins' coaching staff. Despite his legal and other difficulties, though, Gibbs has defended the drafting of Taylor, calling the preparation that went into his selection one of the "most researched things in the history of sports".

Taylor's agent was fellow University of Miami alumnus Drew Rosenhaus, widely considered one of the most aggressive agents then representing NFL players. Rosenhaus represented Taylor in his efforts to renegotiate his Redskins' contract up until his death.

2005 armed assault arrest in Miami

Events: On June 3 2005, Taylor was named publicly as a "person of interest" by Miami-Dade County police in regard to a Miami assault case involving firearms, and was being sought for questioning. "We need to speak to him, we don't know if he's a victim, witness or suspect," Miami-Dade police spokesman Mary Walters said. Taylor allegedly was present at, and possibly involved in, an incident on June 1, 2005 in Miami, in which bullets allegedly were fired into a stolen vehicle.

On June 5, 2005, ESPN and The Miami Herald both reported that Taylor, accompanied by his lawyer, surrendered to Miami-Dade police at approximately 10pm ET on June 4 at Miami's Cutler Ridge district police station, where he was transported to Miami's Turner Guilford Knight correctional facility. He was charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, a felony, and misdemeanor battery. Miami-Dade police issued a statement the same day, confirming the earlier reports. Taylor had allegedly pointed a gun at a person over a dispute over two ATVs that he claimed were stolen. Taylor then allegedly left the scene, but returned shortly and punched one person.

The Associated Press reported that Taylor was held in detention at Miami's Turner Gilford Knight correctional facility and released the evening of June 4 after posting bond of $16,500. The Miami-Dade County Clerk's Office announced that he would soon be officially arraigned on the charges.

The Washington Post reported on March 3, 2006 that Taylor's trial has been postponed until April 10, 2006. Days before that date, the trial was moved back once more, this time by a week, because of conflicts with Passover and Easter celebrations.

Armed assault plea agreement and resolution

On January 28, 2006, the Miami-Dade County prosecutor announced that he was filing new charges against Taylor, which would have increased his potential maximum jail time from 16 years to 46 years.

The new charges included increasing his felony assault charges from one to three, which reflected the allegation that, on June 1, 2005, he brandished a firearm at three individuals who Taylor believed stole two all-terrain vehicles from him.

The trial was again postponed on April 17, 2006 (to May 8, 2006), after the prosecutor in the case asked the presiding judge to be removed from the case. The County prosecutor's request for removal from the case came as Taylor's defense lawyers argued that the prosecutor was using the case to promote his side-work as a disc jockey in South Beach. Defense lawyers for Taylor entered a motion for the case's complete dismissal, due to prosecutorial misconduct.

On May 8, 2006, the prosecution requested and received another extension of the case, citing the new prosecutor assigned to the case and a need for additional preparation time. The trial was scheduled to begin July 10, 2006 in Miami but on June 2, 2006 the charges against Taylor were dropped as part of a negotiated plea bargain. Taylor donated his time to various charities and made $1,000 donations to 10 southern Florida schools in scholarships and, in exchange, would avoid jail time and a felony record.

Death

On November 26 2007, at 1:45 a.m. EST, Taylor was shot in the upper leg by an armed intruder at his Palmetto Bay, Florida home, where he had been recuperating from a football injury. His femoral artery was critically wounded. His long-time girlfriend Jackie Garcia hid under the bedding with their 18-month-old daughter, also named Jackie. Garcia then called 911 from her cell phone.

Taylor was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he underwent surgery. He emerged from surgery about 12:30 p.m. He had lost a significant amount of blood and remained unconscious and in a coma. His doctors speculated that he may have suffered brain damage due to the blood loss, and an unnamed Redskins source reported that Taylor's heart stopped twice during the emergency surgery.

On November 27 at 3:30 a.m., Taylor died at the hospital. The news was released to the media by Richard Sharpstein, a family friend, who learned the news from Taylor's father around 5:30 a.m, and by Taylor's agent, fellow University of Miami alumnus Drew Rosenhaus.

Police investigation

Earlier burglary

Eight days earlier, on November 18, Taylor's house had been burglarized in his absence. Media reports described the police reports of the circumstances surrounding the first burglary vaguely. Among the details noted were that the intruders pried open a window to climb into the home, went through the desk and safe that were located in the football player's bedroom, and damaged an air conditioning unit.

The police report was made by Taylor's mother, who checked on the home during his absence to learn it had been invaded. The police report did not specify if anything was stolen from the home, presumably because his mother would not know the contents of the desk or safe located in his bedroom. It is also reported that the three of the four suspects were at the earlier burglary.

Arrests

On November 30, 2007, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Miami-Dade police detained four people in the Fort Myers area for questioning in connection with Taylor's death. The Miami Herald reported that investigators believe the four learned of Taylor's house through someone who unwittingly set up the burglary by bragging about his wealth. Later that night, Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Linda O'Brien announced that four men: Venjah K Hunte, 20; Eric Rivera Jr., 17; Jason Scott Mitchell, 19; and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18; were arrested and charged with Sean Taylor's murder. Police director Robert Parker added that authorities had more than one confession, but would not elaborate.

All four men were charged on December 1, 2007 with felony second-degree murder, armed burglary and home invasion with a firearm or another deadly weapon. The charges could result in life sentences for the perpetrators.

Law enforcement theories

Police detectives who have examined the evidence and the crime scene suggest that Taylor was the victim of professional thieves who were armed and dangerous. Taylor's family, friends, and Sharpstein, who were most aware with the factual circumstances surrounding the two break-ins, agree with that contention. They point to the following known facts, none of which suggest a plot to specifically target Taylor but which combine to suggest he was the innocent victim of professional thieves who assumed the home would be empty:

• Very few people in the region, not even Taylor's father, knew that Taylor was at home.
• The intruders made lots of loud noises prior to attempting to break down Taylor's door, suggesting that they did not think the home was occupied.
• Taylor was shot in the leg, which could mean the attacker(s) had no intent to kill him. They may not have expected Taylor to be in his bedroom so they shot because they were surprised to see him and/or because Taylor had a weapon of his own, the machete.

Disproven rumors

In the immediate aftermath of Taylor's death, speculation on the internet and within the media suggested that the details surrounding Taylor's death were especially sinister. Among the rumors were:

• That a knife was left on Taylor's bed during the November 18 intrusion as a "message." Sharpstein recently clarified that the knife was a kitchen knife used by the intruders to pry things open during the first invasion and was tossed aside on the bed of Taylor's sister.

• That the phone lines to Taylor's home had been cut prior to the November 27 invasion in which he was killed. This was refuted by police investigators, who clarified that the residential phone simply was not working.

• That the intruders did not steal or intend to steal anything during either invasion of Taylor's home. The first police report did not address whether anything was stolen from Taylor's home. Although the police report mentioned that the desk and bed in Taylor's bedroom were rifled through, it did not specify if anything was stolen, presumably because Taylor was not present when his mother filed the police report to indicate if any of his belongings had been taken.

Media reaction and controversy

There has been criticism by some of the way in which Taylor's death has been covered by the media. Among the criticisms are that unsubstantiated and speculative statements by Rolle that unsavory individuals from Taylor's past who despised him for no longer associating with them garnered as much attention as did the observations of experienced police detectives.

There has also been a backlash against the pigeonholing of Taylor as a stereotypical victim of black-on-black gun violence and characterizing him as a troubled youth who was headed toward certain destruction because of his past transgressions, while ignoring the tragic and mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

Additionally, many of Taylor's friends, teammates, coaches and old associates have expressed outrage at the way he was characterized by the media, including derogatory references to the University of Miami's image as "Thug U" (the institution's label due to a series of deaths, arrests and criminal misdeeds by the university's players dating back to the 1980s).

Memorial Service

On December 3rd, 2007, 4,000 people attended Taylor’s funeral service held at the Pharmed Arena at Florida International University. The entire Redskins organization attended the funeral and took up a section of the arena, traveling the day after a home game against the Buffalo Bills and two days before another home game against the Chicago Bears.

Speakers at the funeral, which was nationally televised, included NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs, and current and former professional and collegiate teammates LaVar Arrington, Clinton Portis, and Buck Ortega. The Reverend Jesse Jackson and O.J. Simpson, whose children went to Gulliver Prep, Taylor’s high school, were in attendance. Also attending were Devin Hester and Greg Olsen, both of whom played with Taylor at the University of Miami, and numerous prominent University of Miami alumni, many of whom flew in for the service from cities around the nation.

Many of Taylor’s teammates were seen weeping throughout the emotional service. Taylor’s daughter sat in front with her mother and wore a pin with her father’s jersey number “21” on the sleeve of her dress. In one of the more memorable eulogies, Taylor’s uncle Michael Outar told the audience, “"I wanted him to play running back or quarterback and score all the touchdowns," said Outar. "The coach gave Sean No. 66 and put him on the line. Before the game he said, 'Uncle Michael, what do I do?' I said, 'Hit the guy with the ball.' And that's what he did, over and over."

Taylor was buried near his Palmetto Bay, Florida home.

Honoring Taylor's memory

National Football League

The NFL recognized the death of Taylor by placing a #21 sticker on the back of most NFL players' helmets beginning Week 13, as well as having a moment of silence before each game played that week. The stickers will remain through the end of the season, as well as the New England Patriots (who wear #91 to commemorate their teammate Marquise Hill who died in a jet-skiing accident in the summer of 2007). Taylor was posthumously voted starting free safety for the NFC team for the 2008 Pro Bowl.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins had the number 21 painted on the field, a parking lot entrance and the Redskins Hall of Fame, all three of which became makeshift memorials. In addition to the black #21 sticker on the back of every NFL helmet, the Redskins wore it as a patch on player uniforms, warm-up shirts and coaching staff jackets, as well as unveiling a banner bearing his name and number. The organization also established a trust fund for Taylor's daughter, Jackie.

The first game after Taylor's death, against the Buffalo Bills on December 2, was hosted at FedEx Field. The game began with the Redskins defense playing with 10 men on the field instead of the usual 11, and saw players signaling to the sky, holding up the numbers two and one on numerous occasions. The team requested everyone arrive 25 minutes before the start of the game at 12:40 p.m. and played a four-minute remembrance video, held a moment of silence, and gave attendees commemorative towels with Taylor's number on them in honor and memory of Taylor.

University of Miami

At the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, a giant banner honoring Taylor and signed by students and alumni was displayed in the student union breezway, and a candlelight vigil was held in his honor the evening of December 2, 2007.

Sean Taylor's funeral was held at nearby Florida International University at the Pharmed Arena on December 3, 2007 instead of at the BankUnited Center on the University of Miami campus, due to a previously scheduled event later that week. This led to further criticism by local area fans, which had been frustrated with the university and it's administration since announcing the abandonment of the Miami Orange Bowl earlier in the 2007 season.

External links

• Sean Taylor biography at NNDB.
• Sean Taylor profile and statistics at ESPN.com.
• Sean Taylor memorial at Sports Enyclopedia.
• Biography and photo of Jackie Garcia, Sean Taylor's girlfriend, at University of Miami women's soccer page.
• "Family Ties Offer Link in Taylor Killing," The Washington Post, December 2, 2007.
• "Fourth Taylor Suspect Appears in Court, Denied Bond," The Washington Post, December 2, 2007.
• Sean Taylor Video Tribute.