Thank You Sean Taylor Thread...

[SouperMeister]

I didn't know much about Taylor coming out of Miami, pre-draft scouting reports aside. My brother is a Hokie, and told me that the guy is a once in a generation safety - a bigger, faster version of Ronnie Lott. Taylor immediately became my favorite Redskin, and in one of his first starts against Chicago, he made a huge impact with an INT and a sack.

From that game forward, I never wanted to miss the defense, because I knew that #21 might do something special on any given play. There were too many to name, but my favorite Taylor memories was the way he took big time WRs out of the game. T.O. was a non-impact whenever he faced the Skins with Taylor on the field. Same with Randy Moss - I fondly recall Taylor slamming Moss to the field after knocking away a deep throw down the middle of the field.

Then there were the game changing plays - the playoff clinching scoop and TD return against Philly in 2005, only to do it a week later at Tampa in the playoffs. I attended the Cowboys game in 2006 when Taylor recovered the blocked Dallas game winning FG and returned it to a position where the Redskins won with a FG the next play - a great play by a great player. It sends chills down the spine to hear Gibbs recount that play - the one player on his D that he would want to return a block in that situation, happened to get the ball. Taylor was just a dynamic player.

For those of you too young to recall U of Maryland basketball in the mid-80's, for me, this is so reminiscent of the Len Bias tragedy. I loved watching Len attack the rim the way Sean attacked opposing receivers and ball carriers. Both Sean and Len were freakish physical specimens who would have left a lasting legacy had they played full careers. I feel much of the same emptiness today that I felt on June 19, 1986.

Thanks for the memories Sean. I will never forget you.