Sean Taylor
Career information High school: Miami (FL) Gulliver Prep College: Miami (FL) NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 Debuted in 2004 for the Washington Redskins Last played in 2007 for the Washington Redskins Career history Washington Redskins (2004–2007) Career highlights and awards 2× Pro Bowl (2006, 2007†) First-team All-Pro (2007†) Washington Redskins Ring of Fame 80 Greatest Redskins Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2003) Unanimous All-American (2003) † Posthumous selections Career NFL statistics Tackles 299 Interceptions 12 Forced fumbles 8 Quarterback sacks 2.0 Touchdowns 2 Stats at NFL.com Stats at pro-football-reference.com Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 2, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American college and professional football player who was a free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) for four seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami, was a member of the Hurricanes' 2001 BCS National Championship team, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Washington Redskins chose Taylor with the fifth overall pick of the 2004 NFL Draft. Due to his ferocious hits, several of his Redskins teammates nicknamed him "Meast," a portmanteau word from the expression "half man, half beast." Taylor died at the age of 24 on November 27, 2007, from critical injuries from a gunshot by intruders at his Miami area home. 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, and the Miami area, where Taylor had starred for the Miami Hurricanes, after leading Gulliver Prep to a Florida state high school championship and setting a state record for most touchdowns in a season (44). Tight end Chris Cooley and tackle Chris Samuels honored Taylor at the 2008 Pro Bowl by wearing his number 21 rather than their usual numbers. To honor Taylor in the first game following his death, the Redskins defense lined up ten players on the field against the Buffalo Bills leaving Taylor's traditional position of free safety vacant for the first defensive play.