Jason Taylor

Taylor with theMiami Dolphins in 2009
Miami Hurricanes
Title	Defensive ends/Rush coach
Personal information
Born	(1974-09-01)September 1, 1974 (age 51) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight	244 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school	Woodland Hills(Pittsburgh)
College	Akron (1993–1996)
NFL draft	1997: 3rd round, 73rd overall pick
Position	Defensive end, No. 99, 55
Career history
Playing
Miami Dolphins (1997–2007) Washington Redskins (2008) Miami Dolphins (2009) New York Jets (2010) Miami Dolphins (2011)
Coaching
St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) (2017–2019) Defensive line coach St. Thomas Aquinas (2020–2021) Defensive coordinator Miami (FL) (2022) Defensive analyst Miami (FL) (2023–present) Defensive ends/Rush coach
Awards and highlights
NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2006) Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2007) 3× First-teamAll-Pro (2000,2002,2006) Second-team All-Pro (2001) 6×Pro Bowl (2000,2002,2004–2007) NFL sacks leader (2002) NFL forced fumbles leader (2006) PFWA All-Rookie Team (1997) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Miami Dolphins Honor Roll Dolphins Walk of Fame (2018) 2× First-team All-MAC (1995, 1996) NFL record Most career fumble return touchdowns: 6
Career NFL statistics
Tackles 788 Sacks 139.5 Safeties 3 Forcedfumbles 48 Fumble recoveries 29 Interceptions 8 Pass deflections 87 Defensivetouchdowns 9 Stats atPro Football Reference
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Jason Paul Taylor (born September 1, 1974)^[1] is an American former professionalfootball player who was adefensive end andlinebacker in theNational Football League (NFL), spending the majority of his career with theMiami Dolphins. He is currently the defensive ends coach for theMiami Hurricanes. Over the course of his 15-year NFL career, Taylor played for the Dolphins for 13 years in three separate stints (1997–2007, 2009, 2011), and also played a season each for theWashington Redskins (2008) and theNew York Jets (2010).

Taylor was a four-yearletterman and three-year starter playingcollege football for theAkron Zips before being selected by the Dolphins in the third round of the1997 NFL draft with the 73rd overall pick.

Taylor won the Dolphins Team Newcomer of the Year award during his rookie season in 1997, and from then on, quickly established himself as one of the league's best performing defensive ends and pass-rushers in NFL history. He is currently ranked first in Dolphins history for the most games played by a defensive player in team history, with 204 games (including a defensive team record 130 consecutive games), and is also the Miami Dolphins all-time sack leader with 131 sacks. Overall, Taylor is currently 7th on theNFL all-time career sacks list with 139.5 sacks. Taylor is tied for 3rd most forced fumbles of all time with 48, and is the all-time leader in fumble return touchdowns with six, and interceptions returned for touchdowns by a defensive lineman with three, while his 246 fumble return yards are the 4th-highest total in NFL history.^[2] With nine career defensive touchdowns scored, he is also the all-time leader in that category for defensive linemen. He officially announced his retirement on December 28, 2011.

Throughout his career with the Dolphins, Taylor won numerous team awards including a team record four Dolphins Team MVP awards (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006), and a team record four Dolphins Team Leadership Awards (2002, 2006–2007, 2009). Along with being a six-timePro Bowl selection, four-time first (3) or second (1) teamAll-Pro, a two-time NFL Alumni Defensive Linemen of the Year (2005–2006), and the NFL Alumni Pass-Rusher of the Year in 2000, Taylor was also a two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Year (2002, 2006), and was also named theNFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. He was named theNFL Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2007, selected to theNFL 2000s All-Decade Team, and enshrined into theMiami Dolphins Honor Roll in 2012. In 2017, Taylor was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.

Jason Taylor grew up aroundPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and played high school football forWoodland Hills High School. He washomeschooled from grades 10 through 12.^[3]

While attending theUniversity of Akron, Taylor was a four-yearletterman and three-yearstarter for theAkron Zips football team. He recorded 279tackles, 21 sacks, seven fumbles recovered, and threeinterceptions in his college career. He was a two-time first-team All-Mid-American Conference selection as a junior and senior, as well as anAll-America pick as a junior. As a junior, he played weakside linebacker and moved to left defensive end as a senior. In 1996, he earned National Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance againstVirginia Tech when he posted 12 tackles, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, three stops for loss and tackled apunt returner in theend zone for asafety.

Taylor also started for theAkron Zips men's basketball team. In 2004, he became the third person ever inducted into Akron's Ring of Honor. He majored in political science and criminal justice.

Taylor was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round (73rd pick overall) of the1997 NFL draft.^[5] Taylor signed a four-year deal worth approximately $1.3 million in July 1997. From there he established himself as one of the premier defensive ends in the league. He became a starter in his rookie season and recorded five sacks and forced two fumbles.^[6]

The following season, 1998, Taylor recorded nine sacks and batted away eight passes. In 1999 Taylor grabbed the first of his eight career NFLinterceptions.^[7]

On April 15, 2000, Taylor, arestricted free agent, received a one-year tender that earned him $1.027 million in 2000. Taylor responded with 73 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and 6 passes batted for the Dolphins that season. His performance was rewarded with his first selection to the Pro Bowl.

On July 24, 2001, he signed a six-year, $42 million contract to remain with the Dolphins. The new contract replaced the one-year, $5.39 million deal the Dolphins tendered Taylor in February 2001, when he was designated their franchise player. In 2001 Taylor recorded 70 tackles (15 for a loss), 8.5 sacks and swatted away eight passes.

In 2002, Taylor led the NFL and tied the Dolphin team record for sacks with 18.5. He also forced seven fumbles and knocked down eight more passes to go with his 69 tackles. He was a consensusAll-Pro selection and returned to the Pro Bowl. The next season (2003) Taylor followed up his All-Pro performances with a 13-sack season.

On March 1, 2004, the Dolphins, in an effort to create moresalary cap space, agreed to a three-year contract extension with Taylor. The extension put Taylor under contract through the2009 season. The new deal (which replaced his 6-year, $42 million contract that was scheduled to expire in 2006) was worth $45 million over the 2004–2009 seasons, including nearly $10 million guaranteed in 2004. In 2004 Taylor had 68 tackles, 9.5 sacks, batted 11 passes and picked off a pass. He followed that up with a 73-tackle, 12-sack showing in 2005. He also knocked down 10 passes and forced four fumbles.

Taylor enjoyed one of the best years of his career in 2006 when he recorded 13.5 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, and two interceptions (both of which were returned for touchdowns), an effort which resulted in his selection as the 2006NFL Defensive Player of the Year. On January 5, 2007, Taylor received 22 votes from a panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Taylor beatDenver BroncoscornerbackChamp Bailey, who received 16 votes.Shawne Merriman received six votes, and the winner of the award in 2005,Brian Urlacher of theChicago Bears, received four votes. Taylor was also named a consensus All-Pro for the second time in his career.

In 2007 Taylor reached double-digits in sacks for the sixth time in his career and picked off another pass (the 7th of his career, and the 3rd returned for a TD). Five of his FRs he has returned for TDs, which is an NFL record shared with formerAtlanta Falcons linebackerJessie Tuggle. With eight career defensive TDs (three on INT returns, five on FR returns), Taylor became the all-time leader in defensive touchdowns scored by a defensive lineman. He has also registered two career safeties and has two career field goal blocks.

In 2007 Taylor was voted to theAll-time Miami Dolphins team in a poll of Dolphins fans. He was a First-team selection at defensive end along withBill Stanfill.

Miami DolphinsGeneral ManagerJeff Ireland admitted that there were trade discussions regarding veteran defensive end Taylor.Jacksonville Jaguars coachJack Del Rio acknowledged speaking to the Dolphins about Taylor, "They had a certain price in mind and nobody in the league was interested in that price".^[8] On Monday April 28, 2008,The Miami Herald reported that Dolphin PresidentBill Parcells was displeased that Taylor skipped the Dolphins voluntary off-season workouts to be onDancing with the Stars and that when "Taylor walked into a room where Parcells was watching tape, and Parcells ignored him".^[9] Taylor was reportedly "incensed".^[10] Ireland, on Sunday, April 27, 2008, said that the Dolphins want Taylor back for the2008 season and regard him as a team leader.

On Saturday, April 26, 2008, TheSt. Petersburg Times reported that theTampa Bay Buccaneers had agreed to trade at least a second round pick, and perhaps others, to the Dolphins for Taylor. However, when the second round pick was traded to Jacksonville, the paper removed the story from its website. Buccaneers coachJon Gruden, when asked about trade talks stated, "There have been some trade rumors and I don’t think we’re any different than anybody else. When you’re talking about high-profile players, we’re going to pick up the phone and see what’s going on. It’s part of our job."^[11]

On July 20, 2008, Taylor was traded to theWashington Redskins for a second-round pick in2009 (Pat White was selected with the pick) and a sixth-round pick in2010.^[12] The trade came after the Redskins lost two defensive ends -Phillip Daniels andAlex Buzbee - to season-ending injuries on the first day of training camp.

On March 2, 2009, Taylor was released by the Washington Redskins for refusing to participate in off-season conditioning programs after claiming he wanted to be closer to his family in Florida.^[13]

On May 13, 2009, Taylor signed a one-year deal with theMiami Dolphins for $1.1 million with $400,000 in incentives. On November 1, Taylor set the NFL record for most fumble returns for a touchdown with a 48-yard return against the Dolphins' rivals, theNew York Jets, and extended his NFL record of most defensive touchdowns scored by a defensive lineman with 9 (6 on fumble returns, 3 on interception returns). In a game against Tampa Bay, Taylor also recorded his 8th and final career interception, which is second all-time for a defensive lineman.

Taylor signed with theNew York Jets on April 20, 2010, to a two-year contract worth up to $13 million with $2.5 million guaranteed.^[14] On September 19, 2010, he sackedNew England Patriots quarterbackTom Brady, giving him 128.5 sacks in his career, the 10th-most in NFL history. With 132.5 sacks at the end of the regular season, he was tied for 8th most sacks in a career with Hall of Fame linebackerLawrence Taylor and defensive endLeslie O'Neal.^[15] On January 23, 2011, Taylor played in his first Conference Championship game in his 14-year career and recorded 2 tackles while the Jets lost, 24–19, against thePittsburgh Steelers, falling one game short of the Super Bowl for the second straight year.

After one season with the Jets, Taylor was released on February 28, 2011.^[16]

On August 1, 2011, Taylor signed with theMiami Dolphins for a third stint. During a loss to thePhiladelphia Eagles, Taylor sackedMichael Vick twice giving him seven sacks on the year, and also giving him the sixth-most sacks in NFL history with 139.5, just ahead of Hall of FamersJohn Randle andRichard Dent.

On December 28, 2011, Taylor announced that he would retire at the end of the 2011 season. He played his final game on January 1, 2012, in a 19–17 win against his former team, the New York Jets. In the game Taylor nearly returned a fumble for a touchdown, before the score was overruled. After the game ended, Taylor was ceremoniously carried off the field by his teammates. Jason retired 6th on the NFL's all-time sack list with 139.5 sacks, along with 47 career forced fumbles, 29 fumble recoveries with an NFL Record six returned for TDs, and eight career interceptions with three returned for TDs. With nine career defensive touchdowns, he is the NFL's all-time leader in that category for defensive linemen.

Taylor appeared as a guest analyst for NFL Live on June 6, 2011. On June 6, 2012, it was announced that he would joinESPN as an analyst to contribute to NFL Live,SportsCenter, NFL32 and Sunday and Monday NFL Countdown. Taylor is a board member ofNFL Foundation.^[17]

On October 14, 2012, Taylor along with his teammateZach Thomas, together became the 23rd and 24th members to be inducted into theMiami Dolphins Honor Roll.

On February 4, 2017, Taylor was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming the 10th "long time" Miami Dolphin to enter Canton, and the fifth Miami Dolphin (joiningJim Langer,Paul Warfield,Don Shula andDan Marino) to do it his first year of eligibility.

Taylor has won numerous awards throughout his career, including the 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, two AFC Defensive Player of the Year awards (2002, 2006), and the 2007Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the only league honor that recognizes both on-field achievements and off-the-field contributions. Taylor is also a six-time Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2002, 2004–2007), a four-time First or Second-team All-Pro (2000–2002, 2006), a two-timeNFL Alumni Association Defensive Lineman of the Year (2005, 2006), and the NFL Alumni Association Pass Rusher of the Year (2000).

Taylor has also won the "AFC Defensive Player of the Week" Award seven times which is fifth most ever by a defensive player, for the following performances:

• 10/13/02^{[clarification needed]} vs. Denver: 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF
• 12/15/02 vs. Oakland: 8 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 2 FFs
• 11/23/03 vs. Washington: 9 Tackles, 2 Sacks
• 11/28/04 vs. San Francisco: 7 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR
• 11/27/05 vs. Oakland: 6 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 Safety
• 11/5/06 vs. Chicago: 3 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 FF, 1 INT returned for a TD
• 11/19/06 vs. Minnesota: 4 Tackles, 1 Sack, 2 FFs, 1 INT returned for a TD

Along with winning seven "AFC Defensive Player of the Week" Awards, Taylor has won three "NFC/AFC Defensive Player of the Month" Awards, which is the third most ever by a defensive player (trailing onlyBruce Smith andJohn Randle) for the following performances:

• October 2002 - 15 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 FFs
• November 2002 - 15 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 1 FF
• November 2006 - 9 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 FFs, 2 INTs returned for TDs, 1 blocked FG

Taylor has also won numerous team awards, including the Dolphins Newcomer of the Year Award (1997), the "Dan Marino" Team MVP Award a record four times (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006), and the "Don Shula" Team Leadership Award four times (2002, 2006–2007, 2009).

Taylor is currently one of two former Miami Dolphins (the other beingZach Thomas), where his jersey number (#99) while not officially retired, has not been reissued by the Dolphins since his retirement.

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• Week 1: Taylor and partnerEdyta Sliwinska performed thefoxtrot and received a score of 22 out of 30 from the judges.
• Week 2: Taylor and Sliwinska'sMambo received a score of 27. They were asked to perform the encore on the results show.
• Week 3: Taylor'sJive garnered a score of 23 from the judges.
• Week 4: Taylor and Sliwinska danced aViennese Waltz.
• Week 5: Taylor and Sliwinska performed aRumba, scoring a 27.^[19]
• Week 6: Taylor and Sliwinska danced theCha-cha-cha and scored a 24.^[20]
• Week 7: First, Taylor danced theQuickstep to a score of 29, then he and Sliwinska danced thePaso Doble to the NFLMonday Night Football theme for a score of 26. The combined score of 55 was tops among all dancing duos for Week 7.^[21] They were asked to perform their Quickstep as an encore on the results show.
• Week 8: Taylor and Sliwinska first danced theTango and scored a 29. Then they danced theSamba and scored a 23 for a total score of 52.
• Week 10: Taylor and Sliwinska danced and got their first perfect score 30/30 as they finished runner-up to winnersKristi Yamaguchi andMark Ballas.

In 2004, Taylor and his first wife Katina founded the Jason Taylor Foundation with the goal of improving the lives of children inSouth Florida. The foundation has launched the Jason Taylor Reading Room, anafter-school program aimed at increasingliteracy amonginner city children; renamed theHoltz Children's Hospital's learning center as "The Jason Taylor Children's Learning Center"; provided 11 sixth-grade students with collegescholarships through the Take Stock in Children organization; created the "Big Screens-Big Dreams" program to screen inspirational films for hundreds of student-athletes; and furnished 60 children with $300 back-to-school shopping certificates as part of the "Cool Gear for the School Year" program.^{[citation needed]}

Taylor has also partnered with theInvicta Watch Group and its CEO, Eyal Lalo, on a number of charitable ventures and was given the opportunity to create a collection of limited edition of watches. He said, "As a watch enthusiast and collector, I am excited to be partnering with Invicta on the development and launch of my collection of watches."^[22]

Taylor and his ex-wife Katina, who is the sister of Taylor's former teammateZach Thomas, have three children: sons Isaiah andMason, and daughter Zoe. Katina filed for divorce twice in 2006, citingirreconcilable differences and asking for custody of the children, but withdrew the petitions both times.^[23] The couple quietly divorced in Key West, Florida in 2015.

Taylor became engaged to Monica Taylor on July 2, 2019. They married on August 18, 2020. They were expecting their first child together, a baby boy, in August 2021.

Taylor lives in the Fort Lauderdale suburb ofPlantation.^[24] Taylor's sisterJoy Taylor is the former news anchor onThe Herd with Colin Cowherd onFox Sports 1. His son Mason played college football at LSU and was drafted by theNew York Jets in the second round of the2025 NFL draft,^[25] while his son Isaiah plays for the University of Miami after previously playing at Arizona.^[26]

Taylor coached atSt. Thomas Aquinas High School (Florida) for five years from 2017 to 2021, his first three as the team's defensive line coach, and his last two as the team's defensive coordinator. During Taylor's tenure, St. Thomas Aquinas High School won three consecutive state championships from 2019 to 2021. They won their fourth consecutive state title in 2022 after Taylor left the team to join theUniversity of Miami (FL).

In 2022, Taylor made the jump to collegiate coaching, joiningMario Cristobal's staff at the University of Miami (FL) as a defensive analyst.^[27] The following year in 2023, Taylor was promoted to being the team's defensive ends coach.^[28]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJason Taylor.

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