_(cropped).jpg) Taylor in 2019 | |||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1941-09-28)September 28, 1941 Grand Prairie, Texas, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died | February 19, 2022(2022-02-19) (aged 80) Ashburn, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Dalworth (Grand Prairie) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Arizona State (1961–1963) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1964: 1st round, 3rd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| AFL draft | 1964: 2nd round, 9th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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Charles Robert Taylor (September 28, 1941 – February 19, 2022) was an American professionalfootball player who was awide receiver for 13 seasons with theWashington Redskins of theNational Football League (NFL). After playingcollege football for theArizona State Sun Devils, he was selected by Washington in the first round of the1964 NFL draft. With Taylor, the Redskins made theplayoffs five times (1971–1974,1976) and reached theSuper Bowl once (VII), after the1972 season.[1] A six-timeAll-Pro and eight-timePro Bowl selection, he was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
Taylor was born inGrand Prairie, Texas. He was the second of seven children, including four girls and three boys.[2] Taylor was raised by his mother, Myrtle, and step father, James Stevenson. His mother was a domestic worker, chef, butcher and restaurant owner. His stepfather constructed parts for airplanes.[2]
Taylor began playing sports in junior high school, and was playing football,baseball,basketball, and running intrack by the eighth grade.[2] He playedhigh school football atDalworth High School.[2] In track and field, he competed inhigh hurdles,discus,shot put, andlong jump. Although Dalworth did not have a baseball team, he played in a summer league. He earned all-state honors in both track and football.[2]
Taylor playedcollege football atArizona State University (ASU) inTempe as ahalfback anddefensive back.[3][4] He was selected to the All-Western Athletic Conference team as a halfback.[3] Following his final season with theSun Devils, Taylor played in theEast-West Shrine Game, theHula Bowl, and theAll-American Bowl.[3] He also played in theCollege All-Star Game against theChicago Bears in August 1964 and was named themost valuable player of the game.[5][6][7][8] In his three seasons at ASU, Taylor gained 1,995yards from scrimmage and averaged 5.7 yards per carry, while also scoring 25touchdowns.[9]
Taylor alsopitched and playedthird base for theSun Devils baseball team. However, during baseball practice, he was hit on a knee by a line drive, which ended his baseball career.[2]
Taylor was inducted into the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1975.[8]
Taylor was selected by theWashington Redskins as the third overall pick of the1964 NFL draft.[3] He was also selected in theAFL draft, taken ninth by theHouston Oilers.[10] Taylor signed with Washington and won theUPI rookie of the year award as arunning back,[11] and became the first NFL rookie in 20 years to finish in the top 10 in the league in both rushing (sixth with 755 yards) and receiving (eighth, 53receptions for 814 yards).[3] The 53 catches were a then-record for running backs.[3]
Although known as a successful running back, Taylor was switched towide receiver in1966 and led the NFL in receiving in both 1966 and1967.[3] He played that position for the rest of his career and had a record-tying seven seasons with 50 or more receptions.[3] In1972, he scored two touchdowns in Washington's win over theDallas Cowboys in theNational Football Conference Championship Game,[12] advancing them to their firstSuper Bowl.[13] They lost inSuper Bowl VII to the undefeatedMiami Dolphins.[13] In the season finale in1975, Taylor passedDon Maynard and became the NFL's all-time receptions leader with his 634th career catch on December 21 against thePhiladelphia Eagles.[14][15] Following Maynard's retirement in 1973, Taylor was the league's active leader in receiving yards for four seasons. He began 1974 with 7,470 yards, then 11th all-time,[16] and climbed up to 4th.[17]
Taylor retired following the 1977 season as the NFL's all-time leading receiver with 649 receptions,[18] for 9,110 yards and 79 touchdowns.[3] His career receptions record stood until 1984, when he was passed byCharlie Joiner.[19] As of theNFL 2024 season Taylor's 79 receiving touchdowns was still the franchise record.[20] With 1,488 yards rushing and some kick return yardage, Taylor totaled 10,803 combined net yards. Along with his 11 touchdowns rushing, Taylor scored 540 points in his career.[3] He was named first- or second-teamAll-Pro six times and was selected to eightPro Bowls.[3]
Taylor was named to theNFL 1960s All-Decade Team.[12] He was inducted into thePro Football Hall of Fame in 1984,[3] and was selected as one of the70 Greatest Redskins of all time.[21] In 1999, he was ranked number 85 onThe Sporting News' list of its 100 greatest football players.[22]
After retiring, Taylor was hired to work in the Redskins' front office withBobby Mitchell as a scout.[2] He became their receivers coach in1981, whenJoe Gibbs became thehead coach.[2] He served on the coaching staff through1993 underRichie Petitbon, but was not retained by new head coachNorv Turner in March 1994, ending three decades with the franchise.[2][23]
Taylor and his wife Patricia married in 1965. The Taylors lived in Reston, Virginia. They had three children, Elizabeth, Erica, and Charles Jr., and three grandchildren, Robyn, Jordyn, and Nathan.[2] He did speaking engagements and served as a consultant to the Commanders.[2]
Taylor died on February 19, 2022, inNorthern Virginia, at the age of 80.[1][24]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 1964 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 53 | 814 | 15.4 | 80 | 5 | 199 | 755 | 3.8 | 50 | 5 |
| 1965 | WAS | 13 | 13 | 40 | 577 | 14.4 | 69 | 3 | 145 | 402 | 2.8 | 39 | 3 |
| 1966 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 72 | 1,119 | 15.5 | 86 | 12 | 87 | 262 | 3.0 | 24 | 3 |
| 1967 | WAS | 12 | 12 | 70 | 990 | 14.1 | 86 | 9 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1968 | WAS | 14 | 11 | 48 | 650 | 13.5 | 47 | 5 | 2 | –3 | –1.5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1969 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 71 | 883 | 12.4 | 88 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 18 | 0 |
| 1970 | WAS | 10 | 10 | 42 | 593 | 14.1 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 1971 | WAS | 6 | 6 | 24 | 370 | 15.4 | 71 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1972 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 49 | 673 | 13.7 | 70 | 7 | 3 | 39 | 13.0 | 17 | 0 |
| 1973 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 59 | 801 | 13.6 | 53 | 7 | 1 | –7 | –7.0 | –7 | 0 |
| 1974 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 54 | 738 | 13.7 | 51 | 5 | 1 | –1 | –1.0 | –1 | 0 |
| 1975 | WAS | 14 | 14 | 53 | 744 | 14.0 | 64 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976 | WAS | Missed season due to knee injury | |||||||||||
| 1977 | WAS | 12 | 7 | 14 | 158 | 11.3 | 19 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Career | 165 | 157 | 649 | 9,110 | 14.0 | 88 | 79 | 442 | 1,488 | 3.4 | 50 | 11 | |
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| Division championships (15) | |
| Wild Card playoff berths (10) | |
