Tag: Fred Taylor

Gator great Fred Taylor: ‘I don’t think Tim got a complete fair shot in the NFL’

Former NFL running back Fred Taylor weighs in with his take on how things played out for one of college football’s greatest players. 

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Florida football legend Tim Tebow has a hard time staying out of the news despite not having taken an NFL snap since 2012 with the New York Jets. While he had a miraculous run with the Denver Broncos the year prior, taking his team to the playoffs despite copious criticisms of his abilities, his career sputtered out before some believe it really got a chance to begin.

The southpaw quarterback found himself in the rumor mill once again when it was reported he had tried out with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are now led by former Gators coach Urban Meyer, “worked out” as a tight end. Though there is no indication Jacksonville plans to sign or use the 33-year-old in its offensive scheme next season, Tebow’s resurfacing in the sports media has opened the opinion gates once again.

Former NFL Pro Bowler, fellow Florida alumnus and longtime Jags running back Fred Taylor recently weighed in with his take on how things played out for one of college football’s greatest players. Here is what he had to say, according to a recent CBS Sports article.

“I don’t think Tim got a complete fair shot in the NFL because most of the coaches were saying, ‘We need the prototypical NFL quarterback.’ And he’s not that. That was just before the zone reads and the offenses changed up. And I think if Tim had been able to hold on long enough to have those offenses come to fruition, and develop them as they have been the past couple years, I think you would have saw a better quarterback.”

So there you have it. According to Taylor, Tebow was simply a player ahead of his time, a victim of being on the cutting edge of the sport. Perhaps he is right — offensive and defensive schemes have evolved significantly over the past decade and there is a chance he could have eventually found his niche.

Unfortunately for him, time waits for no man.

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Fred Taylor discusses Jags’ additions of Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne

The former star Jags running back thinks the team did well in drafting the pair of Clemson standouts in the first round.

If there’s anyone that knows what it takes to succeed in Jacksonville, it’s Fred Taylor. Nearly inarguably the top player in franchise history, Taylor has appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot multiple times and finished his career with 11,695 rushing yards and 66 rushing touchdowns.

He also played with the best quarterback the franchise has ever had at the beginning of his career in Mark Brunell. So it should say something that even he is buying into the lofty expectations set for Lawrence. On a recent appearance on the “All Things Covered” podcast with Patrick Peterson and Bryant McFadden, Taylor compared Lawrence to another prospect who received “generational talent” hype — and lived up to it.

“Peyton (Manning) lived up to everything they thought he was going to be, and that’s what we all hope as Jaguar fans,” Taylor said. “We hope to get the same thing out of Trevor (Lawrence).”

Though Jags fans would certainly be thrilled if Lawrence’s career played out like Manning’s (who won two Super Bowls and was a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee), they’ll hope he has a stronger start than Manning. The former Jags rival threw more interceptions than touchdowns as a rookie, making his first season a rough one.

Luckily for Lawrence, he’ll have a familiar face to help him along. With the 25th pick in the draft, the Jaguars selected his college teammate in running back Travis Etienne. The move came as a pretty big surprise considering the production Jacksonville got from undrafted rookie running back James Robinson in 2020.

But Taylor said he understands the pick, saying that Etienne brings a level of dynamism to the franchise that it hasn’t seen since Maurice Jones-Drew was in his prime. Before becoming the Jags’ feature back, Jones-Drew spent the early part of his career as part of a 1-2 punch with Taylor, something Jacksonville could bring back with Robinson and Etienne.

“I’m okay with the pick, simply because he’s a guy that is very versatile,” Taylor said. “We haven’t seen that in Jacksonville, really since Maurice Jones-Drew. … There’s some quality in that selection, they are just going to have to find a way to mask what they didn’t get.”

Though Taylor is right that there were possibly higher-value targets still on the board when the team picked Etienne, practically all of them fell out of the first round, giving the team their pick of the bunch at No. 33 (which was ultimately used on Georgia cornerback Tyson Campbell).

Etienne may not have been a need for the Jaguars, but he adds another weapon to a young, up-and-coming offense that could be very solid in 2021 even if the defense continues to struggle.

Jags legend Fred Taylor selected for Senior Bowl Hall of Fame

Jags legend and former Florida Gator Fred Taylor is being recognized for his football career by the Senior Bow and will enter the games HOF.

While his potential enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame will have to wait, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor earned his way into another Hall-of-Fame this month. That Hall-of-Fame is located in Mobile, Alabama where Taylor participated in the popular all-star game known as the Senior Bowl. Now, 22 years later, he’s become an inductee for the the game’s Hall-of-Fame which game him his first glimpse of NFL like experience.

“We are proud to announce an incredible class of inductees,” Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy said in a press release. “Each of these men was a premier player in the National Football League at his respective position and all have the credentials to one day end up in Canton (home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame). We are honored to bring this group back to Mobile to celebrate their great NFL careers.”

Taylor, who was the Jags’ first round pick of 1998 out of Florida, ended his NFL career with 11,695 rushing yards and 74 total touchdowns over 2,534 carries. His rushing total is good for 17th on the league’s all-time list.

Upon the announcement of his induction, Taylor released the following statement.

“My experience at the Senior Bowl was a great end to my college experience and also my first glimpse into the NFL. The experience was priceless.  I am forever grateful for the opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl and honored to be selected to the game’s Hall of Fame.”

Alongside Taylor, Kansas City and Miami Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain, San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley, Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, and New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Cam Jordan were also inducted.

We’d like to congratulate Taylor on his achievement as there are many more to come.

This Florida football legend was named to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame

He joins four other notable names from the college football ranks, all of whom made major marks during their time in the NFL.

Running back Fred Taylor was among the greatest offensive backfield players in Florida football history and just recently was named for induction into the 2021 class of the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. He joins four other notable names from the college football ranks, all of whom made major marks during their time in the National Football League.

Here is what the talented tailback had to say about his experience in the Senior Bowl before embarking upon his professional career.

“My experience at the Senior Bowl was a great end to my college experience and also my first glimpse into the NFL. The experience was priceless.  I am forever grateful for the opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl and honored to be selected to the game’s Hall of Fame”.

Here is what the tweet above had to say, with corrections made for the errors in the original message.

A first round selection in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Taylor spent four seasons with the Gators (19951994-97) as a tailback, appearing in 38 games to collect 3,075 career rushing yards on 537 carries (5.7 avg) with 31 touchdowns. His career rushing yards and touchdowns are the fifth-most in school history.

A team captain during this senior campaign at Florida, Taylor tied a school record in 1997 when he joined Emmitt Smith as the only backs in UF history to open a season with five straight 100-yard rushing games.

Drafted 9th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 draft, Taylor would make an immediate impact as a rookie. He finished his rookie campaign with 1,223 rushing yards, 421 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns. Over his total NFL career, he left his mark by finishing 17th on the All-Aime rushing yards list with 11,695 yards, including seven seasons with 1,000-plus rushing yards as the Jaguars running back. He also recorded 2,384 receiving yards in his career as well as scoring 74 total touchdowns.

Congratulations to Taylor from Gators Wire and the entire Gator Nation for yet another well-deserved accolade.

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Maurice Jones-Drew says 2007 Jags should have gone to the Super Bowl

The former Jacksonville running back thinks the teams 2007 run ended too soon when it lost to the undefeated New England Patriots.

The 2007 season was one of the best in franchise history for the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the last time the team won 11 games, and the group stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in a cold January night game in the AFC Wild Card round.

The run ended in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots, who were coming off a 16-0 regular season, the first and only team to do so since the expansion to 16 games. But one key member of that Jaguars team thinks the run ended too soon.

On an episode of The Volume Sports Network’s ‘Catching Fades with Aquib Talib,’ former Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who alongside Fred Taylor led an explosive Jaguars backfield, said that the 2007 squad should have gone to the Super Bowl.

“When I got to the National Football League [after success in college] and I’m in Jacksonville, it was 2007. We used to have, they called it a Rookie Tuesdays and it’d be at a rookie’s house,” Jones-Drew said. “Everyone would come over, we’d gamble, watch TV hang out, just have a good get-together. We tried to keep that tradition going after, but that 2007 team – we should have went to the Super Bowl. We should’ve won it all.”

The Patriots, who won the Divisional Round game 31-20, went on to play in Super Bowl XLII, which they lost to the New York Giants in what remains one of (if not the) biggest Super Bowl upsets in NFL history. But Jones-Drew said the Jaguars had what it took to beat that New England team.

“We were right there in New England, we had them beat. Right. One play away,” the former Jaguar said.

“But what I loved about it was [former defensive tackle] John Henderson opened a club. We’d always meet at the club on Sunday after the games. Right. We went 11-5 that year and beat Pittsburgh twice in Pittsburgh, but it was a family-type atmosphere.”

Jacksonville couldn’t replicate its success the following season. Quarterback David Garrard never developed into anything more than a competent passer, and the team fell to 5-11 in 2008. It didn’t finish above .500 (or make the playoffs) again until 2017.

“But what broke us apart was money, right. We needed guys to get paid. They didn’t get paid, they ended up paying guys from outside that ruined it, but that year was special,” Jones-Drew added.

“That 2007 team, like we had it and we just we just messed it up right at the end but it was a great time.”

Though fans can only look back at 2007 and wonder what could have been, they’ll hope that the new regime will get the team back on track sooner  rather than later.

Former Gator, Jacksonville Jaguar Fred Taylor gets another nomination for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Fred Taylor, among the greatest running backs in UF history, was nominated for the second year in a row for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Gators running back Fred Taylor has been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second year in a row. Taylor, who played for the Gators under Steve Spurrier from 1994-97, had a 13-year NFL career that netted him 11,654 rushing yards and 66 rushing touchdowns.

At Florida, Taylor was a part of the national championship-winning team in 1996 as a junior. His senior season in 1997, he was a First Team All-SEC and Third Team All-America selection.

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him with the ninth pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and he played for them until 2008. He was a 1,000-yard rusher seven times during his NFL career, including the 2007 season, in which he made a Pro Bowl appearance and was a Second Team All-Pro.

Taylor was nominated for the Hall of Fame last year as well, along with offensive lineman Tony Boselli, the first draft pick in Jacksonville franchise history. However, neither of the players were selected to go into the Hall in Canton. Boselli was also nominated again this year.

Taylor may be a bit of a longshot to make the Hall of Fame, but if he did, he’d be the first Jacksonville Jaguar and third Florida Gator to do so, joining Jack Youngblood and Emmitt Smith.

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Former Gators running back Fred Taylor nominated for NFL Hall of Fame

Former Gators and longtime Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor joins the class of nominees for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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Former Gators and longtime Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor joins a star-studded class of nominees for the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Taylor will be competing with a number of legends of the game now in their first season of eligibility for the HOF, including Peyton Manning, Charles Woodson and Calvin Johnson.

A member of Florida’s 1996 national title team, Taylor played in Gainesville under coach Steve Spurrier from 1994-97. His final season, he was a Third Team All-American and First Team All-SEC selection.

Taylor was selected ninth overall by the Jaguars in 1998, and he played there until 2008. His best season was in 2007, when he was a Pro Bowler and a Second Team All-Pro.

He retired in 2010 after two seasons in New England, and he finished his career with 11,695 yards and 66 touchdowns on the ground.

Taylor has been eligible for the Hall of Fame since 2015, but he became a semifinalist for the first time last season. He wasn’t selected this year, but perhaps he could have better luck in 2021 and become the first Jaguars player to enter the Hall.

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Fred Taylor confident he’ll get in Hall of Fame eventually

Fred Taylor was once frustrated about being over-looked as one of the NFL’s top RBs. Now, he feels he will eventually be a Hall-of-Famer.

While the Hall of Fame has been a frustrating process for Jacksonville Jaguars fans, the belief is that someone from the franchise will be named to the group within the next five years. With Tony Boselli becoming a finalist for the fourth consecutive time last season some think he’ll be the first Jaguar voted in, but if it’s not him, it almost certainly will be running back Fred Taylor.

When asked about how he felt about his chances to be voted into the Hall of Fame by TMZ Sports, Taylor said that it’s “no doubt” in his mind that it will happen one day as he was named a semifinalist for the 2020 class. Unlike the fans of the Jags, he also stated that he has faith in the voters to make the right choice eventually.

It seems that Taylor is a little more confident in his chances to make the Hall of Fame now that he’s on the voter’s radar. Previously, he expressed his frustration with being under-appreciated back in 2017 but has made progress towards getting in the Hall of Fame since.

Taylor finished his career with 11,695 total rushing yards (good for 17th amongst all NFL rushers) and 66 touchdowns. He also had 2,384 yards and eight touchdowns as a receiver.

 

Afterward, Taylor discussed his thoughts on the quarterbacks competition between Gardner Minshew II and Nick Foles. He stated that he feels the locker room may be more behind Minshew simply because of the chemistry they’ve built with him, but did defend Foles who was hampered by an injury Week 1.

Former Jags RB Fred Taylor named to Hall of Fame semifinalists list with OT Tony Boselli

The Jags now have two players who could make the cut for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor has been vocal about his place in the NFL’s history and people are beginning to hear him. The Jags great was named to the Hall of Fame’s semifinalist’s list for the 2020 class on Tuesday, joining offensive tackle Tony Boselli in the process.

This year makes for the fifth consecutive year in which Boselli has been a semifinalist. He’s been named a finalist four times, including last year.

Boselli was the Jags’ first-ever draft selection in team history in 1995 and played for them until 2001. In 2002, Boselli was drafted by the Houston Texans in the expansion draft, but would later retire due to a labrum issue.

Boselli had 90 career starts during his time in Jacksonville under coach Tom Coughlin and went to five Pro Bowls. He was named an All-Pro three times and is a current member of the Jags’ Hall of Fame known as the “Pride of the Jaguars.”

Taylor played alongside Boselli during the early stages of his career with the Jags. His nomination as a semifinalist marks his first. He was drafted by the Jags in the 1998 NFL Draft (No. 9 overall) and spent 11 seasons with the Jags. Afterward, he spent two seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring.

Taylor finished his career with 11,695 total rushing yards and 66 touchdowns. He also accumulated 2,384 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a pass-catcher.

While it took a while for him to get recognition from the league, we ranked Taylor No. 1 on our list of the top-25 Jaguars of all time earlier in the year. Boselli was also on the list at the No. 3 spot.