Tag: Retired Number

Commanders to unveil Sean Taylor statue outside FedEx Field on Sunday

The Commanders will honor legendary safety Sean Taylor Sunday.

The Washington Commanders will honor late safety Sean Taylor Sunday at FedEx Field, 15 years to the day of his tragic death, the team announced on Tuesday.

Washington plays the Atlanta Falcons at 1:00 p.m. ET Sunday. At 11:45 a.m., the team will unveil the Sean Taylor Memorial. Washington will also launch the limited-edition Sean Taylor Legacy Project merchandise, and all Commanders’ players will wear No. 21 decals on their helmets.

Here is a release from the team.

Headlining the day, the team will reveal the Sean Taylor Memorial installation pregame at 11:45 a.m. on the main concourse outside of section 132. This reveal is the culmination of the Sean Taylor Memorial Project, launched on Sean’s birthday earlier this year that provided fans an opportunity to pay tribute to one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Sunday also will mark the official launch of the Sean Taylor Legacy Project limited-edition merchandise line that was designed and inspired by Sean Taylor’s daughter, Jackie Taylor. The collection includes a jersey, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and hats. The line will be available at the Commanders Team Store, A Fanatics Experience at FedExField, as well as online by visiting store.commanders.com. All proceeds from this merchandise launch will benefit gun violence prevention initiatives.

“Sean’s life was tragically cut short but his impact continues to reverberate through our Burgundy & Gold family,” said Washington Co-Owners and Co-CEOs Dan and Tanya Snyder. “This Sunday, on the 15th anniversary of his passing, we honor one of our greats and his legacy by unveiling a permanent installation, so his memory is always with us when we take the field on gameday.”

Taylor’s jersey was retired last season. Taylor’s No. 21 jersey is the third in franchise history to be retired, following Sammy Baugh’s No. 33 and Bobby Mitchell’s No. 49. Other numbers are not in use but not retired.

Taylor was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Late in his fourth season, Taylor was home in Miami while injured when intruders broke into his shot, shooting him. He died the following day.

Taylor was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was on his way to a legendary career with Washington. He remains one of the most popular players in franchise history and has inspired many of today’s safeties, such as former Washington safety Landon Collins.

 

Washington to officially retire Sean Taylor’s No. 21 on Sunday

The Washington Football Team will retire Sean Taylor’s No. 21 on Sunday.

The Washington Football Team announced on Thursday that it would retire former safety Sean Taylor’s No. 21 on Sunday during a pre-game ceremony before its Week 6 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Taylor, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft, played four seasons for Washington before his life was tragically cut short in Nov. 2007, during a robbery attempt of his home.

Taylor immediately became a star for Washington in 2004 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006. He was posthumously named to the Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro in 2007.

In just under four NFL seasons, Taylor started 55 games, finished with 299 tackles, 12 interceptions, eight forced fumbles and two sacks.

His No. 21 jersey has not been worn since his death, although it was not officially retired. Over the years, new acquisitions, such as Landon Collins, flirted with the idea of wearing the No. 21, pending team permission, of course, but it was always received negatively by fans.

In addition to honoring Taylor, the team will honor nearly 100 alumni during pre-game festivities. Washington will also rename the road leading to FedEx Field “Sean Taylor Road,” and his family will have the opportunity to visit his locker on the Club Level, which has been preserved since his last game.

Team president Jason Wright offered the following statement, per the team’s official website:

I came into the NFL the same year as Sean Taylor and immediately his athletic ability, resilience, grit, and relentless work ethic set him apart. I and many others looked to him as a role model. The fact that he was tragically taken so early hurt our player community, but also our fans, coaches, and staff. We will continue to remember him and hold him up as an example of professionalism and excellence, and we will all strive to mirror his excellence in our own ways.

Taylor was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2008.

The first 10,000 fans to enter the gates on Sunday will receive a commemorative Sean Taylor rally towel similar to the one initially created after his death in 2007.

Players will wear No. 21 decals on their helmets, and full-time staff members will wear a No. 21 lapel pin on game day.

Taylor’s No. 21 will be only the third number in franchise history to be retired.