Golden Glory! Jason Taylor unveils his statue during the 2017 enshrinement ceremony.

Jason Taylor Inducted Into Hall of Fame

On his first year of eligibility, Miami's own Jason Taylor was inducted into the National Football League Hall of Fame.

Kevin Monjarrez, highlights contributor

Aug 17, 2017

On Aug. 3, Miami Dolphin defensive end Jason Taylor was inducted into National Football League’s (NFL) Hall of Fame. Taylor is now the tenth Dolphin to join the Hall of Fame, and the first one to be inducted since Dan Marino in 2005.

Taylor did not have a chance to start his competitive football career until college because he was homeschooled from his sophomore to senior year of highschool. Upon entry to the University of Akron, Taylor began playing for the Akron Zips, where he recorded an impressive 179 tackles, 21 sacks, seven fumble recoveries and three interceptions. While still in college, Taylor earned his first accolade, player of the week, for his performance against Virginia Tech. Taylor’s athletic talents were not limited to football, as he also played in the basketball team for the University of Akron as well.

Taylor entered his professional career when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1997 as the 73rd overall pick. The highlight of Taylor’s career was the 2006 season, when he recorded 13.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions which were both returned for touchdowns. This performance earned him the title of defensive player of the year in 2006.

The famed defensive end is also known for the records he set during his 15 year professional career. He is the all time leader for touchdowns scored as a defensive end, tied for most fumble recoveries, second for forced fumbles, seventh all time leader in sacks and most importantly, scored second place on Dancing with the Stars.

When asked about the reason behind his success Taylor responded by saying “I always had the fire burning inside to push myself and be the best”. During his career, Taylor excelled, not only by setting a number of records, but also by scoring nine touchdowns in a position where the average is zero. As Taylor progressed through his career, he demonstrated his talent on the field and will be joining the likes of coach Don Shula and quarterback Dan Marino in the Hall of Fame.