The Washington Football Team will retire the late safety Sean Taylor’s No. 21 jersey prior to Sunday’s home game on Oct. 17 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The ceremony will be part of alumni homecoming weekend, which will see Washington host nearly 100 former players at FedEx Field. Taylor was a two-time pro bowler in four seasons with Washington and a star on the rise when he was killed at the age of 24 in 2007 after being shot during an invasion of his Florida home.
Taylor will be the third player in franchise history to receive such an honor and will join Sammy Baugh (No. 33) and Bobby Mitchell (No. 49) as the only Washington players to have their jersey numbers retired. The team also announced that a road leading to the stadium will be renamed “Sean Taylor Road” and all of the Washington players will wear a No. 21 decal on their helmets during Sunday’s game.
“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,” Washington Football Team president Jason Wright told ESPN.
The free safety played three years with the University of Miami Hurricanes before being drafted in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft by the former Washington Redskins. Washington signed Taylor to a six-year, $18.5 million contract that included a $13.4 million signing bonus and could have been worth $40 million with incentives and bonuses had he not met his untimely demise.
Taylor was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2006 after he recorded 114 tackles, seven passes defended, three forced fumbles and one interception. He also briefly played with Washington wearing then number 36 before switching jerseys. The first 10,000 fans to enter the stadium will receive a commemorative Sean Taylor rally towel to celebrate the honor.
