Shawn Taylor

Shawn Taylor

Sean Michael Maurice Taylor (April 1, 1983 – November 27, 2007) was an American football free safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected fifth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, where he played four seasons until his murder in 2007. As a high school player, Taylor led Gulliver Prep to a Florida state championship and set the state record for single-season touchdowns. Taylor played college football at Miami, where he was a member of the 2001 BCS National Championship team and won the Jack Tatum Trophy. With the Redskins, he gained a reputation as a hard-hitting player and was nicknamed "Meast" from the expression "half man, half beast." He made one Pro Bowl appearance in 2006. During the 2007 season, Taylor was shot by intruders at his Miami area home and died the next day on November 27. His death led to an outpouring of national support and sympathy, especially in the Washington, D.C., and Miami areas. Posthumously, he earned a second Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors. Taylor was inducted to Washington's Ring of Fame in 2008. Washington would then retire his number, number 21, in 2021.

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