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| Fred Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fred Taylor |
| Birth date | February 3, 1976 |
| Birth place | Albany, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in |
| Weight | 210 lb |
| Position | Running back |
| College | University of Florida |
| Drafted | 1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9 |
| Teams | Jacksonville Jaguars (1998–2008), New England Patriots (2009) |
Fred Taylor
Frederick Antwon Taylor (born February 3, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons. He played college football for the Florida Gators and was selected in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, later finishing his career with the New England Patriots. Taylor is noted for his combination of speed and elusiveness, earning Pro Bowl recognition and ranking among the NFL's all-time leaders in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns at retirement.
Taylor was born in Albany, Georgia and raised in a sports-oriented family in the United States. He attended Westover High School (Albany, Georgia) where he excelled in high school football, attracting recruiting attention from major collegiate programs including the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the University of Georgia. His performances in Georgia high school football earned him statewide recognition and invitations to regional camps and combines.
Taylor attended the University of Florida and played for the Gators under head coaches Steve Spurrier and later Ron Zook during his collegiate tenure. He emerged as a leading rusher in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), earning All-SEC honors and national attention alongside teammates who later joined the NFL. Taylor's collegiate highlights included standout games against rivals such as the Tennessee Volunteers and the Florida State Seminoles, contributing to bowl game appearances and rankings in the AP Poll.
Taylor was selected ninth overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He made an immediate impact with the Jaguars, partnering in the backfield with teammates and contributing to playoff runs that included appearances in the NFL playoffs and matchups versus teams like the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. Despite injuries during portions of his tenure, Taylor compiled multiple 1,000-yard seasons and earned a selection to the Pro Bowl in recognition of his performance alongside contemporaries such as Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson. In 2009 he signed with the New England Patriots and contributed in a supporting role to the Patriots' roster overseen by head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
Taylor's playing style combined top-end speed with lateral agility, comparable in style to backs like Barry Sanders and Warrick Dunn in terms of elusiveness and open-field vision. Coaches and analysts frequently cited his acceleration, cutback ability, and balance, which allowed him to thrive in both inside-zone and outside-zone rushing schemes implemented by NFL coordinators such as Norv Turner and personnel structures under general managers like Tom Coughlin. His legacy includes influencing subsequent generations of running backs who emphasized yards-after-contact and missed-tackle rates, and he is often mentioned in discussions alongside historic rushers like Emmitt Smith and Curtis Martin.
Taylor has maintained residency in Florida and has been involved with community activities in Jacksonville, Florida and his hometown of Albany, Georgia. He has family connections in athletics and has supported youth sports programs and local charities tied to organizations including regional chapters of national philanthropic groups and former teammates turned entrepreneurs. Taylor has also been noted for mentorship relationships with younger players from the University of Florida pipeline and NFL rookies entering the league.
During his NFL career, Taylor accumulated career rushing yards that placed him among the league's all-time leaders at the time of his retirement and amassed significant rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yardage. He earned selections such as the Pro Bowl and received team honors from the Jacksonville Jaguars for his contributions. Collegiately, he received All-SEC recognition and was featured in postseason awards discussions and bowl game all-star listings.
After retiring from professional play, Taylor has participated in broadcasting engagements, alumni events for the University of Florida and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and charitable functions tied to sports foundations. He has appeared in interviews on sports media platforms discussing historical NFL seasons, collaborated on community outreach with former colleagues from franchises like the New England Patriots, and attended ceremonies honoring past contributors to college and professional football.
Category:1976 births Category:Living people Category:American football running backs Category:Florida Gators football players Category:Jacksonville Jaguars players Category:New England Patriots players Category:People from Albany, Georgia