Jim Taylor
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| Jim Taylor | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Jim Taylor |
| Birth date | 1935-01-20 |
| Birth place | Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Death date | 2018-10-13 |
| Death place | Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Occupation | American football fullback |
| Years active | 1958–1967 |
| College | Louisiana State University |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in |
| Weight | 218 lb |
Jim Taylor
Jim Taylor was an American professional football fullback known for his powerful rushing, blocking, and durability with the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s. A two-time NFL Most Valuable Player contender and a key member of several championship teams, he also had influential roles in college football and community initiatives after his playing career. Taylor's style and achievements linked him to multiple NFL milestones and broader developments in professional sports and regional culture.
Early life and education
Born in Canton, Ohio, Taylor attended Lake Charles, Louisiana schools after his family relocated, where he excelled in multiple sports including football and track and field. He played collegiately for Louisiana State University (LSU Tigers football) under coach Paul Dietzel, becoming a standout fullback noted for power running and blocking alongside teammates such as Billy Cannon and competing in Southeastern Conference matchups against programs like University of Alabama and University of Mississippi. Taylor's college career included appearances in postseason games and bowl contests during an era marked by the rise of televised collegiate athletics and regional rivalries.
Football career
Taylor was selected in the 1958 NFL Draft and began his professional career with the Green Bay Packers under head coach Vince Lombardi, forming a backfield tandem with Bart Starr and blocking in schemes that emphasized physical ball control against defenses like the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. During his prime years (1960s), he led the league in rushing, earned selections to the Pro Bowl, and contributed to multiple NFL Championship victories, including games against the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns. Taylor's playing style—characterized by low pad level, leg drive, and willingness to absorb contact—made him a frequent subject of analysis in sports periodicals such as Sports Illustrated and broadcasts on networks including CBS Sports.
Notable seasons included MVP-level performance where he amassed high rushing totals, setting team records that stood alongside statistical achievements of contemporaries like Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, and Lance Alworth. He also participated in the era-defining matchup between the National Football League and the growing American Football League landscapes, contributing to the Packers' dominance prior to the Super Bowl era. As the Packers transitioned strategies and personnel, Taylor remained a consistent contributor until late-career moves that included time with the New Orleans Saints before retirement.
Coaching and administrative roles
After retiring as a player, Taylor remained involved in football through coaching assignments and administrative roles at the collegiate and professional levels. He worked with programs such as Louisiana State University and regional football clinics that connected former players like Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer to youth development initiatives. Taylor also consulted with franchises and participated in alumni events organized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, contributing to exhibitions and educational programs. His administrative activities included liaison work between player associations like the NFL Players Association and community organizations focused on athlete transition programs.
Taylor's post-playing career intersected with broader discussions about player welfare and post-career opportunities, involving collaborations with institutions including the National Collegiate Athletic Association and local foundations in Louisiana. He occasionally provided commentary for game broadcasts and wrote columns for regional newspapers, offering historical perspectives on championship teams led by coaches such as Vince Lombardi and organizational changes in franchises like the Green Bay Packers.
Personal life
Taylor married and raised a family in Louisiana, maintaining ties to communities in Lake Charles and participating in charitable activities with churches and civic groups. His personal network included fellow athletes and coaches from his playing days, such as Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, and Lombardi-era assistants who attended reunions and memorials. Outside football, Taylor engaged in business ventures and supported youth athletics through sponsorships of local leagues and scholarship funds tied to regional high schools and colleges.
Taylor's health in later years reflected challenges common among former contact-sport athletes, leading to involvement with medical research efforts and awareness campaigns organized by institutions like the American Heart Association and regional hospitals. He remained a public figure at alumni ceremonies for teams including the Green Bay Packers and contributed oral histories for museums chronicling professional football's mid-20th-century expansion.
Legacy and honors
Taylor's legacy includes induction into team halls and recognition by professional organizations that commemorate contributions to championship teams and individual achievements. He was honored by the Green Bay Packers organization and remembered in retrospectives by sports media outlets such as ESPN and The New York Times that chronicled the Lombardi era. His influence is cited in analyses of fullback play by historians of the NFL and by coaches who emphasize physical rushing and blocking fundamentals, linking his name to a line of notable power runners like Emmitt Smith and Franco Harris.
Posthumous tributes included dedications at events hosted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and community memorials in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Taylor's records and championship résumé continue to be referenced in discussions about the evolution of professional football in the 20th century, and his career remains an exemplar in lists of all-time greats at the fullback position compiled by historians and sportswriters associated with institutions such as Sports Illustrated and the Pro Football Researchers Association.
Category:1935 births Category:2018 deaths Category:Green Bay Packers players Category:Louisiana State University alumni