In Jason Taylor’s 15-year NFL career, he played 20 games against the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots. He sacked Brady 12.5 times and certainly earned the quarterback’s respect.
Tom Brady wrote a letter to Hall of Fame voters to campaign for Jason Taylor
”My purpose in writing this letter is to focus on one particular player who, without a doubt in my mind, deserves his place in Canton: Jason Taylor.”
Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images
Brady thinks so highly of the former Miami Dolphins pass rusher that he wrote a letter to Pro Football Hall of Fame voters advocating for Taylor to get enshrined.
The full letter was obtained by Miami’s NBC 6 Sports on Feb. 5 — the same day Brady overcame a 28-3 deficit to win Super Bowl 51. The letter reads:
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony is an event I look forward to watching each summer. To see the players I’ve idolized and had the opportunity to compete against receive their invitation into the most exclusive fraternity our game has to offer is very special. Their nomination gives me a chance to reflect on their careers, the battles we have had, and the respect that I hold for them.
”My purpose in writing this letter, however, is to focus on one particular player who, without a doubt in my mind, deserves his place in Canton: Jason Taylor.
”The games against Jason are some of my most (well, maybe least) memorable. He is one of the greatest players I’ve ever faced, having had the “pleasure” of looking across the line and seeing him on the opposite side of the ball, not once, but twice each season for a decade. While I entered the league with a health respect for Jason and the Miami defense he led, my admiration for him as a player and a person only grew with each play, each game, each season.
”The word I typically used to describe Jason was tenacious. His effort was second to none. Regardless of the situation, Jason came after me with the same reckless abandon on each and every snap, getting to his target often. I remember hearing once he sacked me more than any quarterback in the NFL, a painful badge of honor for me. Jason was equally as incredible against the run and never took a play off.
”Sure he was an explosive, athletic player, but it was his fierce tenacity that made him one of the league’s most dominant players for 15 years, and the reason we were on high alert every time No. 99 was in his pass rush stance.
”Coach Belichick and the rest of the staff have a reputation for game planning against a team’s strengths. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay Jason is the amount of hours we spent watching game film over the years and going over what we needed to neutralize him. I can’t say we ever came up with a great answer.
”I don’t envy the challenge you have in selecting the all-time best from a group of so many great players who will make up this year’s Hall of Fame class. With that said, I will tell you from my personal experience Jason is one of them.
”Thank you for your time and consideration.”
Taylor finished his NFL career with 139.5 sacks, enough for seventh best all-time. Richard Dent, John Randle, and Lawrence Taylor are among the Hall of Famers who finished with fewer sacks than Jason Taylor, so his résumé spoke for itself.
On Saturday, he’ll join the Hall of Fame with LaDainian Tomlinson, Kurt Warner, and four other inductees.
But Brady going the extra mile to make sure voters understood Taylor’s impact is strong evidence of the respect that the longtime Miami Dolphins defensive end earned.
See More:
