Charley Taylor

Charles Robert Taylor was born on September 28, 1941, in Grand Prairie, Texas. His athletic journey began early, excelling in multiple sports including football, baseball, basketball, and track at Dalworth High School. He went on to play college football at Arizona State University as a halfback and defensive back, earning All-Western Athletic Conference honors as a halfback. In 1964, prior to his professional career, Taylor was named the most valuable player of the College All-Star Game against the Chicago Bears.

Taylor was drafted by the Washington Redskins as the third overall pick in the 1964 NFL Draft and by the Houston Oilers in the 1964 AFL Draft. He chose to sign with Washington, where he initially made an impact as a running back. In his rookie year, he was awarded the UPI Rookie of the Year, finishing sixth in the league for rushing yards with 755 and eighth in receiving with 53 receptions for 814 yards. This marked him as the first NFL rookie in two decades to rank in the top 10 for both rushing and receiving categories.

His career saw a significant turning point in 1966 when he transitioned to wide receiver. This move proved highly successful, as he led the NFL in receiving in both 1966 and 1967. Over his career, Taylor played 165 games, accumulating 649 receptions for 9,110 receiving yards and 79 touchdowns. He retired after the 1977 season as the NFL’s all-time leading receiver and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984. Following his playing career, Taylor transitioned into coaching, serving as the Washington Redskins’ wide receivers coach from 1981 to 1993, contributing to three Super Bowl championship teams (XVII, XXII, XXVI). He passed away on February 19, 2022, at the age of 80.