Taylor inducted into Hall in first year of eligibility
CANTON, Ohio – Sackmaster Jason Taylor, a Woodland Hills graduate and elected in his first year of eligibility, was inducted Saturday night into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A star mostly with Miami, Taylor also spent one season with the Redskins and one with the Jets. In his 15 NFL seasons, the versatile end was a three-time All-Pro and the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year. He had 13 ½sacks, two interceptions returned for touchdowns, 11 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 62 tackles that season.
Taylor’s 139 ½ career sacks helped him make the All-Decade Team of the 2000s. He also was the NFL’s Man of the Year in 2007.
A third-round draft pick from Akron – just down the road from the Hall of Fame – Taylor was presented for induction by Jimmy Johnson, who coached him for several years with the Dolphins.
“I honestly can’t believe I am here,” said Taylor, who kissed the shaved head atop his bust when it was unveiled. “In 1992 I was at the University of Akron, just 20 miles away. It took 20 years to travel 20 miles to put on this jacket. It was worth every step.”
Taylor choked up several times, especially when talking about the late Gary Wichard, who was his agent and, Taylor said, “truly the father I never had.”
Kenny Easley, a hard-hitting safety for the Seahawks and a member of the 1980s All-Decade Team, was also inducted.
A seniors committee choice, Easley played only seven seasons and 89 games for Seattle. But what an impact he made as an intimidator and ballhawk.
The 1981 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Easley was the league’s top overall defender in 1984 when he had a league-leading 10 interceptions, a career high.
Easley, who was presented for induction by his high school coach, Tommy Rhodes, retired after the 1987 season. He had to wait 24 years before being voted into the hall.
“I was first nominated for the hall in 1997,” Easley said. “Twenty years later – be anxious for nothing – the Hall of Fame was dropped on the shoulders of Kenny Easley like a pair of shoulder pads. Some folks said I deserved to be in the hall earlier; I don’t believe that. Others say he didn’t play long enough, I don’t believe that.”
Easley concluded a politically and religiously toned speech by saying: “I thank you for welcoming me into your exclusive club.”
Other elected Saturday night were kicker Morten Andersen, running back. Terrell Davis and LaDainian Tomlinson, quarterback Kurt Warner and Dallas owner Jerry Jones.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame also opened a display honoring NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” for its record six consecutive seasons as the top-rated show in prime time.
The centerpiece of the display describes how the program debuted in September 2006 and soon became a huge TV hit. Five years after the series launch, SNF averaged more than 21 million viewers, becoming the first sports series to rank as the prime-time leader for a full TV season (2011-12). It has remained on top since.
“The Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates excellence everywhere,” Hall of Fame President David Baker said. “We are excited to recognize NBC ‘Sunday Night Football’ for its tremendous presentation of our great game to more than 20 million Americans each week, and its record run as the No. 1 show in all of prime-time television.”