Redskins’ Safety Sean Taylor Succumbs to Gunshot Wound

1983-2007

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died from injuries he sustained when he was shot in the upper leg early Monday morning at his home in Miami. Taylor was 24 years old and the father of a 1 year-old daughter.

In what was an obvious burglary attempt, Taylor and his fiance’ were awakened by an intruder in the home around 1:45 a.m. Taylor grabbed a machete that he kept in the bedroom. Once the intruder entered the room two shots were fired – one striking Taylor in the groin area, severing the Femoral artery. Taylor’ fiance’ and daughter were not harmed

Despite losing a significant amount of blood, there were signs of hope last night at Taylor blinked when asked and also squeezed the hand of a nurse.

Taylor never regained consciousness.

* Addendum: Thanks Ron for posting this. I crashed and didn’t hear the news until my sister let me know.

-Mizzo

Taylor and his fiancee had been in the bedroom when a disturbance was heard in the living room, Sharpstein (Sean’s lawyer) said.

“(He) tried to get a small machete that he keeps under the bed to defend himself but the door was burst into,” Sharpstein told CNN, adding that Taylor’s fiancee hid under the covers until the assailants had fled.

Sharpstein said he had received a call from Taylor’s father, Florida City police chief Pete Taylor.

“He was overwrought with grief and called me to tell me that Sean was with God,” Sharpstein told CNN.

Taylor’s family told the Redskins of his passing Tuesday morning, the team’s brief website posting said.

“The family of Sean Taylor has notified the Redskins that Taylor passed away Tuesday morning at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. He was 24,” the posting said.

“Taylor was injured Monday in a shooting at his residence in Miami and did not survive.”

Taylor was the fifth pick of the 2004 NFL Draft and had a strong 2007 season with 42 tackles and a team-high five interceptions until a November 11 knee injury forced him to the sidelines the past two games.

Taylor made 306 tackles and 12 interceptions in parts of four seasons with the Redskins.

The shooting stunned Taylor’s Redskins’ teammates, who had been optimistic after reports Taylor had made facial expressions Monday night, his first signs of conscious behavoir following concerns of brain damage.

“For all of us here, we’re obviously in shock,” Redskins coach Joe Gibbs had said Monday. “I know I can’t put it in words.”

Redskins running back Clinton Portis, a college teammate of Taylor at the Universitry of Miami, lammented Monday that had Taylor not been injured, he would not have been with the team after their Sunday game in Tampa.

“How can you deal with it? It’s hard,” Portis said. “All we can think about is if he had been with us on the flight to Tampa, if he was at the game with us, then he would not have been in that situation.”

I don’t mind reporting the loss of a game; breaking news like this to our readers is not something that I want to get used to.

This was one story I wish Mike would’ve beaten me to.

TSF family, this is the true meaning a sad day in sports. Not the Barry Bonds indictment or Michael Vick going to jail. It’s going to be interesting to see how this gets reported.

We want all of you to make a list and check it twice.

It will be straight up criminal if ESPN doesn’t cover this ad nauseum. They’ve covered idiosyncrasies (in the grand scheme of things regarding culture) as if an athlete perished, so this is an opportunity to show and prove. We’re going to stay positive on this until it all plays out. Taylor was a hardcore hitter. He was poised to go down as one of the best at his position comparable to the likes of former Denver Bronco big hitter Steve Atwater. Big athletic safeties don’t come around too often, they usually transition to linebacker once they get to the pros because they can’t cover. Taylor was that good. Although he could cover, he was out there to tear someone’s head off.

Remember the hit he laid on punter Brian Moorman in the Pro Bowl? The one he actually was criticized for? He was giving the league and its fans something to remember him by.

Here’s a compilation of big hits, bomb licks and Sean Taylor super speed smacks:

We lost an exciting play maker, his family lost so much more.

We all pray his fiancee’ and daughter remember: We fall down, but we get up.

*Addendum: A copy of this poem was given to me by my 12th grade Psychology teacher after Hank Gathers passed away – TBR

To An Athlete Dying Young
A.E. Housman

The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields were glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

The Starting Five Family extends its condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Taylor Family.

–TBR, Mizzo, CinQue, Youngvito