Charley Taylor

Charley Taylor's pass receiving credentials accumulated in 13 seasons (1964-1977) with the Washington Redskins are legendary. His 649 receptions for 9,110 yards and 79 touchdowns rank him among the game’s elite.

He led the National Football League in receiving in both 1966 and 1967, his first two years as a wide receiver, and caught more than 50 passes in a record-tying seven campaigns. With 1,488 yards rushing and a smattering of kick return yardage, he amassed 10,803 combined net yards to also rank among the best in that category. With 11 touchdowns rushing and 79 on receptions, Charley scored 540 points in his career.

Taylor’s pro football future was assured from his first day in camp in 1964 as a No. 1 draft choice from Arizona State. The 6-3, 210-pounder won Rookie of the Year acclaim as a running back and became the first rookie in 20 years to finish in the NFL's Top 10 in both rushing (sixth with 755 yards) and receiving (eight with 53 catches for 814 yards). His 53 receptions were a record for running backs at that time.

Although still rated as a premier ball carrier, Taylor was switched to split end in the seventh game of his third season in 1966. He wound up that year as the NFL receiving champion with 72 receptions. Charley was a gold-karat fixture at that position for the next nine seasons through 1975.

He sat out the entire 1976 campaign with injuries, then returned for a final shot in 1977. Taylor was an All-Western Athletic Conference halfback at Arizona State. Following his senior season, he played in the East-West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, the All-American Bowl and the College All-Star Game. As a Redskin, he earned first- or second-team All-NFL honors six times and was selected to play in eight Pro Bowls.

'Poetry on a Football Field,' Charley Taylor: 1941-2022

Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Taylor died Feb. 19, 2022, at the age of 80. 

“As a kid who loved football, I watched the Washington teams of the 1970s compete at a high level and quickly became a fan of the player wearing No. 42. He seemed to make everything look so easy,” said Jim Porter, President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“Charley was never a man of many words, and in his brief Enshrinement speech, he didn’t say much about the game. He mentioned God several times. He thanked God for his good fortunes and he expressed his deep belief in God,” he continued.

Read the full tribute article and watch a video honoring Taylor here.