NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Charley Taylor dies at the age of 80

Charley Taylor (All-Pro Reels, Wikimedia Commons)

Former Washington Football Team wide receiver and running back Charley Taylor of Grande Prairie, Texas passed away on Saturday at the age of 80 according to ESPN. Taylor, who was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, played 13 seasons for Washington in the National Football League from 1964 to 1975, and again in 1977. He missed the 1976 season due to a knee injury.

In 165 games, Taylor had 649 catches for 9110 yards, and 79 receiving touchdowns. He also had 442 rushes for 1488 yards and 11 touchdowns. We all know what kind of a year Deebo Samuel had for the San Francisco 49ers running the football and catching the football (77 catches for 1405 yards and six receiving touchdowns, along with 59 rushes for 365 yards and eight rushing touchdowns) this past season, but what Taylor was able to do in multiple offensive positions in his NFL career was also noteworthy.

Taylor began his NFL career with an excellent season. He was named the 1964 rookie of the year after having 53 catches for 814 yards and five receiving touchdowns, along with 199 rushes for 755 yards and five rushing touchdowns. In  1966, Taylor led the NFL with 72 catches, and in 1967, he led the NFL with 70 catches. Also in 1966, Taylor had a career-high 1119 receiving yards, and was third in the NFL that season in receiving yards, behind Pat Studstill of the Detroit Lions (1266 yards), and Bob Hayes of the Dallas Cowboys (1232 yards). Like Taylor, Studstill also passed away this past year, as he died on October 16, 2021 at the age of 83.

Taylor played his college football at Arizona State. He was Washington’s first round pick, third overall, in the 1964 NFL Draft. In 1984, Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

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