Sean Taylor

Sean Michael Taylor (born April 1, 1983 in Miami, Florida) is an American football player who currently plays free safety for the Washington Redskins of the NFL.

A tarnished rookie season

On the field during the 2004 season, Taylor was successful, emerging as the Redskins' starting strong safety by the third game of his rookie season. For the season, he had the team's second most interceptions, with four. In addition to his four interceptions, Taylor had 89 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack. He started for the Redskins in 13 of the season's 16 games.

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Taylor's short NFL career has been tarnished, however, by repeated run-ins with the law and controversy. He has fired two of his agents, walked out of a mandatory NFL rookie symposium for which he was fined, and was accused of spitting on a Cincinnati Bengals player, who later called Taylor "a punk," during a 2004 game at FedEx Field. However, after an investigation, the NFL found nothing to substantiate the spitting allegation.

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On October 27, 2004, Taylor was arrested at 2:45am for driving under the influence of alcohol following a birthday party for Redskins' receiver Rod Garner, though a Fairfax County, Virginia judge dropped the charges in January, 2005 after viewing a videotape of Taylor's roadside sobriety tests that, according to the judge, failed to demonstrate obvious intoxication. Taylor was, however, convicted for refusing to take a blood alcohol test requested of him by a Virginia state police officer, though this conviction is under appeal by Taylor.

Related Topics:
October 27 - 2004 - Driving under the influence - Alcohol - Fairfax County, Virginia - January - 2005 - Intoxication - Virginia

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In May, 2005, Taylor, seeking a new contract with the Redskins, was the only Redskin who refused to appear for a Redskins' training mini-camp. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs acknowledged that the Redskins had had no contact with Taylor since he returned to Miami in January, 2005, and that he had failed to return repeated phone calls to him by Gibbs and other Redskins' coaching staff. Despite his legal and other difficulties, though, Gibbs has defended the drafting of Taylor, calling the preparation that went into his selection one of the "most researched things in the history of sports."

Related Topics:
May - 2005 - Joe Gibbs

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Taylor's agent is Drew Rosenhaus, widely considered one of the most aggressive agents currently representing NFL players. Rosenhaus currently is representing Taylor in his efforts to renegotiate his existing Redskins' contract.

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