Jason Taylor Calls It a Career

Added on Dec 29, 2011 by Scott in

NFL

One of the NFL’s all-time greatest pass rushers is calling it quits. After 15 seasons, Dolphins defensive end/linebacker Jason Taylor announced his intention to retire after Sunday’s finale against the Jets, where he played in 2010. The 37-year-old was a five-time All-Pro, a six-time Pro Bowler, the AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team.

Taylor made it clear, for now, he has no plans of coming back once he’s finished.

“After 15 years of doing this and 13 here in Miami, unfortunately and fortunately, this will be my last game as a Miami Dolphin,” Taylor said after practice…. “I don’t want to get into too much goodbyes and the future because we still have a game to play,” he said. “I’m going to go ahead and walk away, hopefully healthy. I’m not going to leave the door open for any other stuff.”

His 139.5 sacks ranks sixth all-time and currently tops all active players. Atlanta’s John Abraham is second on the active list with 111. Taylor’s seven sacks this season marks the 13th time he’s totaled five or more in a season. Despite only making one start in 2011, his seven were second best on the team, behind only Cameron Wake’s 8.5.

In addition to his quarterback take-downs, Taylor intercepted eight passes and forced 47 fumbles, an NFL record six of which were returned for touchdowns. He had three stints in Miami from 1997-2007, in 2009 and finally this season. His 204 games with the Dolphins is the most of any player not named Dan Marino.

Long and lean, Taylor was a third-round pick out of Akron in 1997. At less than 250 pounds, some draft pundits were skeptical he could develop into legit pass rusher. He proved his doubters wrong by using his long arms to out leverage offensive tackles, an explosive first step to run by them and a relentless attitude to wear them own.

He ends his career having never participated in a Super Bowl. The furthest he advanced was the the 2010 AFC championship while playing for the Jets.

Source: NFL.com