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Fitting tribute for Taylor

Fitting tribute for Taylor

By Dan Ralph

Sean Taylor might be gone, but he’s certainly not forgotten.

On Tuesday, the former Washington Redskins star safety was named as a starter on the NFC squad for the Pro Bowl. Taylor died Nov. 27 at the age of 24 after being shot during a burglary at his Florida home but was voted on to the team posthumously.

The gesture was indeed a classy and fitting one because it was not made out of kindness or for a sense of remembrance. The fact is Taylor was having a terrific season at the time of his death and was making a solid case to be named to the Pro Bowl on merit. His being named to the squad is indeed a tribute to his development into a top-notch defensive back.

The former Miami Hurricane becomes the first player to make an all-star team posthumously in any sport since former Philadelphia goalie Pelle Lindbergh was named to the NHL all-star game in February 1986.

It came three months after Lindbergh died in a car accident after appearing in eight games for the Flyers. The year before, he captured the Vezina Trophy, given annually to the best goaltender in the NHL.

By comparison, Taylor was leading the NFL in interceptions with five at the time of his death despite having missed two games as a result of a knee injury. He was chosen the top free safety in the NFC in voting by players, fans and coaches.

That would’ve earned Taylor a berth in his second Pro Bowl game. He was named a first alternate to the NFC squad last year but was added to the lineup when Philadelphia’s Brian Dawkins of the Philadelphia Eagles chose not to play due to injury. And even then, Taylor made his presence known.

The Pro Bowl is traditionally played with about as much intensity as a game of touch football. Granted, the players are wearing pads, but the contest is played roughly at three-quarters speed with as much hitting as one would see in practice.

However, in last year’s game, Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman was on the run on a fake punt. Instead of bringing Moorman down nice and gentle, Taylor completely destroyed Moorman like a missile locked on its target. Thankfully, Mooman wasn’t injured _ in fact, he got right back up immediately and congratulated Taylor for his big hit. But that hit best symbolized Taylor, who played the game hard and seemingly always on the edge.

Another fitting appointment to the Pro Bowl was none other than Green Bay Packers veteran quarterback Brett Favre, who will start for the NFC in earning his ninth Pro Bowl nomination but first since 2003. In recent years, many felt it was time for Favre to hang up his cleats and await enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

But on Sunday, the 38-year-old Favre surpassed Dan Marino as the NFL’s career passing leader in leading the Packers (12-2) to a 33-14 win over the St. Louis Rams. Favre finished 19-of-30 passing for 227 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He boosted his career passing total to 61,405 yards, 44 more than Marino.

Thanks in large part to Favre, the Packers are tied with Dallas for first overall in the NFC with both teams having two games remaining.

Dallas holds the tiebreaker over Green Bay should the two teams end the season tied, but the Cowboys finish their season facing Carolina and Washington. The Packers, on the other hand, end up with Chicago and Detroit so if they can sweep their final two games and Dallas splits, then Green Bay will hold home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

This has indeed been a season to remember for Favre, having also broken Marino’s all-time touchdown passes record of 420 (Favre is at 440 and counting) as well as John Elway‘s mark of 148 regular-season wins as a starting quarterback (Favre is at 159).

But arguably Favre’s most astonishing accomplishment is his NFL record 251 straight regular-season starts, or 271 straight including playoffs.