Charley Taylor, the running back turned wide receiver behind Washington’s Super Bowl VII appearance, died on Saturday. He was 80 years old.
Taylor was memorialized in a statement from Washington Commanders owners Dan and Tanya Snyder on Saturday evening.
“He represented the organization with excellence and class over three decades as a player and coach,” they wrote. “Charley was a great man and will be sorely missed by all.”
Taylor was drafted by Washington in the 1960s, picking up over 1,500 yards and ten touchdowns during his rookie seasons.
After years with Arizona State and the Sun Devils transformed into an NFL career, Taylor made four Pro Bowls selections, leading the league for several years. He remains the only player in Washington’s franchise history with more than 5,000 receiving yards and more than 1,000 rushing yards.
After years spent playing in D.C., Taylor expressed his joy during his Hall of Fame speech in 1984.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Taylor family 💛 pic.twitter.com/847GLRIjLX
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) February 19, 2022
“I would like to say that I had some of the greatest and most moral support that one player could have in a lifetime, and I had it in Washington, ” Taylor said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
