Lionel Thomas Taylor was born on August 15,1935 and is an American former football player and coach.
16 Facts About Lionel Taylor
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Lionel Taylor played professionally as a wide receiver, primarily with the Denver Broncos of American Football League.
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The second player to lead a league in receptions for at least five seasons, Lionel Taylor is currently the last to do so.
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Lionel Taylor was the third wide receiver to reach 500 receptions in pro football history.
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Lionel Taylor was a longtime assistant coach in the league, winning two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Lionel Taylor attended New Mexico Highlands University, where he had starred in basketball and track, earning all-conference wide receiver honors in 1956 and 1957.
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Lionel Taylor first played eight games as a linebacker with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League before moving to the Denver Broncos of the AFL for the 1960 season.
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Third in all-time receptions and receiving yards for the Denver Broncos, Lionel Taylor was the Broncos' team MVP in 1963,1964 and 1965, and an AFL All-Star in 1961,1962 and 1965.
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An original Bronco, Lionel Taylor was part of the team's inaugural Ring of Fame class in 1984.
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Lionel Taylor was the first professional football receiver ever to make 100 catches in a single season, accomplishing the feat in only 14 games.
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Lionel Taylor had four seasons with over 1,000 yards receiving, and averaged 84.7 catches per year from 1960 to 1965, then the highest six-year total in professional football history.
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Lionel Taylor completed his career with the Houston Oilers in 1967 and 1968.
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Lionel Taylor was the first receiver to have caught more than 90 passes in a single season, and he was the first to do it twice.
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Lionel Taylor had a peak from 1960 to 1965 that resulted in 508 receptions for 6,424 yards and 43 touchdowns.
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Curiously, Mitchell finished with more touchdowns and yards than Lionel Taylor but had less receptions and yards per game and managed to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Lionel Taylor has not.
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Lionel Taylor was an assistant coach for two Super Bowl championship teams of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s and then the Los Angeles Rams.