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Former Jaguars RB Fred Taylor's Pro Football Hall of Fame waiting continues

demetrius harvey, florida times-union
·3 min read

Jaguars legend, running back Fred Taylor will have to wait at least another year to hear a knock on his door for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Wednesday evening, the Hall announced the 15 modern-era player finalists for the 2023 class. Taylor was not among those selected. The Jaguar great was named among 28 semifinalists for the hall in November last year. He has been named a semifinalist for four consecutive years.

Here are the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2023: Receivers Andre Johnson (Texans), Reggie Wayne (Colts) and Torry Holt (Rams), offensive linemen Willie Anderson (Bengals) and Joe Thomas (Browns), cornerbacks Darrelle Revis (Jets), Albert Lewis (Chiefs) and Ronde Barber (Buccaneers), safety Darren Woodson (Cowboys), defensive ends Jared Allen (Vikings), Dwight Freeney (Colts) and Demarcus Ware (Cowboys), return-specialist Devin Hester and linebackers Patrick Willis (49ers) and Zach Thomas (Dolphins).

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Taylor rushed for 11,271 yards and 62 touchdowns in 11 seasons as a member of the Jaguars after being drafted by the team as the ninth-overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. He owns the record for most career rushing yards in Jaguars history. He notched 1,000-yard seasons seven times with Jacksonville.

His 62 rushing touchdowns rank second in team history to only RB Maurice Jones-Drew (68).

He caught 286 passes for 2,361 yards and eight touchdowns with Jacksonville.

In 2012, Taylor became the second player inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars. He was officially inducted on Sept. 30 that year during the team's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sept. 30, 2012: Bob.Self@jacksonville.com--9/30/12--Jaguar's owner Shad Khan presents Fred Taylor with a gold Jaguar helmet as he was inducted into the Jaguar's Ring of pride during Sunday's game. The Jacksonville Jaguars took on the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, FL Sunday, September 30, 2012. The Jaguars lost with a final score of 27 to 10. (The Florida Times-Union, Bob Self)

A second-team All-Pro player in 2007, Taylor was one of the best running backs in league history. He ranks 17th all-time in career rushing yards with 11,695 yards from 1998-10. Among those ahead of him, all eligible players are in the Hall. Only Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson remain.

Among backs to average 4.6 yards per carry or better on 2,500 or more carries, only Taylor and former Lions RB Barry Sanders make the list.

He played his final two years in league with the New England Patriots before signing a one-day contract with the Jaguars in 2011 to formally retire with the team that drafted him.

In 2022, former Jaguars Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli became the first player in franchise history to be enshrined in Canton and inducted into the Pro Football HOF. Not long after he was informed of his induction, Boselli made the case for Taylor's eventual enshrinement.

“I think Fred Taylor is probably one of the most under-appreciated running backs in his era. He has over 12,000 yards and he averaged 4.6 yards a carry," Boselli said in February last year.

"He gets knocked because he didn’t make All-Pro and there isn’t a big number of Pro Bowls [for him], but if you go ask anyone who played with him or anyone who played against him, there is not a more dangerous back. His stats back it up."

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on Twitter at @Demetrius82.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars RB Fred Taylor not named among 15 finalists for Hall of Fame