Travis Taylor
Encyclopedia
Travis Lamont Taylor is a former American college and professional football
player who was a wide receiver
in the National Football league
(NFL) for nine seasons during the 2000s. Taylor played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Baltimore Ravens
, Minnesota Vikings
, Oakland Raiders
, St. Louis Rams
, Carolina Panthers
and Detroit Lions
of the NFL.
. He started his high school career at Camden County High School in Camden County, Georgia
, but transferred to Jean Ribault High School
in Jacksonville, Florida
. As a senior at Ribault High School, Taylor was a first team Class 4A All-State selection, won All-America
honors from SuperPrep, and was named to The Florida Times-Union
Area Super 24 Team.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier
's Florida Gators football
team from 1997 to 1999. Taylor compiled seventy-two reception
s for 1,150 yards and fifteen touchdowns in eleven career starts, and also earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 1999 Orange Bowl
with seven catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns; in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, he made eleven catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior in 1999, he was selected as one of the Gators' team captain
s.
; he was the third receiver taken in the 2000 draft. The Ravens had high hopes of him making an immediate impact. However, Taylor would only make twenty-eight catches for 278 yards in nine games as a rookie in . That season, Taylor showed early promise for himself and for his team by scoring two touchdowns in the second game of the season, a shootout victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars
—a team the Ravens had never beaten. In 2000, the Ravens would go on to win Super Bowl XXXV
. Taylor's best season with Baltimore came in , when he compiled sixty-one catches for 869 yards and six touchdowns. Baltimore released Taylor after a lackluster 2004 season.
, where he played the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In 32 games (29 starts) with the team, Taylor caught 107 passes for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. He became a free agent
in the 2007 offseason.
. He was inactive for the team's season opener, then played in the team's Week 2 contest but recorded no statistics. He was released on September 22.
on October 11, 2007, but was not signed. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams
a week later. He appeared in one game for the team, catching one pass for four yards and recording a solo tackle on special teams. The Rams released him in November.
signed Taylor to a two-year contract. He was inactive for the team's regular season finale. He was released from the team on August 30, 2008.
on December 16, 2008 after wide receiver
Shaun McDonald
was placed on injured reserve
. He was released on May 4, 2009.
During his eight-season NFL career, Taylor played in 101 regular season games, and started ninety of them. He had 312 career receptions for 4,017 yards and twenty-two touchdowns; he also had thirty-two carries for 232 rushing yards.
that originally aired October 11, 2004.
Taylor was arrested January 1, 2007 at 2:30 AM outside a Minneapolis nightclub after being tasered by police. Taylor was one of the Minnesota Vikings
players involved in the so-called "Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal" as a member of the team. He has refused to comment upon the scandal, along with two other players.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was a wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
in the National Football league
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for nine seasons during the 2000s. Taylor played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the NFL.
Early years
Taylor was born in Fernandina Beach, FloridaFernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. It is a part of Greater Jacksonville and is among Florida's northernmost cities. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
. He started his high school career at Camden County High School in Camden County, Georgia
Camden County, Georgia
Camden County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2000, the population was 43,664. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 48,689. The county seat is Woodbine.-History:The first European to land...
, but transferred to Jean Ribault High School
Jean Ribault High School
-Statistics:Jean Ribault High School is a high school located on the Northside of Jacksonville, Florida.-History:Jean Ribault High School and William Raines High School have a unique rivalry and relationship that is based on their physical proximity, unusual for two public suburban high schools...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. As a senior at Ribault High School, Taylor was a first team Class 4A All-State selection, won All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors from SuperPrep, and was named to The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union
The Florida Times-Union is a major daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the Florida Union in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when the Florida Union merged with another Jacksonville paper, the...
Area Super 24 Team.
College career
Taylor received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1997 to 1999. Taylor compiled seventy-two reception
Reception (American football)
In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...
s for 1,150 yards and fifteen touchdowns in eleven career starts, and also earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 1999 Orange Bowl
1999 Orange Bowl
The 1999 Orange Bowl a 1998-1999 BCS game was played on January 2, 1999. This 65th edition of the Orange Bowl featured the , and the Florida Gators. Florida came into the game with a 9-2 record, whereas Syracuse was 8-3...
with seven catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns; in the 2000 Florida Citrus Bowl, he made eleven catches for 156 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior in 1999, he was selected as one of the Gators' team captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
s.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens selected Taylor in the first round (tenth pick overall) in the 2000 NFL Draft2000 NFL Draft
The 2000 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur U.S. college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 15–16, 2000...
; he was the third receiver taken in the 2000 draft. The Ravens had high hopes of him making an immediate impact. However, Taylor would only make twenty-eight catches for 278 yards in nine games as a rookie in . That season, Taylor showed early promise for himself and for his team by scoring two touchdowns in the second game of the season, a shootout victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
—a team the Ravens had never beaten. In 2000, the Ravens would go on to win Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was played on January 28, 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 2000 regular season. The American Football Conference champion Baltimore Ravens defeated the National Football Conference champion New York...
. Taylor's best season with Baltimore came in , when he compiled sixty-one catches for 869 yards and six touchdowns. Baltimore released Taylor after a lackluster 2004 season.
Minnesota Vikings
Taylor was then picked up by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, where he played the 2005 and 2006 seasons. In 32 games (29 starts) with the team, Taylor caught 107 passes for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. He became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in the 2007 offseason.
Oakland Raiders
On May 22, 2007, Taylor was signed by the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was inactive for the team's season opener, then played in the team's Week 2 contest but recorded no statistics. He was released on September 22.
St. Louis Rams
Taylor worked out for the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
on October 11, 2007, but was not signed. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
a week later. He appeared in one game for the team, catching one pass for four yards and recording a solo tackle on special teams. The Rams released him in November.
Carolina Panthers
On December 26, 2007, the Carolina PanthersCarolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
signed Taylor to a two-year contract. He was inactive for the team's regular season finale. He was released from the team on August 30, 2008.
Detroit Lions
Taylor was signed by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
on December 16, 2008 after wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Shaun McDonald
Shaun McDonald
Shaun Terrance McDonald is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
. He was released on May 4, 2009.
During his eight-season NFL career, Taylor played in 101 regular season games, and started ninety of them. He had 312 career receptions for 4,017 yards and twenty-two touchdowns; he also had thirty-two carries for 232 rushing yards.
Personal
Taylor's wife Rashidah Taylor was "Mrs. Maryland" for the year 2004. Taylor and his wife appeared on an episode of the TLC series A Baby StoryA Baby Story
A Baby Story is a program that airs daily on The Learning Channel . There are more than 100 episodes in the series. The program follows a couple through the late days of their pregnancy, sometimes showing the baby shower, final family outing, or dinner party. Then, it always shows the family...
that originally aired October 11, 2004.
Taylor was arrested January 1, 2007 at 2:30 AM outside a Minneapolis nightclub after being tasered by police. Taylor was one of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
players involved in the so-called "Minnesota Vikings boat party scandal" as a member of the team. He has refused to comment upon the scandal, along with two other players.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1990–1999
- List of Baltimore Ravens first-round draft picks
- List of Detroit Lions players
- List of Florida Gators football players