Sean Taylor : NFL Network : A Football Life

The NFL Network rolled out a new “A Football Life” documentary last Friday night—this one based on the late, great Sean Taylor—and it was every bit as painful and gut-wrenching to watch as one would expect.

Taylor—a Miami native who attended Gulliver Prep and starred for the hometown Hurricanes from 2001 through 2003—passed away on November 27th, 2007. He was shot in his home while protecting his family.

He was killed by a single bullet that struck his femoral artery and as the documentary so coldly reminded the world—had he been hit 1/8″ in any other direction, he’d still be here today.

Almost seven years later, the #UFAMILY is still rattled to the core by this one. Not to say that other tragedies within The U’s close-knit brotherhood haven’t been extremely painful and unforgettable—but there was something about Taylor.

The quiet persona. The devil-may-care attitude. The hardest-hitting safety in the game and one of the best—if not the best—every to wear the orange and green, Taylor seemed invincible and had his whole life and career ahead of him.

There was also that Canes bond within the Redskins’ organization during that era—Clinton Portis at running back and Santana Moss at wide receiver. The three Miami greats had come together and were truly family, establishing their own culture.

The new documentary shows this and much more—especially a side of Taylor that the media simply didn’t know, because he wouldn’t let them. His love for football was sparked out of love for family and a desire to provide. The home he purchased in South Dade, where he was taken too soon—a place where friends and family could spend time together hunkering down.

During the narration we learn that Taylor’s biggest motivation for a Sunday win was to get Monday off—something Washington coaches did for players after a successful week. That extra day afforded Taylor the opportunity to trek home for a day and a half to see his loved ones.

There were also tales of an incredible work ethic explained throughout the course of the story—dating back to Optimist League football, where his father Pedro Taylor would put he and his friends / teammates through excruciating workouts, helping the younger Taylor become the next-level player he was.

That hard work carried over to his NFL career, where Redskins coaches praised him throughout the hour-long program—explaining that Taylor would workout before scheduled sessions and would often leave his BMW at the Redskins’ facility for days, choosing instead to spring home from practice.

Taylor’s longtime girlfriend Jackie Garcia shared her stories, as well as explaining the father Sean was to their daughter Jackie and how fatherhood changed him for the better. The documentary ended with present day footage of little Jackie—a blossoming seven-year old girl who was only 18-months old when she lost her father.

This latest “A Football Life” on the NFL Network marks the fifth documentary done on a member of Miami’s U Family. Prior to Taylor, stories have been done on Warren Sapp, Jimmy Johnson, Ray Lewis and Jerome Brown.

Check current listings to see when the NFL Network is rerunning this particular segment on Taylor, or check the YouTube video below, which was posted by a Washington Redskins’ fan and still live as of September 30th, 2014.

Rest in peace, #26 / #21. You are forever missed.

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