11. Jason Taylor- 32 Miami Greats in 32 Days

Name: Jason Taylor- #99

Position: Defensive End and Linebacker

Years with Dolphins: 13 Years

Hall of Fame Class: 2017

NFL Top 100: NA

Statistics: 775 Tackles, 139.5 Sacks, 8 Interceptions, 48 Forced Fumbles, 29 Fumbles Recovered and 9 Touchdowns

Pro Bowls: 6 Times and 4 All-Pros

Championships: None

Summary: If one were to consider the greatest Dolphins of all time, Jason Taylor might not be your first thought. He wasn’t on the great teams of the early 70’s nor was he Dan Marino. However, without a doubt he was among the greatest of his position. He has the second most forced fumbles, tied for the lead in fumble recoveries, and seventh all time in sacks, in addition to many other excellent accomplishments.

Taylor, coming from the University of Akron, was the 73rd overall selection in the 1997 draft, surrounded by such legends as Adam Treu and Michael Hamilton. Taylor was more than solid in his rookie year, as he had five sacks and forced two fumbles. The arrival of Taylor helped boost the Dolphins back into the playoffs with a 9-7 record, but they lost in the first round. Taylor moved on to have a good 1998 season, with nine sacks and three forced fumbles. Taylor entered his 1999 season coming off somewhat of a breakout year, but seemingly disappointed. He only got 2.5 sacks, but he also got his first interception. Despite making the playoffs, he didn’t get a sack or a fumble.

Taylor, despite being a rising star, had not yet proven his place in NFL history. Entering the 2000 season, the public spotlight switched away from the now retired Marino and onto Taylor and his teammate, Zach Thomas. Taylor responded with an EXCELLENT 2000 season, getting 14.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He was voted to his first Pro Bowl, and was selected to First-Team All-Pro. The Dolphins went to the postseason again, where they won their final postseason game. Taylor’s performance lead to a new six year 42 million contract. Taylor had another good, though not spectacular, season in 2001, getting 8.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

In many ways, 2002 was Taylor’s best year. He lead the league with a career high 18.5 sacks, tying a Dolphins record. He also forced seven fumbles and deflected eight passes, resulting in a first team all pro selection and pro bowl appearance. However, Taylor’s success did not transfer over to the Dolphins, as the team missed the playoffs and came third in the AFC East. He followed it up with a good 2003, with 13 sacks and four forced fumbles. He returned to the Pro Bowl in 2004, with 9.5 sacks.

Perhaps Taylor’s finest stretch was from 2005-2007. He went to the Pro Bowl every year in that time span, and averaged five forced fumbles and 12 sacks. He also had a touchdown every year, and averaged 63 tackles. He won the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year Award, and he was elected to a Dolphins all-time team by fans, in addition to being chosen for the Walter Payton Award in 2007. Despite his success on the field, the Dolphins elected to trade him to the Washington Redskins due to disagreements with the coaching staff.

Despite an excellent 2007 season, Taylor only played in 13 games with the Redskins, starting eight. He only got 3.5 sacks, and was released when he refused to go through an offseason conditioning program. He resigned with the Dolphins, and somewhat rebounded with seven sacks and three forced fumbles. However, his greatest achievement that year was when he set the record for most fumbles returned for a touchdown.

Taylor signed with the Jets in -year-, however his production dropped, recording only 5 sacks for the season. He resigned with the Dolphins in 2011 and rebounded with seven sacks. However, Taylor realized his best years were behind him and he chose to retire after the season.

By the end of his career, Taylor’s stats were magnificent. He was the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year. He was a six time Pro-Bowler and a 4 time member of the All-Pro team. His greatness off the field is shown with the 2007 Walter Payton award. He is 7th all time in sacks, and hold the Dolphins team record. He is 4th in career safeties, and has the most fumbles returned for touchdowns. He also had numerous team awards. He won the 1997 Newcomer of the Year award for the Dolphins, and won the Marino team MVP award, and the Don Shula leadership award 4 times each. However, only this year did Taylor finally gain the greatest INDIVIDUAL honor a player can receive. A first ballot election to the hall of fame. Taylor had gained SUCH respect from his opponents, Tom Brady wrote a letter supporting his induction. And this summer, the great saga of Jason Taylor finally comes to a close, with an induction into Canton. Taylor’s career was during a time of transition for the Dolphins. They were moving away from the dominance of the Don Shula era, and into the Patriots era. Dan Marino’s legacy was coming to a close. In this time of Dolphins decline, Taylor shined brighter than anyone else.