Denver Broncos icon Lionel Taylor passes away at 89 after historic NFL career
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He was the first professional football player to reach 100 catches in a season. Following his retirement, he counseled the NFL, backing the Pittsburgh Steelers' two Super Bowl wins. The football community is grieving a true pioneer.
Lionel Taylor's legendary career and NFL milestones
Lionel Taylor was born on August 15, 1935, in Kansas City, Missouri. He grew up in West Virginia and played college football at New Mexico Highlands University. He was a linebacker with the Chicago Bears in 1959 and went on to play wide receiver for the Denver Broncos.
Between 1960-66, he led the AFL in catches five times. In 1961, he became the first player in NFL or AFL history to have 100 receptions in a season.
In seven years with Denver, he totalled 543 catches, 6,872 yards, and 44 touchdowns, records that lasted for decades.
AFL historian Dave Steidel said Taylor had 'hands like vice grips' and could bring in almost any pass. After his playing career, Taylor coached with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning Super Bowls IX and X.
In 1980, the Los Angeles Rams named him offensive coordinator, making him the NFL's first Black offensive coordinator.
Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy called him a role model, saying, 'It would not have happened without Lionel Taylor.'
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Tributes pour in after Lionel Taylor's death
In December 2024, Lionel Taylor was hospitalized with a urinary tract infection and stayed in care for more than two months. He arrived back home in July 2025 just before entering hospice, passing away quietly on August 6.
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The Denver Broncos revealed his passing on August 13, labeling him among "one of the most dominant players of his age." As they honored his legacy and his humanity, followers and former players flooded social media with remarks like "Always a legend" and "Rest well, Sir LT."
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