Redskins Legends

Charley Taylor

Career Highlights

It could be claimed that the Washington Redskins were true seers into the future when they selected a running back out of Arizona State as their first round pick in the 1964 college draft. They were confident that Charley Taylor, who had earned All-American recognition in the NCAA ranks, would make the team and was destined for greatness in the professional football world. That confidence proved to be well placed.

Of course, when the coaches came to the point of deciding just what position this talented athlete would fill there was some disagreement – both the offense and defense wanted to utilize his skills. Fortunately, then head coach Bill McPeak came to the conclusion that Taylor would best serve the team by remaining in the offensive backfield. It was an exceptionally wise decision. Taylor made McPeak look like a coaching genius as he captured NFL Rookie of the year honors with his ball-carrying heroics. Although his primary duty was as a running back in that 1964 rookie season, he also caught 53 passes for 814 yards, a reception average of 15.4 yards and scored five touchdowns.

In the 1965 season Taylor continued this spectacular performance and added new laurels in the running back and receiving statistics. It appeared that he was obviously in the right position. Or was he?

In 1966, Otto Graham, a Hall of Fame Quarterback, came to the team as head coach and chose to emphasize the passing game. That move brought about a change in Taylor’s position from running back to wide receiver. The loss of the running back provided to be the gain of one of the finest receivers to ever play the game, and by the end of the 1966 season he led the NFL standings with 72 receptions 1,119 yards, a per-catch average of 15.5 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Throughout the next few years, Taylor continued in tip form and earned All-Pro honors in 1966, 1967, and 1969. He was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and in 1984 his exceptional record earned him the ultimate honor for professional football players – enshrinement in the NFL Hall of Fame at Canton, Ohio.

But, the superior playing ability of their running back/wide receiver is not the only proof of the value of selecting Charley Taylor to become part of the Redskins. Following his retirement from active play at the end of the 1977 season Taylor joined the Redskins scouting staff. Then in 1981, he was appointed as the receivers coach, a position that has certainly been a major part of outstanding Redskins performance for the past decade. Certainly, one of the highlights of the Redskins has always been the superstar performance of their wide receivers. The “Posse” of recent years are still hard pressed by so many young players on their way up thanks to the outstanding coaching of Charley Taylor.

Awards and Special Recognition

'64 NFL Rookie of the Year – (Running Back)
First rookie since 1943 to finish in the top ten in rushing and receiving
Caught 50 or more passes in 7 different seasons
'66 and '72 Won receiving title
Became the 10th NFL player to score 500 points
Seventy-nine Touchdowns receiving
Eleven Touchdowns rushing
1st Redskin to score 90 Touchdowns
1st Redskin to go to the Pro Bowl at two different positions – 1964, 1965, 1966 as a Running Back and 1967, 1968, 1970, 1974 as a Wide Receiver
His 649 receptions total 5.19 miles!
Eight time Pro Bowl selection
'64 and '65 All Pro as a Running Back
'66, '67, and '68 All Pro as a Receiver
Retired leading the NFL league in pass receptions
'84 Inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame
'85 Inducted into Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Member of “Ring of Stars” at the new Redskin Stadium
Member of “Decade of the 70’s” NFL Team
Inducted in the Touchdown Club Hall of Fame
'78 - '80 Washington Redskin’s Scout
Washington Redskin’s Receivers Coach, Research and Development since 1981