Texas' Michael Taaffe Receives Honorable Postseason Award

Texas safety Michael Taaffe was once again recognized in the postseason, but this time it wasn't for his work on the field, but off.

Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) enters Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

A few weeks away from Texas football's Cheez-It Citrus Bowl matchup against Michigan, a couple of Longhorns are earning postseason awards.

Among these players is safety Michael Taaffe, who was recognized for his off-the-field contributions to the community.

Taaffe was recently awarded the 2025 Wuerffel Trophy, an honor presented to college football's most impactful leaders in community service.

Michael Taaffe's Community Involvement

Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score during overtime at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

In July, a few months before the start of the season, alongside head coach Steve Sarkisian, quarterback Arch Manning and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., Taaffe made an appearance at SEC media days as a voice for the Longhorns.

When attending the media conference, Taaffe, wearing a burnt orange tie with the initials of the 27 victims of the Kerr County floods that hit Camp Mystic in July, caught attention. Using his platform to raise awareness, Taaffe helped bring attention to an issue.

A fifth-year senior who started his Longhorns career as a walk-on, Taaffe has seemingly grown into one of the strongest voices within Texas football. Taaffe then used that voice and his platform to help honor the victims of Camp Mystic.

Taaffe has also created an organization, Taaffe's Tackles for Fentanyl Awareness, that raises awareness and provides resources on the prevention and education of fentanyl. These combined efforts demonstrate the scope of Taaffe's efforts.

Taaffe is now the second Longhorn to win this award, joining 2010 honoree, Texas defensive end Sam Acho, who was given the award after working to "provide free medical care to a small village [in Nigeria] that has extremely limited access to doctors," according to the award's website.

A few other notable names to win the award include Ladd McConkey and Tim Tebow. Taaffe now joins a list of student-athletes who believe in an effort to reach out to the community, on top of their efforts on the field.

In his final season with Texas, a program he had risen alongside as his career progressed, Taaffe was recognized for his traits as a leader and activist in the community—a seemingly poetic finish to a standout career for a player who had given his all to the Longhorns.

Taaffe recently accepted an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl, looking for another opportunity to catch the attention of NFL scouts. Taaffe, though, has not announced if he will play with the team on Dec. 31 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.