Countdown to Canton: Broncos Who Belong in Hall of Fame: Lionel Taylor | No. 8
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The first to do something great is often forgotten. Throughout history, countless pioneers have created something that is the first of its kind, only to get overshadowed by something to come along later.
MITS was the first company to create a personal computer, but people don’t think of them as the pioneer in its field, only the more popular IBM and Apple.
Unfortunately, this happens in the NFL, too. The explosion of the passing game in the NFL over the last four decades has inflated receiving stats to the point that the great feats of the receivers of the past can be easily forgotten.
The biggest victim is the first receiver to catch 100 passes in a season — Denver Broncos great Lionel Taylor.
The Case for Taylor
Taylor became the first receiver to notch 100 receptions in a season back in 1961. Today, that may seem like a paltry number, but in the 1960s, it was extraordinary. That alone is something that the NFL should recognize, but Taylor was much more than a one-season wonder.
Taylor led the league in receptions five times in six seasons from 1960 to 1965. Those great performances stood the test of time.
Prolific in His Era
At the time of his retirement in 1968, Taylor was ranked No. 2 in career receptions with 567, behind only Hall-of-Famer Raymond Berry. In 1990, that mark was still in the NFL's top-15. Every player ahead of him on that list, except one, is in the Hall of Fame.
Even more brilliant is that Taylor’s 100-catch season was still ranked No. 3 of all time by 1990. Furthermore, five of his season totals were still ranked in the top-20 of all time.
More than two decades after Taylor's retirement, his greatness was still baring its mark. Remember that he played during a time when there were only 14-game seasons. Only one other player topped 100 receptions in a season until the league went to a 16-game schedule.
In his seven seasons with the Broncos, Taylor averaged 76 receptions per year. He led the AFL in receptions for the first four seasons of its existence.
Surrounded by Mediocrity
Taylor accomplished this on a struggling Broncos team with a very mediocre supporting cast. Not bad for a player who played his first pro season as a linebacker.
Taylor was recognized during his playing days with four first-team All-AFL selections, five in total (including second-team), and three All-Star selections. He was a player ahead of his time, ushering in the new brand of professional football and paving the way for the new era of wide receivers.
Bottom Line
Hall of Fame voters would be wise to dig back into history and remember those players long retired that deserve to be recognized as great. Taylor fits that bill, and his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is long overdue.
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