Commanders plan to honor former player Sean Taylor with statue
Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor leaves the field after his ejection in an NFL wild card playoff game January 7, 2006 in Tampa. The Redskins defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 - 10. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - As the Commanders prepared to host their lone preseason game Sunday, a big announcement came from the team: Plans to permanently honor one of the franchise’s most beloved players, Sean Taylor, with a statue.
It’s been 17 years since Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor was shot and killed during a botched home invasion. In the last two years, the team has decided to retire Taylor’s number and put up this installation honoring him.
It was an invisible mannequin of sorts, but it was controversial as some fans thought it missed the mark in terms of honoring Taylor.
Now, under new ownership, this installation is gone.
The team shared a video on X saying a statue is going up. The person they chose to make that announcement was Taylor’s daughter, Jackie, who was a baby when her father died.
"I’m excited to announce along with the Washington Commanders plans to unveil a statue to honor my dad. I’m thankful for Josh Harris and the Commanders family for their continued commitment to keep my dad's legacy alive. I look forward to sharing plans in the future and learning more about my dad through this process. I’m forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support from this special fan base. I’m filled with gratitude to know that my dad will forever be a part of the burgundy and gold family," her statement read.
Jackie Taylor noted to ESPN the family was happy with the initial installation, anything to honor Sean Taylor.
In a statement Saturday, the team said they "realize the installation fell short in honoring one of our franchise’s most iconic players." And that they’re committed to honoring Taylor’s legacy and capturing how important he was to the fanbase.
"I think that would be great," Commanders fan Ronald Wilson told FOX 5. "The man passed away, it was a tragic death. Why not. That would be good. It would be really great for them."
The timeline of when this statue might be unveiled is unclear.
The team hosted its first and only home pre-season game at Commanders Field Sunday night.