Otis Taylor—R.I.P.

By John Turney 

 Otis Taylor

When the Oakland Tribune's Jeff Faurdo conducted a 1993 poll of seven Hall of Famers, former Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Otis Taylor won votes from Lance Alworth as "best after the catch" and Charlie Joiner and Charley Taylor as the "best big play receiver."

Taylor passed away Thursday at the age of 80 after a decade of health problems.

Via NFL.com Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt released a statement following the news of Taylor's death:

  "My family and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Otis' wife Regina, his sister Odell and the entire Taylor family as we mourn his passing. He was one of the most dynamic receivers of his era, and he helped revolutionize the position. Off the field, he was kind and dedicated to his community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family. Otis' legacy will live forever."

He was first-team All-Pro in 1966, 1971 and 1972 and was a second-team pick in 1965 and 1967. He was also a Pro Bowler/AFL All-Star three times.

More significantly he was the 1971 AFC Player of the Year (UPI) and tied for second in the AP MVP voting - both rare honors for a receiver. With few exceptions, those awards usually go to a quarterback or running back.

But Taylor was also a key component of the 1969 Chiefs that won Super Bowl IV, catching six passes for 81 yards -- including a memorable 46-yard touchdown reception -- to lead Kansas City to an upset of Minnesota in the last game involving NFL vs. AFL.

While Taylor had good numbers and good postseason honors it was the eye test that separates him from other wide receivers. 

Listed at 6-3, 215 pounds he was among the first big wide receivers to have success in pro football. Fellow AFL receivers Lionel Taylor and Art Powell along with NFL receivers Dave Parks and Homer Jones were the first players 6-foot-2 and taller and who weighed 210 pounds or more to have a 1,200-yard receiving season. 

Lionel Taylor in 1960, Powell in 1963, Parks in 1965 and Otis Taylor in 1966.

It didn't happen again until Art Monk did it in 1984.

Beginning in 1995 it became commonplace - thirty-five players have done it a total of eighty-eight times. 

Otis and the others were the trailblazers for big receivers. 

Of course, that is going by listed weights. If Taylor's actual weight were used (it was suspected that he hadn't weighed 215 since college and was likely 225-230 pounds) he becomes more of a marvel, especially with this 9.5 100-yard dash speed. 

Taylor was not only big, but he was also a smooth athlete who had good speed, and terrific hands and was eye-catching to watch. At least he caught the eye of some of the NFL's greatest wide receivers.

While Jerry Rice was the overall leader in votes in the Tribune poll, Otis made a good showing.

You might say Ben Davidson noticed him, too.

In 1970 Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson scrambled for a long gain and Davidson speared Dawson when he was on the ground. An infuriated Otis Taylor was the first Chief to arrive, rushing in to defend his quarterback throwing a right cross to the big defensive end's face and then body slammed the bigger man and then the famous melee ensued.

No one could question Taylor's toughness, that's for sure.

Raiders' coach John Rauch once told author Lou Sahadi, "Taylor does everything well. He has great range for the ball. Throw it out there, he'll run under it. You through it in a crown and he will take it away from people ... He'll comeback and crack-block, he'll go downfield and pick up a blocker."

"He caught the ball extremely well in traffic and did an excellent job in blocking. This is very important in our offense", added his longtime coach Hank Stram.

John Madden, who succeeded Rauch as the coach of the Raiders, noticed as well, naming Taylor to his All-Time Super Bowl All-Madden Team in 1996.

The rest of his "alls" - All-Pros, Pro Bowls, etc., are very respectable - .

Statistically, he had two 1,100-yard seasons, leading the NFL in that category in 1971 and in 1966 he led the AFL in yards per reception (the Chiefs made the Super Bowl that year, losing the Lombardi's Green Bay Packers). The following season he tied for the league lead in touchdown receptions.

While true his numbers in the NFL, after 1970, were not as stellar as in the AFL it should be noted that historians often call the seventies the "dead ball" era in terms of the NFL passing game.

Without a doubt, Taylor was ahead of his time. He was special and for a time at the top of his profession.  Early in 1971, Don Meredith offered his opinion on Monday Night Football, "If he's not the best (wide receiver in football), I don't know who is." 

No one was.