John Taylor

Biography

John Gregory Taylor transformed from a walk-on reject into one of the NFL's most explosive receivers, establishing himself as Jerry Rice's exceptional counterpart while delivering one of the most iconic touchdowns in Super Bowl history. Born March 31, 1962 in Pennsauken, New Jersey, Taylor initially had no college plans after high school and worked at a liquor warehouse. After failing to walk on at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina, he transferred to Delaware State where skeptical head coach Joe Purzycki told him to "just come back when school starts." Persistence paid off dramatically. At Delaware State, Taylor became the most dominant player in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference history, totaling 42 career touchdowns with a 24.3 yards-per-catch average that stood as the NCAA record until Jerome Mathis broke it. He set conference records with 223 receiving yards in one game and caught the two longest receptions in conference history at 97 and 93 yards. Named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1985, Taylor earned All-MEAC first-team honors in both 1984 and 1985. The San Francisco 49ers selected Taylor in the third round (76th overall) of the 1986 draft, a pick ESPN later ranked as the 25th greatest draft steal ever. Initially used primarily as a punt returner, he led the NFL with 556 punt return yards in 1988 and set Super Bowl records that year with 56 punt return yards and an 18.7-yard average. Taylor's defining moment arrived on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Super Bowl XXIII. Trailing Cincinnati Bengals 16-13 with 3:10 remaining, Joe Montana led a masterful 92-yard drive. With 34 seconds left and the ball at the 10-yard line, Montana's pass found Taylor perfectly in stride for the game-winning touchdown, securing a 20-16 victory. On December 11, 1989, Taylor achieved an NFL first on Monday Night Football against Los Angeles Rams by scoring touchdowns on two receptions over 90 yards—92 and 96 yards—establishing a record for most receiving yards in back-to-back games with 448 total yards that stood until 2006. Career totals included 347 receptions for 5,598 yards, 43 touchdowns, and three Super Bowl championships. Selected to two Pro Bowls (1988, 1989) and named second-team All-Pro in 1989, Taylor earned NFL 1980s All-Decade Team honors. Post-retirement, Taylor owned a trucking company but continues driving trucks and leads a quiet life. He worked as a staff member in San Jose juvenile detention facility's unit B-4 and participates in celebrity golf events. Inducted into Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 and Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2024, Taylor was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018.