Washington Commanders to build statue honoring Sean Taylor

Washington Commanders will build a statue honoring their late former safety Sean Taylor, two years after they unveiled a memorial statue that was criticized by fans and has already been permanently removed.

Taylor, whose No. 21 was retired in 2022, becomes the organization’s first former player to have a statue commissioned. Taylor’s daughter Jackie will help design the statue. She was 18 months old when Taylor was killed in November 2007.

“I’m just grateful for the whole process,” said Taylor, a freshman volleyball player at North Carolina who wears her father’s old number. “I think the fans are really going to enjoy what they’re going to see and getting a second chance, you don’t really get a lot of second chances. The fact that we’re able to get a second chance is nice. … There’s a lot of excitement.”

Taylor explained that his family appreciated the previous memorial installation, which was displayed inside the stadium.

“Whatever opportunity we get to honour my father, we will take it positively,” he said in the video conferencing.

But many fans begged to differ, pointing out that the initial installation did not include the proper jersey (Reebok instead of Nike) and did not place pieces of tape on his face mask – as Taylor did when playing. The organization soon changed the installation to include these changes, as well as using the proper style of socks and cleats.

Commanders informed the Taylor family that the installation had been evacuated. Washington Host new England in the final preseason game on Sunday night.

“After careful consideration, we as an organization have decided to remove the Sean Taylor statue from Commanders Field,” a team spokesperson said in a statement. “We realize this statue fails to honor one of our franchise’s most iconic players. Together with the Taylor family, we are working on a plan that includes unveiling a statue that will truly celebrate Sean’s legacy and impact on our organization, fan base and community. The Washington Commanders are committed to honoring our veterans in a first-class manner.”

There is no set date for the statue’s unveiling; according to a team source, the team will meet with the sculptor soon. The source also said they plan to “honor our veterans” in future years, including whenever they move to a new stadium. The team has not decided on a new location yet, but has targeted 2030 for when it would like to open its next stadium.

Taylor also said in a statement that she is “so grateful that my father will always be a part of the Burgundy and Gold family.”

Washington will retire Hall of Famer Darrell Green’s No. 28 at halftime of the Week 7 game Carolina PanthersThe organization also retired the jersey numbers of Sammy Baugh (33), Bobby Mitchell (49) and Sonny Jurgensen (9).

A group led by Josh Harris purchased the team from Dan Snyder in July 2023; Snyder was very close to the Taylor family.

Taylor played for Washington from 2004 to 2007 and became one of the organization’s most popular players for a new generation.

Several NFL safeties have worn his No. 21 since his death — including former Washington safety Landon Collins when he was with new york giants – His playing style is often cited as the reason for this.

Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 230 pounds, Taylor was an intimidating presence in the middle of the field. He was considered a strong safety capable of making big plays. He intercepted five passes in nine games in the 2007 season.