Otis Taylor obit

Kansas City Chiefs legend Otis Taylor passed away at age of 80

 

 He was not on the list.

Chiefs Kingdom lost one of the true greats of the franchise’s early days with the death of Otis Taylor.

The National Football League lost one of the single most underrated pass catchers in its history this week with the word that former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor had passed away at the age of 80.

Taylor was a wide receiver for the Chiefs from 1965 to 1975, and in that span of time, he rewrote the franchise’s record books with marks that would stand for several more decades due to his outstanding talent and production with the Chiefs.

Not only was Taylor a vital offensive player for the Chiefs in their initial title run back in Super Bowl IV, but he went on to put up long-standing figures that showcased a sustained greatness that makes him arguably the greatest wide receiver in team history.

During his career, Taylor had 410 catches, mostly from Len Dawson, for 7,306 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns. He led the entire league in receiving yards in 2017 and in touchdown receptions in 1967 and was a two-time All-Pro during his career. What’s even more remarkable is the eye-popping average of 17.8 yards per catch for his career. (Consider that Tyreek Hill was at 13.8 yards/catch during his stint in K.C.)

Unfortunately for Taylor, he only flirted with induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his lifetime, even though he got close this past year as a semi-finalist for the Senior Committee. He is enshrined in the Chiefs Ring of Honor.

Taylor was selected in the 1965 AFL draft (Chiefs) and the NFL draft, by the Philadelphia Eagles. After a famous "baby-sitting" incident, in which Taylor "escaped" from NFL scouts, he was signed for the Chiefs by their legendary scout Lloyd Wells.

Taylor caught five touchdown passes during his rookie year, and followed that up in 1966 by leading the AFL with a 22.4 yd/catch average and finishing second in receiving yards (1,297). At season's end, he was voted First-team All-AFL and was selected for the 1966 AFL All-Star team. Taylor led the AFL in receiving touchdowns in 1967 with 11 and led the NFL in receiving yards in 1971 with 1,110. He made the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl twice and in 1971 was named Consensus All-Pro by the Associated Press (AP), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) and Pro Football Weekly. The PFWA also named him First-team All-Pro for the 1972 season. Taylor ranks in the Chiefs' all-time list in receptions (6th, 410), receiving yards (3rd, 7,306), receiving touchdowns (3rd, 57), and 100-yard games (20).

Taylor combined with running back Robert Holmes for what was at the time the longest reception in Chiefs history in 1969 when he caught a pass from quarterback Mike Livingston for 79 yards, then lateraled to Holmes, who carried it another 14 yards for a touchdown. However, Taylor's most memorable highlight from that season came in the fourth and final AFL-NFL World Championship Game on January 11, 1970, when he caught a short pass, turned downfield and stiff-armed his way to a 46-yard touchdown in the Chiefs 23-7 upset victory over the NFL's champion, the Minnesota Vikings, who, before Super Bowl IV, had been dubbed by some as "the greatest team in pro football history".

On November 1, 1970, the Chiefs led the Oakland Raiders 17–14 late in the fourth quarter, and a long run for a first-down run by Dawson apparently sealed victory for the Chiefs in the final minute when Dawson, as he lay on the ground, was speared by Raiders' defensive end Ben Davidson, who dove into Dawson with his helmet, provoking Taylor to attack Davidson.

After a bench-clearing brawl, offsetting penalties were called, nullifying the first down under the rules in effect at that time. The Chiefs were obliged to punt, and the Raiders tied the game on a George Blanda field goal with eight seconds to play. Davidson's hit against Dawson not only cost the Chiefs a win, but helped Oakland win the AFC West with a season record of 8–4–2, while defending world champion Kansas City finished 7–5–2 and out of the playoffs. The very next season, the rule for offsetting personal foul penalties was changed to separate penalties during the play, and penalties after the play. The rule change was largely due to this play.

After his time as a player had come to a close, Taylor became a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs. During the 1987 NFL Player's strike, Taylor was arriving at Arrowhead Stadium and was assaulted by Jack Del Rio, who was a new player to the organization in 1987 and was striking with his teammates. Del Rio mistook Taylor for a replacement player and was told Taylor was actually a Chiefs legend and retired player by fans who had come upon the assault. He later pressed charges against Del Rio and the two settled out of court.

Career highlights and awards

 

    Super Bowl champion (IV)

    2× AFL champion (1966, 1969)

    AFL Championship MVP (1969)

    UPI AFC Player of the Year (1971)

    2× First-team All-Pro (1971, 1972)

    2× Pro Bowl (1971, 1972)

    First-team All-AFL (1966)

    Second-team All-AFL (1967)

    AFL All-Star (1966)

    AFL receiving touchdowns co-leader (1967)

    NFL receiving yards leader (1971)

    Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame

    First-team Little All-American (1964)

 

Career NFL statistics

Receptions:         410

Receiving yards: 7,306

Receiving touchdowns: 57