Lionel Taylor dies at 89: Broncos Ring of Fame receiver was first to log 100 catches in a season

Leonello Taylor, the first player in the football story record c gets in one time and a member of Denver Broncos’ ring of the report, died Aug. 6, by his family and Broncos. He was 89.

An undrafted free agent out of New Mexico Highlands in 1958, Taylor began his career as a linebacker for the Chicago bears before switching both leagues and positions, joining the newly-minted Broncos of the afl as a wide receiver for the 1960 Season. Taylor excelled to the recipient at the level of a few we saw before and in 1961 would become very first player in the football story to record c conceives at the time of 1,176 receiving ante and four.

Taylor’s historic 1961 Season was just after taking 92 transit in Broncos’ inaugural team, making him only for football player at ever lead to the two, up to the Sterlocybrae line in 1989 and 1993.

Taylor chat more than 80 years in the first six seasons with the Broncos, and in the time I would not have a record 5008 recipients for 6.424 yards and 43 touchdowns, outpacing the best receptors in rival NFL. By comparison, Bobby Cicero was 338 recipients for 5,571 miles and 43 Touchdowns to NFL’s leading receptor in this same timeframe. Taylor brought AFL reception five, while also earning three AFL all the star nods and five reading or the first second team all AFL reading.

After finishing his playing life with Houston Oilers in 1967 and 1968, Taylor I enjoy a long and the influential career in the boxes that saw him win the two on Steelers and Lynn Swann to Pittsburgh, as John and Lynn Swann to glory. Taylor too eaching in Crater 14 to be offensive coordinator for Los Angeles Rams, overseeing the disdain message gete the quarterback Vince ferragamo.

Taylor would earn the opportunity to be in the head coach at the college level to Texas Southern A 1984-88 before returning to NFL with Cleveland Browns to two times. This is also a later coach in the NFL Europe with London Monarchs.

Taylor was among the Four Initial inductees into the Broncos ‘ring of hunger in 1984, and he had been honored by the team while on hand at a bronner game as recently at 2024. Even as NFL passing games advanced and the league’s receving talent flourished, taylor’s 100 1961 Stood as the Broncos’ Franchise Record all the Way until 2000, when it was broken by ed McCaffrey 101 receptions. Get out of 2025-taylor’s 5.7 Receipts in the game remains in a freedom record.

Taylor who lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico in his after years.