JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Will the Jacksonville Jaguars get their second Hall of Famer?
Running back Fred Taylor has the distinction of being a Jaguars and Florida Gator's legend, but the gold jacket and a bust in Canton eludes him. The No. 9 overall selection in the 1998 NFL Draft, Taylor rushed for 11,695 yards and 66 touchdowns, nearly of that in Jacksonville. He had an average of 4.6 yards per carry just behind legends Barry Sanders and Jim Brown among players with more career rushing yards.
Now the podcaster, coach, and philanthropist is still waiting after missing out last year.
Taylor is 17th on the all-time rushing list; Frank Gore, who retired in 2020, is the only player higher than Taylor not in the Hall. There are about 20 players in the Hall of Fame who are behind Taylor on the all-time list including Larry Csonka, O.J. Simpson and Gale Sayers.
But Taylor is competing with names like Eli Manning, Adam Vinatieri, Luke Kuechly and Terrell Suggs. Jared Allen, James Harrison and Steve Smith Sr. are waiting. Somehow Antonio Gates, who revolutionized the tight end position on underwhelming San Diego Chargers teams in the 2000s, still isn't in the Hall.
St. Louis Rams legend is on his 11th try. He played for the Jaguars in 2009.
The list will be cut to 15 later this year.
Here's the full list:
- Eric Allen, CB - 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5)
- Jared Allen, DE - 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5)
- Willie Anderson, T - 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5)
- Anquan Boldin, WR -- 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
- Jahri Evans, G - 2006-2016 New Orleans Saints, 2017 Green Bay Packers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3)
- Antonio Gates, TE - 2003-2018 San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2)
- James Harrison, LB - 2002-2012, 2014-17 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2013 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 3)
- Rodney Harrison, S - 1994-2002 San Diego Chargers, 2003-08 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
- Torry Holt, WR - 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars | (Times as a Semifinalist: 11)
- Luke Kuechly, LB - 2012-19 Carolina Panthers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Eli Manning, QB - 2004-2019 New York Giants | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Robert Mathis, DE/LB - 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
- Steve Smith Sr., WR - 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
- Terrell Suggs, LB/DE - 2003-2018 Baltimore Ravens, 2019 Arizona Cardinals, 2019 Kansas City Chiefs | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Fred Taylor, RB - 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6)
- Earl Thomas, DB - 2010-18 Seattle Seahawks, 2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Adam Vinatieri, PK - 1996-2005 New England Patriots, 2006-2019 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Hines Ward, WR - 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9)
- Ricky Watters, RB - 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks | (Times as a Semifinalist: 5)
- Reggie Wayne, WR - 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts | (Times as a Semifinalist: 6)
- Richmond Webb, T - 1990-2000 Miami Dolphins, 2001-02 Cincinnati Bengals | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
- Vince Wilfork, DT - 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans | (Times as a Semifinalist: 4)
- Steve Wisniewski, G - 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders | (Times as a Semifinalist: 2)
- Darren Woodson, S - 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys | (Times as a Semifinalist: 9)
- Marshal Yanda, G/T - 2007-2019 Baltimore Ravens | (Times as a Semifinalist: 1)
