On Monday morning the Redskins (players, coaches and team officials) traveled to Miami and back courtesy of the team owner. The trip was to honor and celebrate the life of safety Sean Taylor. Monday is the normal day off for players, but some players routinely go to Redskins Park on Mondays for treatment or film study. This week, Tuesday was the first day back and a full practiced would have been the normal but it hasn’t been normal at Redskins Park for more than a week. Instead the Coach Gibbs held a walk-thru that lasted about an hour and a half. The locker room was opened to the media briefly for members of the media to view the locker of Sean Taylor. Taylor’s shoulder pads are upside down and a photo of him and his daughter are on the shelf below. Other items include Sean’s notebook and a pencil, his practice jersey, sweat gear, cleats and a game ball from last years Jacksonville game. His stool was placed inside the locker before it was all closed off by glass.
Sean Taylor’s Funeral:
The service for Sean Taylor began at 11:45 on the Florida International University campus with over 4000 in attendance. In addition to the Redskins, others that attended include: O.J. Simpson, Adam Archuleta, Renaldo Wynn, Ryan Clark, Antrel Rolle, Julius Peppers, Edgerrin James, Derrick Dockery, Robert Royal, Jeremy Shockey, Antonio Pierce, Andre Johnson, Chad Johnson, Plaxico Burress, Lemar Marshall, Reggie Wayne, Bryan McKinnie, Nate Webster, Cecil Sapp, D.J. Williams, and Chris Myers, and Frank Gore.
The three-hour ceremony began with two big-screens TV playing highlights of Sean’s career. A second video was played midway through the service that ended with Taylor diving into the end zone, under the image were the words: We Will Miss You Sean. In the invocation, the Rev. Dr. Alphonso Johnson’ asked in prayer that “You help us hold on through the night; the joy will come in the morning. We ask you to help us get through this hour.” The following are comments from others that spoke during the service.
— “It’s been a sad week for the NFL family.’ It’s times like this that all of us struggle to find meaning in life; the senseless loss of life is all too common in our society. Just in the NFL, we’ve lost four young men to violence, all tragic, all 24, just in the last year.’ The NFL was proud of Sean Taylor. He loved football and football loved him back. But more importantly, it was what he was as a man and what he was becoming as a man.’ He made an impact on all of us. Honor him in the way we carry ourselves forward from this day on. Make sure we make a positive influence in our life, as he did in ours.” …NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell who also mentioned that Taylor is the fourth 24-year-old active player to pass in the last year.
— “You wonder how you speak about a man you admire. … You have nothing but peace, faith and heart. I thought about how that relates to Sean. When it comes to peace, Sean was at peace in his life. It showed in everything he did. He was always smiling in the locker room’ No one in the NFL played with more heart.’ … “If anything motivated me more, it was the excitement of seeing Sean hit someone. I don’t fear much, but if I was on the opposing team, I might have had a fear of No. 21.” …Running Back Clinton Portis
— “Put your hands together like you really mean it,” Jackson said. “Let me here you scream. This is a celebration of life!’ … Rev. Jesses Jackson who was not scheduled to speak.
— “I’m guilty for moving on, I really don’t look back. This situation has forced me to face those issues. You always want to imagine that all your boys and all your loved ones are okay and everything is going to be what it’s going to be.’ “I thought when Sean came to the Redskins, I was his guardian angel, “But he turned out to be my guardian angel. Our heart breaks without him, but in time we’ll get past it.’ Sean, I love you as my brother, I love you as my friend’ the rest of my teammates that I never took advantage of the opportunity to let you guys know how much I love and care about you guys, this is the time to do it. This is a great start for me. I’m going to miss him with all my heart. I love him.” …Former Redskins Linebacker LaVar Arrington (at the request of Sean’s father)
— “I hope the media gets a small lesson in grace and humility,” from this event, resisting the need to jump to conclusions, the next time a celebrity or public figure is in this position,’ “Take a really deep breath and think of Sean Taylor and do it a little differently.” … Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace
Up Next:
The Redskins will play host this weekend to the Chicago Bears (5-6) who lost to the New York Giants 21-16 last week at Soldier Field. The game will be played at Fed Ex Field; kickoff is scheduled for 1 pm, the Redskins are again expected to honor Sean Taylor’s memory with a tribute before the game. For those that don’t have NFL Network, you can follow the game online. The Bears quarterback situations is defined when you look at the stats, Rex Grossman continues to start for the Bears (67.1 QB rating, 1397 yards, 4 Touchdowns, and 7 Interceptions), but Brian Griese has slightly better numbers (77.1 QB rating, 1505 yards, 9 Touchdowns, and 10 Interceptions), on the bench and the defense is lead by Middle Linebacker Brian Urlacher (96 Tackles, 73 Solo/23 Assists, 2 Sacks and 2 Interceptions). The Chicago Bears are ranked 29th in points scored with 237 points and the defense is 19th in points allowed, giving up 272 points.
Complete Tale of the Tapes:
Total Offense: Washington is ranked 17th with 330 yards per game and Chicago ranks 24th with 301 ypg.
Rushing Offense: Washington is ranked 9th with 120.9 yards per game and Chicago ranks 31st with 83.8 ypg.
Passing Offense: Washington is ranked 15th with 209.1 yards per game and Chicago ranks 14th with 217.2 ypg.
Total Defense: Washington is ranked 10th giving up 314.6 yards per game and Chicago ranks 28th with 355.9 ypg.
Rushing Defense: Washington is ranked 10th giving up 97.8 yards per game and Chicago ranks 27th with 130.8 ypg.
Passing Defense: Washington is ranked 17th giving up 216.8 yards per game and Chicago ranks 25th with 225.1 ypg.
Injury Report:
The Redskins will not release their injury report until late afternoon on Wednesday. However Coach Gibbs updated the media after Tuesday’s walk-thru:
CB Shawn Springs (Back) will be evaluated but is expected to play Thursday.
WR Antwaan Randle El (hamstring) practiced and is expected to play Thursday.
FB Mike Sellers (back), practiced and will be evaluated Wednesday.
WR James Thrash (ankle) isn’t quite there yet but hopes to play.
G Randy Thomas (triceps) practiced but will be a game time decision.
Injured Reserves:
The following players are done for the 2007 season:
FB Broughton, Nehemiah (Knee)
TE Ecker, Tyler (Groin)
WR Espy, Mike (Knee)
WR Harris, Steven (Knee)
WR McAddley, Jason (Hamstring)
OL Tucker, Ross (Neck)
OT Jansen, Jon (Ankle)
CB Carlos Rogers (Neck)
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Bernie Marshall