Fans are reminiscing about how past Pro Bowls were played, with the NFL changing the game from tackle to flag football last year. The player’s safety and a lack of competitiveness in games were the main reasons for the change.
That hasn’t stopped people from posting some dynamic hits from past Pro Bowls, but Washington safety Sean Taylor’s 2007 hit truly stands out.
Sean Taylor’s Crushing Hit on Brian Moorman
In the 2007 Pro Bowl, the AFC was leading by seven in the third quarter when Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman tried to run on a fake punt. He was a couple of yards short of the first down when Taylor leveled him.
This Sean Taylor hit stick is still one of the greatest Pro Bowl memories EVER. 💥#ProBowlGames | #NFL
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) February 4, 2024
In 2022, Moorman told Commanders.com that “it’s certainly the hit that keeps on giving.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “One of only a select few plays that ever made me jump out of my press-box seat the moment it happened…..”
One person posted, “Sean Taylor was one of the absolute best.”
Former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who coached Taylor and Moorman in his career, remembered the play.
Sean Taylor's famous Pro Bowl hit will live on forever. 🙏
"Brian Moorman decides on his own to run a fake punt and Sean lit him up."
"Sean said Come Get Some."
–@Coach_BWilliams pic.twitter.com/6dfTV9yHGa
— COME GET SOME (@ComeGetSomeShow) February 4, 2024
Taylor’s Life and Career
Taylor was an All-American and the 2003 Big East Defensive Player of the Year when he was at the University of Miami. In 2003, as a junior, he had 10 interceptions and returned three for touchdowns in 12 games with the Hurricanes.
After that year, Taylor entered the NFL Draft, and Washington selected him with the fifth overall pick in 2004. As a rookie, he had four interceptions in 15 games and finished in fourth place in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Taylor was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007, along with earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2007.
Tragically, in November 2007, an intruder shot Taylor at his Miami home. He was shot in the thigh, and his femoral artery was severed. Taylor, 24, died the next day.
Eric Rivera was one of five men charged with Taylor’s death after they broke into his house looking to steal money. Rivera said the group thought Taylor wasn’t home because Washington was playing in Tampa, but Taylor was out with a knee injury.
MORE: Why Did the NFL Stop Playing the Traditional Pro Bowl Game?
Rivera, who confessed to police on videotape that he shot Taylor, was sentenced to 57 years in prison. He was ineligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the shooting.
Taylor’s daughter, Jackie, shared memories about her dad for CBS’ opening of the Commanders’ game on Thanksgiving this past November. Jackie Taylor was 18 months old when her father was killed.
The way that Sean Taylor played the game will be remembered forever, and his legacy lives on through his daughter Jackie. ❤️@PlayerCulture pic.twitter.com/5Hk8gIKAQX
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 23, 2023
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!
