Cliff Taylor (American football)

Cliff Taylor
No. 22, 27
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born:(1952-05-10)May 10, 1952
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died:March 23, 2010(2010-03-23) (aged 57)
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:198 lb (90 kg)
Career information
High school:South Side (Memphis)
College:Memphis State (1970–1973)
NFL draft:1974: 3rd round, 62nd pick
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:23
Rushing yards:65
Touchdowns:2
Receptions:5
Receiving yards:44
Kick returns:30
Stats at Pro Football Reference 

Clifton Durett Taylor Jr. (May 10, 1952 – March 23, 2010) was an American former professional football running back. He played college football for the Memphis State Tigers and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1974 NFL draft. He played one season for the Bears and later a season with the Green Bay Packers in 1976 before retiring.

Early life

Taylor was born on May 10, 1952, in Memphis, Tennessee.[1] His brother, Ed Taylor, also played in the NFL.[1] He attended South Side High School in Memphis where he competed in football and track and field.[2] In football, he played as a running back and was selected first-team all-state, All-Memphis and All-Mid-South as a senior after helping South Side to a 10–1–1 record and a second-place finish at the state championships. He gained over 100 yards in all but two games that season.[3] Taylor also excelled in track, being one of the top sprinters in the Mid-South.[4] He was a state champion in the 100- and 200-yard dash, setting a state record in the former with a time of 9.7 seconds.[2] He signed to play college football for the Memphis State Tigers.[3]

College career

Taylor attended Memphis State from 1970 to 1973, where he played alongside his brother Ed.[1][5] He missed the entirety of his freshman season due to a knee injury suffered in fall camp. He then played at fullback as a sophomore in 1971, helping Memphis State to the Pasadena Bowl and the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) title while running 39 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns.[2] His 1971 season included a game against North Texas State where he ran for 104 yards and 2 touchdowns.[2] The following season, he ran for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns while recording 16 receptions for 183 yards.[2] He served as starting fullback as a senior in 1973, running 120 times for 471 yards and 7 touchdowns while also catching 14 passes for 69 yards, being Memphis State's second-leading scorer.[2]

Professional career

Taylor was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round (62nd overall) of the 1974 NFL draft.[1] He was also selected in the fifth round (49th overall) of the 1974 WFL Draft by the Houston Texans.[1] He signed with the Bears in March 1974.[6] He appeared in all 14 games for the Bears, serving as their kick returner while also seeing limited use as a running back.[1] He ran nine times for 18 yards and a touchdown, caught three passes for 23 yards, and returned 27 kickoffs for 567 yards.[1] Taylor performed well for the Bears in preseason in 1975, scoring three of their last four touchdowns, but was nevertheless released prior to the regular season.[7] He then underwent foot surgery for a tendon issue and sat out the 1975 season.[8] Taylor signed with the Green Bay Packers in April 1976.[8] He made the team and appeared in seven games, running 14 times for 47 yards and a touchdown, catching two passes for 21 yards, and returning three kickoffs for 59 yards.[1] In his last game, he suffered a knee injury that required surgery and ended his season.[9] He retired from professional football in July 1977.[10] In his career, he appeared in 21 games and ran 23 times for 63 yards, caught five passes for 44 yards and returned 30 kickoffs for 626 yards.[1]

Later life and death

After his retirement, Taylor worked for Chevrolet in Memphis and for Infiniti.[11][12] Taylor was inducted into the Memphis M Club Hall of Fame in 1987.[2] He was married and had two children.[12] He died on March 23, 2010, at the age of 57.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Cliff Taylor Stats". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Clifton Taylor (1987)". Memphis Tigers. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Phillips, Bob (December 31, 1969). "Tigers Land Scrapper Ace". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Rea, Larry (April 22, 1970). "Taylor's Answer Is Always Right". The Commercial Appeal. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Patton, Buck P. (August 24, 1972). "Young Tigers Learn Fast". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Bears sign two runners". The Rock Island Argus. Associated Press. March 12, 1974. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Pierson, Don (September 16, 1975). "Strike worries haunt Bears". Chicago Tribune. p. 45, 50 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Packers Sign Free Agents". Herald-Times-Reporter. April 1, 1976. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Woodrow, Tom (October 26, 1976). "Between penalties, Packers played well". The Oshkosh Northwestern. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Cliff Taylor Transactions". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "Cliff Taylor Joins Winning Team". The Commercial Appeal. October 16, 1977. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c "Clifton Durrett Taylor Jr". DignityMemorial.com. March 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
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