Tyrod Taylor
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Tyrod Diallo Taylor (born August 3, 1989) is an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
of the
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(NFL). He played
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
for
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
, leading the Hokies to the 2009 Orange Bowl as a Sophomore and
2011 Orange Bowl The 2011 Discover Orange Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Stanford Cardinal on Monday, January 3, 2011, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Stanford defeated Virginia Tech 40–12 ...
during his senior year. He was drafted by the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
in the sixth round of the
2011 NFL Draft The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York C ...
and served as the backup to starting quarterback Joe Flacco, including during the Ravens'
Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
victory over the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
. Taylor was signed by the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
as a free agent in 2015, taking over the starting quarterback duties that season and earning a
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
appearance. In 2017, he helped the Bills make their first playoff berth in 17 years. He was traded to the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
in March 2018, with the Bills drafting
Josh Allen Josh or Joshua Allen may refer to: * Josh Allen (offensive lineman) (born 1991), former American football player * Josh Allen (quarterback) (born 1996), American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills since 2018 * Josh Allen (defensi ...
to replace him. Taylor subsequently earned the starting position for the Browns,
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, and later the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
, but was sidelined due to injuries all three times and replaced by rookies
Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Texas Tech, Mayfield played college football at Oklahoma, where he won the Hei ...
, Justin Herbert, and Davis Mills respectively.


High school career

At Hampton High School, in Hampton, Virginia, Taylor was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track. In
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, he helped lead the team as a quarterback, while also becoming the team's kick returner and safety. During his four years as starter, he led the team to a 34–4 record. He accumulated 7,690 yards of offense and scored 100 total touchdowns. He passed for 5,144 yards and 44 touchdowns, while rushing for 2,546 yards and 56 touchdowns. When Taylor graduated from Hampton in 2007, he was rated as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback at Rivals.com.
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rated him the No. 3 overall quarterback, while Scout.com said he's the nation's seventh-best passer. Taylor, who is 6'1" and 200 pounds, ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash. Taylor narrowed his final two choices down to
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
and the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
, and chose to attend Virginia Tech.


College career


Freshman year

During Taylor's freshman year, Taylor shared time for most of the season with the junior quarterback
Sean Glennon Sean Glennon (born September 5, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Virginia Tech. Glennon, was named the starter following the dismissal of Marcus Vick and held that job until being replaced by Tyr ...
. Taylor's first action of college football came in the game against the
LSU Tigers The LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers are the athletic teams representing Louisiana State University (LSU), a state university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a ...
on September 8, 2007. In that game, Taylor completed 7-of-18 passes for 62 yards, rushed for 44 yards on nine attempts including his first collegiate touchdown. After that game, Tyrod was named the starter by head coach
Frank Beamer Franklin Mitchell Beamer (born October 18, 1946) is a retired American college football coach, most notably for the Virginia Tech Hokies, and former college football player. He is the father of current South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shan ...
. In his first collegiate start against
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, Tyrod threw for 287 yards, adding a rushing touchdown. One of Taylor's early accolades was rushing for 92 yards and a touchdown as well as passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns in leading Virginia Tech to its first victory against
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
in two decades. The win was the first ever for Frank Beamer against Florida State head coach
Bobby Bowden Robert Cleckler Bowden (; November 8, 1929 – August 8, 2021) was an American college football coach. Bowden coached the Florida State Seminoles of Florida State University (FSU) from 1976 to 2009 and is considered one of the greatest college ...
. On October 13, in the second quarter of a game against
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
, Taylor suffered a high ankle sprain which forced him to miss two games. Taylor returned in a game at
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
, but did not start for the rest of the season and rotated time with starter Sean Glennon. Throughout the season, Taylor accumulated 1,356 total yards, including 927 passing and 429 rushing. He completed 72-of-134 passing attempts, for a completion percentage of 53.7. He scored 11 touchdowns during the year, five passing and six rushing.


Sophomore year

Coming into the 2008 season, Taylor was intended to be redshirted. After Virginia Tech's loss to
East Carolina University East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
though, his redshirt was taken off due to Tech's need for more offense. Taylor's first appearance of the season came in the second game of the season against Furman, where he rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown. His first sophomore start came in the following week against Georgia Tech. After starting every game of the 2008 season leading up to the
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
game on October 25, Taylor suffered a high ankle sprain on the first play of the Florida State game. Sean Glennon relieved Taylor at the quarterback position after this setback. While Glennon got the start versus
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, Taylor split time with Glennon and led a crucial fourth quarter to make it a two-point game 16–14. However, he was sacked in a crucial 4th and 3 with less than two minutes to go. After the loss, Taylor started against
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
. After committing five turnovers in the first half, he was pulled from the game and replaced by Sean Glennon. Taylor then started next week at
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. He performed well including a 73-yard run. He was 12-for-18 for 137 yards and one touchdown while rushing 16 times for 137 yards. He then started in the ACC Championship Game win over
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
and was named the ACC Championship Game MVP. On January 1, 2009, he led the Hokies to a 20–7 victory over the
Cincinnati Bearcats The Cincinnati Bearcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Cincinnati. Though they will move to the Big 12 Conference (XII) the teams are currently a part of the American Athletic Conference (The American), which from 1979 ...
in the 2009 Orange Bowl. Overall, he finished his sophomore season with 1,036 passing yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions.


Junior year

During his junior season, Taylor led the Hokies to a 9–3 regular season record and a 2nd-place finish in the Coastal Division of the ACC. The Hokies played the
Tennessee Volunteers The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity college athletics, intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in NCAA Division I, ...
in the 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl and won 37–14, finishing with a final record of 10–3. After climbing as high as #4 in the rankings, Tech lost back to back games against
Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...
and
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, but finished the season ranked 10th in both the AP and USA Today Top 25 polls. In the 2009 season, he finished with 2,311 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions. After his junior season, he had a 23–5 career record at
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
, which was the second most wins of all time for a starting quarterback at Virginia Tech.


Senior year

Taylor's senior season began with two heartbreaking losses to Boise State at
FedExField FedExField (originally Jack Kent Cooke Stadium) is an American football stadium located in Summerfield, Maryland, east of Washington, D.C. The stadium is the home of the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). From 2004 u ...
and at home to Division I-FCS
James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...
. Taylor was 15-of-22 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, along with 73 yards on the ground, against Boise State, but was unable to respond following a Broncos score with 1:03 remaining. However, Taylor ultimately led the Hokies to a remarkable turnaround season, winning 11 consecutive games after the 0–2 start. The 2010 Hokies became the first ACC team to finish with an undefeated 8–0 record in ACC play in 10 years. They became ACC Champions for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 44–33 win over
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
in the 2010 ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. Overall, in his final collegiate season, he had 2,743 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Taylor finished the regular season as ACC Player of the Year and ACC Championship Game Most Valuable Player. Taylor participated in the 2011 East-West Shrine Game. He completed four of his five passes for 59 yards.


College statistics


Professional career

Taylor was drafted in the sixth round with the 180th overall pick by the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
in the
2011 NFL Draft The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York C ...
. He was the 11th quarterback to be selected that year. The Ravens previously acquired the pick from the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
in a trade that sent Mark Clayton to St. Louis. The Ravens played him at quarterback in spite of the fact many of the other 31 teams believed he would better be suited at wide receiver instead.


Baltimore Ravens


2011 season

In his first pre-season start against the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
, Taylor left with a shoulder injury. Early tests revealed no separation and his injury was characterized as a contusion. Taylor played in his first regular season game on December 4, 2011, in a victory over the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. He rushed for a two-yard gain. He appeared on December 18 and threw his first-ever regular season pass, an 18-yard completion to Anquan Boldin for the final play of the game. He also lined up as a wide receiver for one play against the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
.


2012 season

On December 30, 2012, Flacco was rested for most of the Week 17 game against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
, offering Taylor significant playing time. Taylor scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard bootleg in the fourth quarter. However, Taylor also threw a crucial interception to defensive end
Carlos Dunlap Carlos Dunlap (born February 28, 1989) is an American football defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida where he won a National Championship in 2009. He was drafted by ...
, which Dunlap returned for a touchdown. The Ravens lost the game against the Bengals by a score of 23–17. Taylor, as a backup, went on to earn a championship ring when the Ravens eventually won
Super Bowl XLVII Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
over the
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
.


2013 season

Taylor had a decent preseason in 2013 when he completed 21-of-36 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. He also showed his versatility as a runner using designed runs and scrambles while rushing for 66 yards on 15 carries. His strong preseason performance allowed him to keep his job as the Ravens backup quarterback for the third straight season. Taylor did not see any action in the 2013 season until Week 10, in a win against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
. He ran an end-around handoff from Flacco for a gain of 18 yards, which was the longest run by any Ravens player in that game. In Week 12 against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, Taylor played 12 total snaps, five at quarterback. He gained seven yards on four carries though he did have a 17-yard first down run in the first quarter. His total yardage was brought down by two second half runs where he lost 13 yards. He also had one reception for six yards. On December 22, 2013, Taylor would enter the game for Flacco during a blowout loss to the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. On his very first snap,
Gino Gradkowski Gino Gradkowski (born November 5, 1988) is a former American football Center (American football), center. He played college football at the University of Delaware. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. ...
snapped it too far to the right, and was recovered by New England for a touchdown. He finished the 41–7 loss, completing 1-of-4 passes for two yards and an interception that the Patriots defense returned for a touchdown.


2014 season

Taylor's only action in the 2014 season was during a Week 6 48–17 blowout victory over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
. Taylor came in during the fourth quarter to relieve Flacco.


Buffalo Bills


2015 season

On March 12, 2015, Taylor signed a three-year, $3.35 million contract with the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
. On August 31, 2015, Taylor was named starting quarterback of the Bills for the 2015 season by head coach
Rex Ryan Rex Ashley Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching position ...
, beating out former Bills first round pick
EJ Manuel Erik Rodriguez "EJ" Manuel Jr. (born March 19, 1990) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Florida State, leading the Seminoles to an ACC championship and Orange Bowl win in his senior year, and was drafted by ...
and veteran
Matt Cassel Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots ...
after a preseason quarterback competition among the three candidates. In Week 1, Taylor completed 14-of-19 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown while also rushing for 41 yards as the Bills beat the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
by a score of 27–14. The next week against the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
Taylor threw 30 passes, completing 23 passes and throwing three touchdowns while throwing three interceptions in a 40–32 loss. Taylor also added 43 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Taylor had the best game of his career so far in a 41–14 win over the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. He completed 21 of his 29 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 12 rushing yards. During a Week 5 come-from-behind victory over the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
, Taylor became only the fifth quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 100 yards, run for at least 70 yards and catch a pass in a single game. His jersey from the game was sent to the
Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
in
Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately south of Cleveland and south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and ...
. The following week it was reported that Taylor had suffered an MCL injury during the game, with the expectation that he would miss the Bills' Week 6 match-up against the undefeated
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
, and then be re-evaluated the next week. Taylor returned to action Week 9 and led the Bills to a 33–17 victory over the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. Taylor finished 11-for-12 with 181 passing yards and a passing touchdown to go along with a career-high 146.5 passer rating. In the win, Taylor also set the franchise record for completion percentage in a single game, completing 91.7% of his passes. Taylor set the Bills' franchise record for consecutive passes without an interception in the third quarter of a Week 13 win against the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
. The previous record had been held by
Drew Bledsoe Drew McQueen Bledsoe (born February 14, 1972) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Washington State, whe ...
since
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
. The streak ended on the last pass of the game in a Week 14 loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
(222). The Bills were eliminated from playoff contention the very next week after a 35–25 loss to the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. In Week 16, Taylor set the Bills franchise record for most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback, and he became the first Bills quarterback with over 500 yards rushing in a season. The Bills finished 8–8 on the year, only the third time they finished .500 or above consecutive years since the late 1990s. Taylor finished the 2015 season completing 63.7 percent of his passes, while throwing for over 3,000 yards, with 20 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He added 568 rushing yards on the ground. On January 25, 2016, Taylor and teammate offensive lineman
Eric Wood Eric Wood (born March 18, 1986) is a former American football center. He played college football at the University of Louisville and was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft (28th overall) by the Buffalo Bills of the National Foot ...
were selected to the Pro Bowl. They replaced Panthers quarterback
Cam Newton Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. He has played for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Super Cam", he is the NF ...
and Panthers center
Ryan Kalil Ryan Joseph Kalil (born March 29, 1985) is an American film and television producer and former NFL center. He played college football at USC, where he was a member of two national championship teams, was named a first-team All-American, and wo ...
, who were playing in
Super Bowl 50 Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2015 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) cha ...
. In the Pro Bowl, Taylor completed 8-of-14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw three interceptions.


2016 season

Taylor entered training camp as the starting quarterback for the Bills in the final year of his original Bills contract, as the third year of his deal was voided when he played more than 50% of the snaps in the 2015 season. On August 12, 2016, Taylor signed a six-year contract extension worth $92 million with the Bills. The contract contained an option after the first year, however. On Christmas Eve, against the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
, he passed for a career-high 329 yards and three touchdowns in the 34–31 overtime loss. Taylor completed 269-of-436 passes for 3,023 yards and 17 touchdowns with six interceptions in the 2016 season. In addition, he rushed for 580 yards and six touchdowns. He was made inactive for the final game of the season due to a clause in his contract that would make his 2017 salary guaranteed if he suffered a serious injury. At the time of the game, he already had a groin injury that could require surgery. On January 5, 2017, Taylor had surgery to repair a core muscle issue. Taylor was selected as a 2017 Pro Bowl alternate, but he declined the invitation due to injury.


2017 season

After the firing of
Rex Ryan Rex Ashley Ryan (born December 13, 1962) is an American former football coach and analyst. Ryan was formerly the head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL), and also held various coaching position ...
, it was widely speculated that the Bills would either trade Taylor or decline his option. Nonetheless, the Bills and Taylor agreed to restructure his contract, keeping Taylor signed with the team until the end of the 2018 season. Taylor sustained a concussion early in the third preseason game against the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
, but was able to recover in time to start in the Week 1 game against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
. During the Week 7 game against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
, Taylor helped lead the Bills to a fourth-quarter comeback, driving the offense 75 yards downfield for the game-tying touchdown with less than three minutes remaining. The Buccaneers fumbled on their next possession, setting up the Bills' game-winning field goal by Steven Hauschka. Taylor finished the game with 268 passing yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 53 yards. On November 2, he had a career-high 29 completions on 40 attempts for 285 yards and two passing touchdowns to go along with 35 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in a 31–24 loss to the New York Jets. On November 15, following a blowout loss to the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in which Taylor only threw for 56 yards, the Bills announced that Taylor would be benched in favor of rookie
Nathan Peterman Nathan Michael Peterman (born May 4, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh following a stint with Tennessee and was selected by the Buffal ...
. However, Peterman threw five interceptions during his first start against the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
and was replaced by Taylor at halftime. Taylor returned to the Bills' starting lineup in Week 12. During Week 13 against the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
, Taylor was limited to only 65 passing yards and was carted off the field after aggravating a knee injury initially suffered in the first quarter. He was relieved by Peterman for the remainder of the game as the Bills lost 23–3. Due to the knee injury, Taylor was inactive for Week 14, but returned as the starter in Week 15. The Bills finished the season with a 9–7 record, clinching their first playoff berth since 1999. In the Wild Card Round against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, Taylor had 134 passing yards and an interception before leaving the 10–3 loss with a concussion.


Cleveland Browns

On March 9, 2018, the Bills agreed to trade Taylor to the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
for a 2018 third-round draft pick. The deal became official five days later, on March 14, at the start of the NFL year. Despite drafting quarterback
Baker Mayfield Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Texas Tech, Mayfield played college football at Oklahoma, where he won the Hei ...
first overall in the
2018 NFL Draft The 2018 NFL Draft was the 83rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible players for the 2018 NFL season. The draft was held on April 26–28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; it was the first draft ...
, the Browns committed to Taylor as their season starter. In his first start against the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
, Taylor helped the Browns snap a 17-game losing streak dating back to 2016, but the game ended in a 21–21 tie. Taylor completed 15 of 40 pass attempts for 197 yards, a touchdown, and an interception while also rushing for 77 yards and a touchdown. Taylor was injured in Week 3 against the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
, which prompted Mayfield to take over at quarterback en route to the Browns finally winning their first game since 2016. Taylor appeared in only one other game in the 2018 season, completing an 11-yard pass against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
in Week 9.


Los Angeles Chargers


2019 season

On March 13, 2019, Taylor signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, reuniting with former offensive coordinator and one-time interim head coach
Anthony Lynn Anthony Ray Lynn (born December 21, 1968) is an American football coach and former running back who is the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played in t ...
. In Week 14, in the 45–10 victory over the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
, Taylor came into the game in relief of
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to
Virgil Green Virgil Leo Green (born August 3, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He played college football at Nevada and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Early years Green is a graduate of Tulare Uni ...
. .


2020 season

Following a shortened training camp leading up to the 2020 season, and with Rivers having signed with the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in free agency, Lynn named Taylor the Chargers' starter going into the season over rookie first-round pick Justin Herbert. Making his first start since Week 3 of the 2018 season, Taylor completed 16 of 30 passes for 208 yards as the Chargers defeated the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
16–13 in Week 1. Taylor suffered a rib injury during pre-game warmups the following week before a matchup with the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...
and was hospitalized, leaving Herbert to start at the last minute. Days later, it was revealed the Chargers' team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor's lung while administering a painkiller injection prior to the game. On October 8, Lynn announced that Herbert would be the starter for the remainder of the season. Taylor saw brief action during a Week 9 game against the
Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West divis ...
. Following a touchdown, Taylor came in on a two-point conversion attempt after Herbert was briefly sidelined after taking a hit. The two-point conversion attempt failed and Herbert returned the following series; the Chargers lost 31–26.


Houston Texans

On March 22, 2021, Taylor signed a one-year contract with the
Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
. He was reunited with Texans' new head coach David Culley, who previously coached Taylor as the quarterbacks coach with the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in 2017. On September 6, 2021, head coach
David Culley David Wayne Culley (born September 17, 1955) is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach of the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Culley has 45 years of coaching experience in both collegiate an ...
announced Taylor the Week 1 starting quarterback due to legal issues regarding starting quarterback
Deshaun Watson Derrick Deshaun Watson (born September 14, 1995) is an American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players ...
. In his first start with the Texans, Taylor finished 21-of-33 for 291 yards and two touchdowns along with 41 rushing yards in a 37–21 upset victory over the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
. In Week 2, against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
, Taylor suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and was replaced by rookie quarterback Davis Mills for the rest of the game. He was placed on injured reserve on September 21. He was activated on November 6. During the team's Week 13 game against the
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, Taylor was benched in the third quarter in favor of Mills; Taylor finished the game 5-of-13 for 45 yards with an interception. Houston would go on to lose the game 31–0, the team's second shutout loss of the season. On December 10, Culley announced Mills will be the starter for the rest of the season.


New York Giants

On March 17, 2022, Taylor signed a two-year contract worth $11 million with the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
. Taylor made his regular season in the game debut at quarterback in the third quarter of the fourth game of the season, during which he was
concussed A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
and was subsequently put into NFL concussion protocol. It was his fourth concussion in five years. He had come into play in the second half to replace the Giants' starter Daniel Jones who had just sustained a sprained ankle.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Postseason


Bills franchise records

*Highest completion percentage in single game (91.7%) *Most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (222) *First quarterback to post back-to-back-to-back seasons with over 400 yards rushing (2015–17) *First quarterback to post back-to-back seasons with over 500 yards rushing (2015–16)


Former Bills records

*Most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback (79) *Most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback (580) *Most career rushing yards by a quarterback (1,575) *Highest career passer rating, 500 or more passes thrown (92.5) *Highest career completion percentage, 500 or more passes thrown (62.6)


Player profile

Despite a smaller-than-average frame for an NFL quarterback, Taylor has received praise for his work ethic, elusiveness in the pocket and as a runner, and athleticism. He is also noted for his low turnover rate (the second lowest among passers with at least 1,000 attempts as of 2019), though critics also point out his conservative playing style, often labeling him as a "
game manager In American football, a game manager is a quarterback who, despite pedestrian individual statistics such as passing yards and touchdowns, also maintains low numbers of mistakes, such as interceptions and fumbles. Such a quarterback is seen as a ...
" in a similar mold as players such as
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...
.


Personal life

Taylor lists
Steve Young Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
,
Warren Moon Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
,
Michael Vick Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American football quarterback. Regarded as having transformed the quarterback position with his rushing abilities, he is the NFL leader in quarterback rushing yards and was the league's firs ...
, and
Allen Iverson Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Answer", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions. Iver ...
as his biggest athletic inspirations. He is a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, having been raised in the faith by his parents. In 2020, Taylor made a $25,000 contribution via his foundation to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. Upon joining the Browns and being featured on '' Hard Knocks'', a minor controversy on how to pronounce Taylor's first name emerged. While the vast majority of people, including TV analysts and Taylor's father and coaches, had been pronouncing it ''"TIE-rod"'' for years, Browns guard
Joel Bitonio Joel Michael Bitonio (born October 11, 1991) is an American football Guard (gridiron football), guard for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He play ...
and fourth-string quarterback Brogan Roback were heard on the show pronouncing it ''"tuh-ROD"'', which was supported by Taylor's mother and the Browns' senior vice president of operations. When asked about it, Taylor quipped that while he had heard ''"TIE-rod"'' most of his life and went with it, his mother gave him the name ''"tuh-ROD"'', but that she "doesn't call imby isfirst name".


Notes


References


External links

* *
New York Giants bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Tyrod 1989 births Living people African-American players of American football African-American Christians American football quarterbacks Baltimore Ravens players Buffalo Bills players Cleveland Browns players Hampton High School (Virginia) alumni Houston Texans players Los Angeles Chargers players Players of American football from Virginia Sportspeople from Hampton, Virginia Unconferenced Pro Bowl players Virginia Tech Hokies football players 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American people New York Giants players