Redskins Insider: Should a Redskins player ever wear No. 21 again?

[BGO]

Hogs Haven posted an item yesterday asking whether any Redskins player, following safety Sean Taylor’s death, should ever wear his number again. There’s a decent discussion to be had, starting with what came up last week when we discussed which … Continue reading →

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[HOF44]

No way. Should be on the Redskins unofficially retired list.

 

[Ax]

Eventually, yes.

But not for a long, long time.

 

[fansince62]

Whatever the fans want has my vote.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

No and thanks to modern day video highlights of Sean can be seen for years to come.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

 

[McD5]

Both sides have good points.

Other players have worn 21 here, and had as good of, or better careers than Taylor had.

I imagine the proper thing to do would be to ask them first. I'm sure they'd be okay with it.

I don't think it's a big deal either way, but if they do let others wear it, it had better be a special player many years from now.

 

[tshile]

Taylor is my favorite player. When you read that remember I'm young and didn't really start paying attention until 2000. I don't have a lot of players to choose from. He was the first jersey I bought, and the second when he changed his number.
So i don't want it used.

That said I certainly understand some fans perspective that, in the grand scheme of things, his career wasn't exactly the best, he had off the field problems, and that people like me have greatly inflated him as a player. I especially give those fans credit for mostly keeping those opinions to themselves to not cause huge arguments. Part of the reason I'm posting it for them.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I like the idea of using the number 21 like they use numbers at the University of Miami - hold it for the next great safety to play for the Skins. Whoever wears it in the future has to really earn it.

 

[HOF44]

if he wouldnt have been murdered people would talk about him like they do Ed Reed no doubt in my mind.

He was becoming THE ball hawk of the league and still laying hits on mother****ers like he was mad at them. Like Gibbs said "some people are bred to do certain things and Sean was made to play football"

In my mind he would have turned out to be a cross between Ronnie Lott and Ed Reid, taking the best of both their games and combining them in one person.

 

[FuriousD]

Should 21 be worn again? Absolutely!

Was Sean Taylor a good player? Hell yes. A truely great player? We'll never know. Good person? Debatable. Guess I'm definately in the minority here but I'll never understand the desire to cannonize him.

 

[Shi no Tenshi]

Furious, I'm pretty sure you can find plenty of evidence to support that he was a good person. The desire to look at him as we do is because of the fact that he was murdered, and as you point out, we never got to know how great he could be.

I do think in time that somebody should be allowed to wear that number again. But I agree with Lanky that they would have to earn it in the fan's eyes. Sean Taylor had an odd connection with fans that is hard to replicate, and there has to be a form of respect to that number. We wouldn't want, say, Justin Tryon types rocking it.

 

[Ax]

I know, for me, I wouldn't want to see anyone in the secondary wear the number for a good while. But if we were to draft the next Jim Brown, and he was wanting to wear his old college number, and that number was 21, I don't think it should be a big deal.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

I know, for me, I wouldn't want to see anyone in the secondary wear the number for a good while. But if we were to draft the next Jim Brown, and he was wanting to wear his old college number, and that number was 21, I don't think it should be a big deal.

That's pretty much how I feel.

I loved to watch Sean Taylor play. Like Tshile, I bought his #36, and later a couple of 21's.

It seems like the younger fans feel more strongly about it. I guess the real issue is that his career was tragically short.

I mean, honestly, if we're going to retire a safety's #, why not Ken Houston?

 

[HOF44]

There is an argument for Houston, but half his career was as an Oiler.

 

[Ax]

On performance alone, Ken Houston was the best safety we've had in my lifetime.

And in reality, the reason Sean number is even considered for retirement, is because he was so tragically murdered. As good as he was obviously becoming, the rest is all projection.

Out of respect, his number should be withheld from anyone in the secondary, for a good while.

But as I've said, I wouldn't be against a running back getting sooner. But, it's still fresh enough in everyone's memory, for it to happen anytime soon.

Hell, the little maggot **** eating ****sucker and his cohorts haven't even stood trial yet.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

There is an argument for Houston, but half his career was as an Oiler.

True...but he's in the HOF as a Skin.

The point is, putting sentimentality(sp?) aside, Taylor didn't play long enough to warrant having his # retired.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Taylors degree of play did. He has more highlights than most of the people who had their numbers retired.

Plus he single handedly won, saved wins, and set up wins all by himself.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

What about Sammy Baugh? John Riggins? Darrell Green? Sonny Jurgensen? Charlie Taylor? Art Monk?

Most of those guys were all human highlight reels, who also single handedly won, saved wins and set up wins by themselves. What sets them apart from Taylor is that their play helped lead us to win NFL Championships and Super Bowls.

Don't get me wrong. I thought he was very good. Like many of us, I watched his entire NFL career, and cried when he was murdered, but he did not do enough in his career to warrant having his # retired.

Had he retired in 2007 due to injury, I doubt that anyone would want his # retired.

Mike....I'm seriously not trying to be a dick about it, or bait anyone into an argument, (that's not me), but that's my honest opinion about it.

 

[Skinsfan1311]

Question: at what point did I compare him to those guys?

Another question: outside of Green, aren't all of those numbers retired? I know Sonnys is for sure.

I think its funny how you want to say Riggo helped us win championships yet you aren't recognizing how many mediocre teams he played on. Sean may not have won any super bowls but he sure as **** got us to the playoffs (and secure wins against dallas two times) in 05.

I wore 44 all thru my football career but I'm not even sure why you threw any of the names in with them.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

You'll get no argument from me concerning Taylors play.

There is only 1 Redskins jersey that is "officially" retired, and that's Sammy Baugh. Baugh definitely had more highlight reels than Taylor.

I threw those names out there because you stated that "He has more highlights than most of the people who had their numbers retired", and those guys contributed to getting into and, in some cases, winning Super Bowls.

No matter how good Taylor was, he never helped us get to an NFC Championship or Super Bowl, and those other guys did,

That being said...... after reading that Baugh is the only player whose jersey is "officially" retired then it appears that, by dropping those names, I was talking out of my ass

In any case, we're all entitled to an opinion and I respect yours.

Let's just agree to disagree. If you make it back to the right coast for a game, I'll buy you a beer.

 

[Boone]

I liked Taylor a lot - I got to see him quite a bit during his first 3 seasons and interview him several times. He was a hell of a player, and I think a genuinely good guy, not the 'thug' some portrayed him to be. More misunderstood and raw than ever a bad guy. He had a tragic life, but I think the fan worship has always been a little out of hand. He would have a hard time cracking a top 25 redskins of all time list, based on anything other than sentimentality. I can't see retiring his number based on that.

 

[HOF44]

To clarify what I meant, think he should be on the list of I unofficially retired numbers. Baugh is our only officially retired number.