John Gregory Taylor (born March 31, 1962 in Pennsauken, New Jersey) was an American football wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers. March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Pennsauken highlighted in Camden County Pennsauken Township is a census-designated place and township located in Camden County, New Jersey. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Jerry Rice holds many career records for wide receivers in the National Football League. ... City San Francisco, California Other nicknames {{{nicknames}}} Team colors Cardinal Red, Metallic Gold and Black Head Coach Mike Nolan Owner Denise DeBartolo York and John York General manager Scot McCloughan Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot Sourdough Sam Local radio Flagship stations: KNBR (680 AM & 1050 AM) and KSAN (107. ...

Taylor attended Delaware State University and was a member of their football team, the Hornets. Delaware State University is a historically black university in Dover, Delaware. ...

He played for the 49ers from 1987 to 1995 and was an exceptional counterpart to Hall of Fame teammate Jerry Rice during that time. He led the National Football League in punt return yards (556) in 1988, and he may be best known for catching the winning 10-yard touchdown pass from Joe Montana during the final seconds of Super Bowl XXIII in 1989. He also set Super Bowl records in the game for longest punt return(45 yards), most punt return yards(56), and highest punt return average (18.7 yards per return). The Pro Football Hall of Fame is technically the National Football Leagues Hall of Fame. ... Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962 in Starkville, Mississippi) is a former football wide receiver in the NFL, widely regarded as the best receiver to ever play the game, and arguably the greatest football player ever. ... The National Football League (NFL) is the largest professional American football league, consisting of thirty-two teams from American cities and regions. ... Punt can mean the following: a kind of boat; see punt (boat) an ancient nation from Africa; see Land of Punt an action in American football; see punt (football) the indentation on the bottom of a wine bottle the Irish-language word for Pound (currency). ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A touchdown is the primary method of scoring in American and Canadian football, in which the ball carrier causes the football to break the plane of the end zone, or an eligible receiver catches a forward pass in the end zone, thus earning 6 points for his team (in both... Joseph Clifford Montana, Jr. ... Date January 22, 1989 Stadium Joe Robbie Stadium City Miami, Florida MVP Jerry Rice, Wide receiver Favorite 49ers by 7 National Anthem Billy Joel Coin toss Nick Buoniconti, Bob Griese, and Larry Little Halftime show Be Bop Bamboozled - South Florida-area dancers and performers, and 3-D effects Attendance 75... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Before his famous touchdown catch in the Super Bowl, Taylor had caught just 22 passes in his 2 seasons with the 49ers and was mainly used as punt and kick returner. But in the season after his super bowl winning touchdown reception, Taylor established himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL. Despite not being the #1 receiver on is team, Taylor finished the 1989 season with 60 receptions for 1,077 yards and ten touchdowns (the fourth most touchdown receptions by a player in the NFL that year). He broke the 1,000 receiving yard milestone again in the 1991 season with 64 receptions for 1,011 yards and nine touchdowns (ranking him seventh in the NFL). In his nine NFL seasons, Taylor recorded 347 receptions for 5,589 yards (an average of 16.1 yards per catch) and 43 touchdowns. He also gained 1,517 yards and two touchdowns returning punts, and added another 276 yards returning kickoffs. He was selected to play in the NFL Pro Bowl twice, in 1988 and 1989. He also won three super bowl rings in his career with the 49ers, in 1988, 1989, and 1994. His combined total of 94 punt return yards in those three games are the most by any player in Super Bowl history, and his average of 15.7 yards per return is also the highest. Special teams are units in American football and Canadian football that are on the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, and field goal attempts. ... NFL logo For other uses of the abbreviation NFL, see NFL (disambiguation). ... The Pro Bowl is the National Football Leagues All-Star game. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

College Career

Taylor totaled 42 touchdown receptions over the course of his collegiate career, including 19 his senior season, both conference records. Darnerian McCants has since eclipsed his record in receiving yardage, but he remains the most famous player to ever come out of the MEAC. He was named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1985 and All-MEAC first team in 1984 and 1985.

Playing Style

John Taylor might be best remembered for his incredible ability after the catch, but it was his ability to catch the football that made him able to do the miraculous things he did. His immense hands were measured 11.2 inches in length at the 1986 combine, still a record for any receiver to ever come into the league. Taylor is also remembered for never dropping a pass in his career, not even in practice. He had an uncanny ability to relax on the football field and effortlessly catch the football and run all in one fluid motion, also referred to by some scouts as "running through the ball." He was also a spectacular punt return, had perhaps the strongest arm on the team, and was a borderline professional caliber bowler, as well as an outstanding baseball and basketball player. Known by most of his teammates as the 49ers' finest athlete during their dynasty, the only thing he didn't have was blinding 4.3 speed.

Post-Retirement

Taylor now drives a truck company and leads a pretty quiet life off the field. His only moments in any sort of spotlight come when he's participating in celebrity golf events, such as ones sponsored by his alma mater, Delaware State.

External links

• Pro-Football-Reference.com
• Taylor's bio [[1]]
• Super Bowl punt return records[[2]]