It has been over 5 years since Washington Redskins’ star free safety was killed in what’s described as a botched robbery at his Miami-area home. He’s never left the minds of Redskins fans. In fact, he’s still well respected by NFL fans and players across the league. Just this past spring I realized how much of an impact Sean had on young safeties on the collegiate level entering the league. It was amazing to hear how many guys still watch Sean Taylor’s tape to see how he got the job done each week.
Thursday, EA Sports Madden 25 decided to take a well overdue step towards honoring the late, great Sean Taylor. Madden 25 announced the addition of Taylor to their All-25 team. The All-25 team is something new Madden is doing to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Madden NFL. With help from EA Sports GameChangers, they are compiling the best players in Madden History for the All-25 team. That’s powerful, when you really think about it.
Here’s what the Madden Blog had to say about this selection:
Sean Taylor was as intimidating a safety that an NFL secondary has ever seen. Not only did he have incredible range, but he hit with the power of a linebacker.
“Sean Taylor was a safety with the catch rating of a mid-level WR. Great power, speed, and awareness made him a true threat for the deep ball, as well as laying the lumber on the ball carrier.” - Brian Parker.
Taylor’s versatility allowed gamers to take away the run, but his pass-catching ability is what made him stand out.
“The late, great Sean Taylor was a scary Madden NFL player. In Madden NFL 06, he could hit, run, jump, and catch. Just like in real life, Taylor had to be accounted for in your offensive game plan; otherwise, he would make you pay.” - Shaun Mason.
“Sean Taylor was half-man, half-beast and had a great blend of size and speed. Taylor emerged during the glory years of the Hit Stick, and carried over his reputation as a big hitter from his days at “The U.” He was one of only players who could slow down NFC East rival Jeremy Shockey.“ - Zfarls.
You’d have to steer offenses away from his side of the field, or risk a turnover after a routine six-yard completion. Taylor’s dominance on the field was obvious from the moment he stepped on an NFL field and was included in his first version of Madden.
Sean Taylor was known to bring the bump and the same could be said for him in Madden 06. This guy was sure to cause a fumble or a broken up pass at any given time. Taylor taught me to never leave my receivers out to dry, and forced me to use more out patterns. - Simfballcritic.
“In a career tragically cut short, Sean Taylor managed to shine at the safety position over three years with the Washington Redskins. The Madden NFL 06 version of Taylor captures him just as he was beginning to establish himself as a premier player in the league. Playing as Taylor in Madden NFL 25’s All-25 Team will be a privilege.” - Brian Parker.
You can watch the full Safety selection video that highlights both Sean Taylor and the All-25 strong safety Brian Dawkins here:
