Washington commanders finally repair the statue meant to honor the late defenseman Sean Taylor.
Nearly two years after the team unveiled a wire memorial that left many disappointed, commanders announced Saturday that they had removed the statue and were now working with Taylor’s family to build a new one.
“I am thrilled to announce, with the Commanders of Washington, our plans to unveil a statue in honor of my father,” Taylor’s daughter, Jackie Taylor, said in a statement. “I am grateful to Josh Harris and the Commanders family for their continued commitment to keeping my father’s legacy alive. I look forward to sharing my plans in the future and learning more about my father through this process.”
“I will be forever grateful for the love and support I have received from these special fans. I am filled with gratitude knowing that my father will always be a part of the burgundy and gold family.”
Taylor spent four seasons with the Commanders organization, which selected him with the fifth overall pick in 2004 while he was in Miami. He was shot and killed during an attempted robbery at his home during the 2007 season. He was 24 when he died.
In 2022, on the 15th anniversary of his death, the Commanders unveiled a memorial in his honor at their stadium, but it was just a metal frame with his jersey on it. There was nothing really tying Taylor to the instillation other than his jersey number, and it looked like a mannequin fans might find in a department store.
Naturally, this immediately sparked a lot of negative reactions from fans.
The incident is one of several high-profile incidents that former owner Dan Snyder has faced toward the end of his tenure with the franchise. Harris and an investment group purchased the team from Snyder for more than $6 billion last summer.
While details of the new memorial or when it will open are unknown, the new ownership group is ready to find a new way to honor the team’s former safety.
“After careful consideration, we have decided as an organization to remove the Sean Taylor installation from Commanders Field,” a Commanders spokesperson said. “We recognize that the installation failed to honor one of our franchise’s most iconic players.”
“With the Taylor family, we are working on a plan, which includes the unveiling of a statue that will rightfully celebrate the legacy and impact Sean had on our organization, our fans and our community. The Washington Commanders are committed to honoring our legends in the best possible way.”
