Particle.news
Download on the App Store
18 ARTICLES
·
6d ago

Lionel Taylor, Broncos Ring of Fame Receiver and Coaching Pioneer, Dies at 89

Confirmed by his family on August 13, his August 6 passing will be honored during Denver’s preseason game.

Image
Brian Hanlon's busts of former Denver Broncos player Lionel Taylor, owner Gerald Phipps and former player Charley Johnson sits in 'Ring of Fame Plaza' outside Sports Authority Field at Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos football team in Denver, Colorado on September 12, 2017.
Image
Image

Overview

  • Lionel Taylor died at 89 on August 6 at his home near Albuquerque/Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a fact confirmed by his family and announced by the Denver Broncos on August 13.
  • The Broncos will honor Taylor during their preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals and have shared tributes through official social media channels and alumni groups.
  • As the first pro football player to record 100 catches in a single season (1961), Taylor led the AFL in receptions five times and still ranks among Denver’s career leaders in receptions, yards, and touchdowns.
  • Taylor won two Super Bowl rings as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receivers coach (1970–76) and served as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator (1980–81), earning recognition as the NFL’s first Black coordinator.
  • After facing serious health challenges and hospice care following a December 2024 hospitalization, Taylor’s family plans a public memorial in the Albuquerque area later this month.