The Commanders unveiled a memorial to the late Sean Taylor at FedEx Field on the 15th anniversary of the player’s murder during a home invasion. News4 spoke to family and friends about the installation.
The Washington Commanders pulled out a win on their home field on Sunday, but a special moment off the field left some fans scratching their heads.
The team unveiled a memorial for the late Sean Taylor on the 15th anniversary of the star player's murder during a home invasion in 2007.
Taylor, a hard-hitting safety and two-time pro-bowler, quickly became a fan favorite in D.C., and his tragic death made as much of an impact on the region as his life and career did.
To honor him, a full football uniform, complete with helmet, iconic #21 jersey and Taylor's signature soccer cleats, now sits in a glass case at FedEx Field, looking almost ghostly on a series of near-invisible wires.
Taylor's family -- including his father, Pedro Taylor, and daughter, Jackie Taylor, who was just a baby when her father died -- attended the tribute's unveiling. Their reactions toward the tribute were positive.
"I love it," said Taylor's father. "I love it; I'm glad for it. Because, you know what? Not only is this generation with us, a lot of generations that follow Sean want to be a part of what he's done. And this is the goal. Set the goal high so you can reach that goal."
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Clinton Portis, Taylor's teammate in college and in the NFL, said he was glad to see his friend recognized.
"To know that Sean will always be iconic and legendary, in this place, no matter where the stadium goes, no matter where the team goes, whatever happens, Sean's gonna be a part of it," he said.
But many of Taylor's fans were disappointed by the memorial, with some expecting something more like the statue installed for NFL-star-turned-Army-Ranger Pat Tillman at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Tillman died serving his country in Afghanistan after enlisting in the U.S. Army following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Commanders never used the word statue to describe the Sean Taylor tribute, calling it an "installation," but fans took to social media to express their disappointment at the final result.
"Looks less like a memorial and more like something you'd see on display in the team shop," said one Twitter user.
"It looks like something you'd see at Sears touting the 'new winter collection,'" said another.
"This is embarrassing," said a third fan. "Complete lack of effort on your part."
Robert Griffin III, former quarterback for the Commanders, also took to Twitter to express his unhappiness with the memorial.
"Sean Taylor Deserved a Statue," he tweeted, alongside a photo of the installation unveiled on Sunday.
The social media firestorm over the Taylor memorial isn't the first time a tribute to the football star has stoked fans' anger. In October 2021, the announcement about Taylor's jersey retirement ceremony wasn't released until 76 hours before the ceremony actually took place -- leaving some fans who wanted to take part in honoring Taylor in the dark.
The team issued a statement apologizing for the delay shortly after making the announcement, and a month later, team president Jason Wright said they had "royally F’d up the Sean Taylor jersey retirement."
As of Monday at 12:45 p.m., the team has not commented on the fan reaction to the Sean Taylor memorial.
