Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I know he's been talked about and the stat I ran across I'm guessing has been mentioned but it bears mentioning again.

I just did a podcast episode with him and in my research, I realized that he led all of pro football in receptions for four consecutive seasons. Eventually, he led all of pro football in five out of six seasons -- the only player to eclipse that is Don Hutson. All players who have led their league in receiving (including AAFC) three times are in the HOF, after Mac Speedie was inducted. Taylor led the AFL four seasons in a row and five out of six. His AFL totals would have also led the NFL in those years.

Taylor was always a HOF candidate IMO simply with the 100 catches and setting the record the year before with 92 despite missing two games. After finding out that he's in Don Hutson territory with leading the league in receptions really makes him stand out to me. Then, of course, you add his time on Chuck Noll's staff coaching Swann and Stallworth to HOF careers. Hard to believe his accomplishments are so overlooked.

Great numbers but like Cookie Gilchrist, Art Powell, Charlie Hennigan and Abner Haynes, early AFL stardom is ignored.

Taylor is a player who not only needs to be in the HOVG, I wouldn't hate him making the HOF. Powell and Hennigan should get in first, though.

Jim Nance is another one I'd add to Brian's list, and I think he isn't in the HOVG either.

Chris Burford isnt a HOF player but had he stayed with the Chiefs or played with the Bengals in 68 with Wyche and especially with Cook in 69, he would have had an even better HOVG case but he chose not to report to a Paul Brown team for the second time ...

Yeah, I wouldn't shake my head if any of those receivers mentioned made the HOVG and for the most part the HOF. Abner Haynes is another glaring HOF commission.

Lionel Taylor first stepped onto the pro grid with the Chicago Bears in 1959. He had little impact in the Windy City and so in 1960, he chose to play in the American Football League with the Denver Broncos. Taylor played seven seasons with Denver (1960-1966) and finished his career with the Houston Oilers (1967-1968). During the span of his career, Taylor caught more passes (567) than hall-of-famers Raymond Berry (478), Don Maynard (427), Tommy McDonald (418), and Lance Alworth (394) and also Art Powell (479) and Boyd Dowler (417), both of whom are in the HOVG. However, Taylor was a possession receiver, and amongst the aforementioned players, Taylor had the lowest yards per reception during the span of his career, in fact he ranked 19th (dead last) amongst all receivers who had pulled in at least 300 receptions during that period, in fact a full yard less than the 18th spot. As for touchdowns, amongst the aforementioned names, Taylor ranked only above Boyd Dowler in total touchdowns during this period and he ranked below Sonny Randle, Jimmy Orr, and Charley Hennigan.

Good call RC but with terrible offensive lines and immobile pedestrian QBs like Tripuka and others, it seems Taylor still had good statistics and impact. Could you imagine him playing with Blanda, Kemp or Dawson early on ?