Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Michael Taaffe Opens Up About Future, Potential NFL Plans

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Isa Almeida | Last updated Jan 11, 2025 6:30 PM ET

One of the most beloved players on the Texas Longhorns roster, defensive back Michael Taaffe only has one year left as a Longhorn.

The Austin native started his journey as a walk-on and redshirted his freshman year in 2021. Taaffe finally took on the field in 2022, playing in 13 games with one start. His performance that year earned him a scholarship before the Alamo Bowl game against Washington.

Since then, Taaffe has grown to be one of the faces of Steve Sarkisian's team, but he is still unsure what his future holds when the playing days are over. One thing is for sure, though, Taaffe wants to keep inspiring the people around him.

"A lot of people have told me I should be a coach," Taaffe said. "Whatever I want to do, I want to be a leader in life. I want to inspire others. I want to be significant."

A fifth-generation Longhorn, Taaffe went from a walk-on to an All-American, and when asked if the NFL Draft was in his near future, Taaffe avoided the thought.

“Yeah, I hate looking at the future, because future decisions, you got to make it based on your best decision for yourself," Taaffe said. "And I hate that because I care about the team. I could give a crap about success. I care about significance. I care about when I’m 60 years old and somebody is talking about Michael Taaffe being a legend at Texas. Because of what he did on the field and what he did as a leader.”

Taaffe's mindset drew his teammates to hear him and respect him as a leader in the team, and that's everything he wants for his legacy.

"I want to be remembered for somebody who wants a legacy on other people's life," Taaffe said.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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