Sunday marked 15 years since Sean Taylor was shot and killed in a home invasion, and the Washington Commanders honored the former defensive back by unveiling a memorial. The tribute was not exactly well received, but one of the biggest criticisms of it was unwarranted.
Washington held a ceremony prior to their game against the Atlanta Falcons at FedExField. Taylor’s daughter Jackie pulled a burgundy sheet to reveal a glass case with a figure depicting Taylor inside.
Fans and members of the media were highly critical of the memorial. Many felt Taylor deserved an actual statue, not a wire mannequin in mismatched football equipment.
Some compared the Taylor memorial to the one the Arizona Cardinals built for Pat Tillman.
At least one aspect of the criticism was unfair. It was assumed that the Commanders had soccer cleats on the mannequin out of carelessness, but Taylor’s daughter said the footwear is her favorite part of the memorial. She told reporters that wearing soccer cleats is “something that was super special to (Taylor) and something that he chose to do.”
It is hardly a surprise that people jumped at the opportunity to bash the Commanders, but they should have done some research first.
This is not the first time we have seen a controversy involving a Taylor memorial.
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