Denver Broncos Saddened By Death Of Legendary Wide Receiver

The Denver Broncos sadly lost a franchise legend earlier this month.

On Aug. 6, wide receiver Lionel Taylor passed away. He was 89 years old. Not only was he a member of the inaugural 1960 Broncos, he put up prolific numbers for the franchise. During his seven-year stint in Denver, he had 543 receptions for 6,872 yards and 44 touchdowns. He ended his playing days with the Houston Oilers.

"This was a guy [who had] hands like vice grips," AFL historian and author Dave Steidel said. "If a pass was near him, he was getting it. He caught double-digit passes [per game]. Nobody was catching 10, 11, 12 in a game back then in either league."

After hanging up his cleats in 1969, Taylor became a wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also had NFL coaching stints with the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. That being said, he's best known for his time in the Mile High City.

In 1984, Taylor was officially inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. As you'd imagine, the franchise is heartbroken about his death.

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Broncos Ring of Fame wide receiver Lionel Taylor," the team said. "An original Bronco and one of the most dominant players of his era, Taylor had a tremendous impact on the franchise during his seven seasons in Denver (1960-66). Our hearts go out to Taylor’s family and friends."