Jackie Taylor, daughter of NFL icon Sean, to wear No. 21 for UNC volleyball

Sean Taylor was one of the all-time greats in the game of football. His legacy lives on years after he tragically passed away. And on Thursday evening, his daughter let everyone know she was going to continue to honor him, by wearing one of his old numbers, No. 21, for UNC volleyball.

Like father, like daughter 🤝

Freshman Jackie Taylor will wear No. 21 as a Tar Heel, honoring her dad, Sean Taylor 💙 2️⃣1️⃣ 💙

📸: Seattle Times#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/HTQBwozTvb

— Carolina Volleyball (@UNCVolleyball) June 27, 2024

Jackie Taylor was born in May of 2006, a few months after Sean Taylor finished his second season with the Washington Redskins. Taylor died in November of 2007, at the age of 24 years old. He was shot in the leg after a group of people broke into his house. The bullet ended up damaging the femoral artery, which caused significant blood loss.

Jackie Taylor has honored Sean Taylor throughout her career

Jackie Taylor has honored her father throughout her athletic career. She also wore No. 1 for the Gulliver Prep high school volleyball team, which was the name number Sean Taylor wore in high school when he played for the Gulliver Prep football team.

She led the Gulliver Prep Raiders to their first Florida state championship during her senior year. She finished with 26 kills, 6.5 blocks, and four digs in her team’s win over Bishop Moore in their Class 4A state championship game.

Sean Taylor was a two-time Pro Bowler with Washington (2006 and 2007) and he had his No. 21 jersey retired after he passed away. In 2006, he racked up 111 tackles and snatched one interception. At the time of his death, he was tied for the most interceptions in the NFC and the second most in the NFL (five), despite missing Weeks 11 and 12 with a knee injury. In October of 2021, Sean Taylor had his jersey retired by Washington, becoming just the third player in franchise history to do so.

During his college football days with the Miami Hurricanes, Sean Taylor made a name for himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. In 2003, Taylor was stunningly dominant, earning first team All-American honors, Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors, and becoming a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. He led the Big East and ranked first in the country in interceptions (10), tying the school record for interceptions in a single season with former Hurricanes great Bennie Blades. Taylor also managed to return three interceptions for touchdowns, setting a Miami single-season record.