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Texas safety Michael Taaffe left it all out there

On3 imageby:Justin Wells•about 8 hours
Michael Taaffe, Gunnar Helm
Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas safety Michael Taaffe has been a leader on and off the field. He spoke to the media after the 28-14 loss to Ohio State in the College Football semifinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl from AT&T Stadium on Friday. When he talks, others listen.

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“This team’s so special to me,” Taaffe told Inside Texas. “Just for this chapter of this book to close for this team, as far as we can’t play another game together. That hurt. Emotionally that hurts. Just to not be able to play with those guys ever again, wearing the burnt orange.”

What was the tone of the Texas locker room after the game?

“We talked about it,” said Taaffe. This team’s not over. We’re going to stay together, we’re going to communicate, we’re always going to have each other’s backs. But, you know, the season’s over. That hurts.”

Going to Texas is a family tradition for the Taaffes. And that won’t stop anytime soon.

“Wearing this burnt orange, that’s something I hold a lot of pride in my life,” Taaffe said. “I’m a fifth generation Longhorn and I grew up wanting to be on this stage every moment of my life. And to know we left it all out there. Everything we had. It was cut short and that’s emotional for me.”

Looking back, what will Taaffe remember the most about 2024?

“I just have so much love for these guys,” said Taaffe. “I came in here a walk-on and now I’m an All American. But I don’t really care about that. I care about the love of my teammates. Those are cool accolades, but hearing that a teammate loves me is so much cooler, and it’s so much more fulfilling in in your heart as a teammate, as a leader, as a guy on the team. I tell everybody, football is the best sport in America. It’s the best sport ever created because you’re faced with real life adversity, real life challenges in your life.”

What about his future in Austin? The NFL Draft might be calling.

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“Yeah, I hate looking at the future, because future decisions, you got to make it based on your best decision for yourself. 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.”

The epitome of a Texas Longhorn.

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