Grambling, Bears legend Rosey Taylor dead at age 82

A New Orleans legend has passed away.

Roosevelt Taylor died Friday. Born on Independence Day in 1937, Taylor was 82.

Taylor grew up in the Lower Ninth Ward, attending McCarthy Elementary School.

A three-sport star at Clark High School, Taylor excelled in basketball. He walked on at Grambling in football, eventually earned a scholarship in basketball and became a great player for legendary coach Eddie Robinson. Taylor tried his luck with basketball with the Tigers but was cut on two occasions. He became a full-time football player by his junior season.

At Grambling, Taylor was part of the first SWAC championship team in Grambling history in 1960.

Taylor started his 12-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears in 1961, earning a spot on the roster as an undrafted free agent.

With the Bears, Taylor led the NFL in interceptions with nine in 1963 at his safety spot and was a driving force as Chicago won the NFL championship, downing the New York Giants 14-10 at Wrigley Field in the title game.

Taylor earned Pro Bowl honors twice (1963, 1968) with the Bears and earned first team All-Pro honors in 1963 and second team All-Pro honors in both 1964 and 1965.

Taylor had 12 takeaways, including three fumble recoveries in 1963 and that remains tied for the most takeaways in a single season in Bears history.

Affectionately known as “Rosey,” Taylor played his first played eight and a half seasons with the Bears before being traded to San Francisco midway through the 1969 season.

Taylor spent two and a half seasons with the 49ers and played his final season with Washington in 1972 as part of a Super Bowl team which lost to unbeaten Miami 14-7 in the title game.

A true iron man, Taylor started every game in 11 of his 12 seasons, missing just two games in his career, both in 1971 with San Francisco. Taylor played in 166 NFL games, starting 152.

Taylor finished his illustrious 12-year career with 32 interceptions, returning three for touchdowns. Taylor also recovered 13 fumbles, returning one for a score and forced a pair of fumbles.

Taylor was inducted into the Allstate Sugar Bowl Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 1979, the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Grambling Hall of Fame in 2010.

On July 17, 2012, the Nazareth Inn Residents Council named its dining room hall in honor of Taylor at a ceremony at the Hayne Blvd. facility.

Taylor’s son, Brian, played in the NFL briefly with the Bears and Buffalo in 1989 and 1991, respectively, after starring at St. Augustine and at Oregon State.