APWhen the Patriots’ season came to an end, Fred Taylor sounded like a man who was ready to call it quits. But that’s not necessarily the case.
The 35-year-old Taylor told Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union that he may play in the NFL in 2011, and he thinks he actually has two more years left in him.
That sounds awfully ambitious, considering that Taylor was the oldest halfback in the NFL last year. Then again, Taylor just turned 35 a couple months ago, and Marcus Allen gained 2,791 scrimmage yards and 25 touchdowns after his 35th birthday. And Taylor won’t be the oldest halfback in the NFL in 2011 if Tiki Barber comes back.
Taylor is still conflicted about whether to play or not because he’s concerned that more wear and tear on his body could affect his life after football. But he told Ganguli he thinks the limited playing time he got in New England (a total of 106 carries in two years) has served as something of a career refresher.
So if there’s a running back who can keep playing beyond the age of 35, it’s probably Taylor, who will be a free agent able to sign with any team as soon as the lockout ends. Barber had better hope there’s more than one team looking for a running back in his mid-30s, because if there’s only one, that one will likely call Taylor first.
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It’s a shame he keeps getting injured.
He’s a great guy but they’ve gotten just about zero out of him the past two years. Give the roster spot to someone else.
I had no clue Marcus Allen did that at 35. That is amazing and should be the first argument of any older back with a passion to play. That said, Fred Tiki Baylor is not exactly Marcus Allen
I like Fres, but he didn’t play football this past year, he never got on the field.
Always liked this guy, very humble and classy like.
Heck if he continues to play 3 games a year, he could play another TEN years.
dude nuts!
I am a Pats fan.
I hope he’s on another team’s roster come the start of the season.
It might be that the Patriot system isnt for him or it could be because he’s on the decline. Either way, I like the upside of a 2/3 rd rookie RB more than Taylor’s.
“Optimist: Day dreamer more elegantly spelled”~ Mark Twain
Two years left? He left two years ago. Nice career Fred but it’s over.
He can go play with LT in NY.
If he keeps sitting out 80% of the season with a toe injury and loses all his carries to an undrafted free agent…
Sure he can play another 100 seasons like that.
Consider me now on the same page with everything Jaguars fans said about Fragile Fred when he left Jacksonville. Put him in a wheelchair and get him off the field already. He’s just eating up a roster spot.
I could play two more years as long as I am on IR for turf toe.
Fred Taylor was on the Parriots the past two seasons? Who knew?
Was at his very best when paired with MJD. Great guy, but it’s done.
Rex Grossman still thinks he can play too.
He needs to go to a team with a young running back who needs a mentor where he could play sparingly and he’ll do great, look at D.Ward in Houston, if I’m him I would be talking to AZ, Den, TB, Was, or SD…. All these teams have young RB’s who need a little mentoring.
Really????!!!!????? Dude couldn’t play the last two seasons.
He won’t be the oldest RB in the UFL either once Tiki joins his buddy Fassel.
Time to hang up the cleats. Find a new career selling insurance or something. Have you seen Earl Campbell trying to walk lately. He has to ride a golf cart to be presented an honor now days.
Bill will have a veteran RB on the roster, whether its Taylor, Sammy Morris or Kevin Faulk. Sadly, Faulk might be at the end given the torn ACL and emergence of Woodhead. Morris played mostly on special teams and isn’t as good a runner as a reasonably healthy Fred Taylor. given the mess around the lockout and little time that teams will likely have to go after free agents, re-signing Taylor to a low-risk deal might be in Belichick’s sights.