Part of Grambling's initial SWAC championship defense in 1960 – the group included four future All-Pros – Taylor went on to lead the NFL with nine interceptions in 1963, on the way to 32 career picks.
He went to Grambling State University, and was a football team walk-on before earning a scholarship, playing under coach Eddie Robinson.
He was a key part of Grambling’s 1960 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship team (its first), playing defense.
[2] He and future hall of fame tight end, and head coach, Mike Ditka[10] were rookies together on the Bears.
[3][11][12] Taylor was a key defensive player on the 1963 Bears NFL championship team, playing free safety (with fellow New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame member Richie Petitbon[13] at strong safety).
[19] The defense also included future hall of fame defensive end Doug Adkins,[20] who was selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team,[6] and future hall of fame linebacker Bill George.
[2] During the 1969 season, the Bears traded him and a 1971 fifth round pick to the 49ers for offensive guard Howard Mudd (a member of the NFL's 1960s All Decade Team[26]).
He started 14 games for Washington, under his former Bears' defensive coach, George Allen, as part of the Over-the-Hill Gang.
[24][28] He started in Super Bowl VII, where Washington lost 14-7 to the undefeated Miami Dolphins.
[15] In 2019, to celebrate the team's centennial season, Taylor was named the 56th-greatest player in Bears history by Don Pierson and Dan Pompei.