Sean Taylor was quickly achieving success in his fourth season as a safety for the Washington Redskins. He had recently become a father, with the birth of his daughter, and was really beginning to grow up. Then in November 2007, an intruder came into his home and shot the up-and-coming Sean Taylor in his upper leg. The 24-year old star player lost the fight for his life the next day, after a significant loss of blood.
It was obvious in the faces of the Redskins players and their coach, Joe Gibbs, just how difficult it was to cope with, as they struggled in their game against Buffalo, just days after Taylor's death. The Redskins were almost victorious, but lost by one point. The Redskins did go on to the playoffs, but lost to the Seattle Seahawks. The trauma caused by Taylor's death was a huge factor in Gibbs officially announcing his retirement on January 9, 2008.
There is not much public information available as to how the team has coped with the loss of Sean Taylor, but one thing is for certain, Sean Taylor's premature death has forever changed the lives of every one of Taylor's teammates and coaches.
Reed Doughty has had some tough shoes to fill. Doughty started in Taylor's position while Taylor was recovering from an injury and then after his death. Doughty has also been dealing with his young son's chronic kidney failure, as well as learning how to adapt to his own hearing loss on the field when he is unable to wear his hearing aids. Undoubtedly, the Redskins have had, and will continue to have, good days and bad days as they remember their teammate and friend, Sean Taylor.
