George Taliaferro, The First Black Player Drafted By NFL, Dies At 91
Oct 9, 2018, 12:00 AM | Updated: Jan 4, 2019, 11:35 am
(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
Groundbreaking NFL player George Taliaferro has sadly passed away.
According to TMZ Sports, Taliaferro was often described as the “Jackie Robinson of Football,” as he was the first black player drafted by an NFL team. When the Chicago Bears added him to their team back in 1949, he went on to great success.
During the time between 1951 to 1953, he made it to the Pro Bowl three consecutive times. He also finished his football career with “1,300 receiving yards, more than 2,000 rushing yards and 1,633 passing yards.”
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On top of that, he was also a successful athlete at his alma mater, Indiana University. The school paid tribute to him in a statement, where they said:
“All of us at Indiana University are deeply saddened by the passing of George Taliaferro. The ‘Jackie Robinson of football,’ he went on to become the first African-American player to be drafted by the National Football League, where he excelled at a remarkable seven positions and earned Pro Bowl honors in three of his six seasons. A man of enormous talent, courage and determination that helped him shatter racial barriers and earn a special place in the annals of our state and its flagship public university.”
George Taliaferro was 91-years-old. We wish his family and friends the best as they move through this hard time.
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