2011 - Male Recipient Jason Taylor
Over the course of his career with the Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and New York Jets, Jason worked with numerous charitable organizations including the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, United Way, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, First Book, Habitat for Humanity and the Urban League. In the spring of 2002, he participated in two USO Tours during which he visited military bases and hospitals in Kuwait, Iraq and Germany.
In 2004, feeling the desire to further extend his charitable arm, Jason and his wife, Katina, established the Jason Taylor Foundation in an effort to build a better future for the children of South Florida. The JTF has made long strides in a short period of time. In 2007, the Jason Taylor Reading Room was proudly launched in Miramar, just a stone's throw from Sun Life Stadium. Currently, nearly 70 students, ages 12-16, participate four days per week for two hours per day in this multi-faceted, after-school program designed to offer a holistic approach to addressing the problem of illiteracy among inner-city youth. In addition, Holtz Children's Hospital officially renamed its learning center as "The Jason Taylor Children's Learning Center," 35 middle-school students have been awarded college scholarships as a result of the Foundation's work with Take Stock in Children, hundreds of student-athletes have been treated to inspirational films as part of the "Big Screens-Big Dreams" program and more than 350 deserving children have each been given a $300 back-to-school shopping opportunity at Old Navy as part of the "Cool Gear for the School Year" program.
Just prior to Super Bowl XLII, Jason was honored with the 2007 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his community service activities, as well as his excellence on the field. He has been recognized by The Sporting News on multiple occasions with their annual "Good Guys" award and following the 2006 season, James Brown, host of CBS Sports' "THE NFL TODAY," presented Jason with a prestigious JB Award, given to NFL players who have exhibited a commitment to achieve excellence off the field through building better communities and stronger families.
Taylor's athletic accomplishments are seemingly endless. Following the 2006 season he was named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year, the highest honor bestowed on a defensive performer. In addition, he has received All-Pro honors on four occasions, has been selected to six Pro Bowls, appeared on numerous All-NFL Defensive Teams, was named the NFL Alumni Association's Defensive Lineman of the Year in consecutive seasons (2005-06) and most recently was named to the NFL's exclusive All-Decade team. In 2010, Taylor joined the New York Jets after spending 12 spectacular seasons with the Miami Dolphins (1997-2007; 2009) where he amassed a team record for career sacks with 124. He leads all active NFL players in career sacks (132.5), was the league's sack champion in 2002 with 18.5, and with 111 sacks from 2000-2009, he was the NFL's most prolific pass rusher of the decade. Taylor was honored as the Dolphins' Most Valuable Player on four occasions, was the club's Leadership Award winner three times and is a three-time champion of the NFL's "Ultimate Defender" competition. In 2004, his college alma mater, the University of Akron, inducted him into its Ring of Honor, making Jason just the third person in school history to receive such recognition.
When he is not chasing quarterbacks, Taylor, who enjoys boating and golf, resides in Weston, Fla. with his wife, Katina, their sons, Isaiah and Mason and daughter, Zoe.
