Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor retires
April 14, 2015 2:07 PM
Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
For the second time in less than a week, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a longtime starter for the Steelers defense retired. Cornerback Ike Taylor announced his retirement Tuesday, five days after Troy Polamalu ended his career.
Polamalu and Taylor were drafted by the Steelers in 2003. Polamalu came in the first round and Taylor came in the fourth round. Together, they formed one half of a defensive backfield that helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XL and XLIII.
Taylor started 140 games for the Steelers. He was a full-time starter from 2005-13, starting 133 of a possible 144 games in those eight seasons. He dislocated his elbow in the third game last season at Carolina and missed 11 games.
The Steelers did not plan to offer him a contract for next season.
At 6 feet 1 and 190 pounds, Taylor was an ideal cornerback for former defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who coveted perimeter players who could cover and tackle. Taylor finished his career with 517 tackles and for years followed the top receiver from opposing offenses wherever he lined up.
While Taylor was an excellent cover cornerback, he was known for dropping interceptions. He intercepted 14 passes in his career and dropped many more. However, Taylor did intercept passes when it meant the most.
In Super Bowl XL against Seattle, with the Steelers clinging to a 14-10 lead in the fourth quarter, Taylor intercepted a Matt Hasselbeck pass at the Steelers 5 and returned it 19 yards. A few plays later, the Steelers scored an insurance touchdown when Antwaan Randle El threw a touchdown pass to Hines Ward.
“It sort of gave us breathing room,” Steelers chairman Dan Rooney said Tuesday afternoon. “It was great. I thought maybe he was going to learn how to catch.”
Rooney and Taylor share a special bond. Rooney once allowed Taylor to nap in his office when Taylor complained of being tired. They have posed for pictures together and they’re even next to each other in the 2014 team photo, something Taylor arranged.
“He said, ‘Come on, you’re going to get in here,’ ” Rooney recalled. “I said, ‘Well, I’m supposed to go in this spot.’ He said no. He pushed the other guys down. That’s the way he is.”
Rooney said he and Taylor developed a close bond almost immediately.
“I’ve been close to a lot of players down through the years,” Rooney said. “Ike is sort of a special guy. He’s very open and kids around. I think he’s been very good for the team.”
In today’s NFL, with free agency and the salary cap, it’s rare when a player spends his entire career with one team. Some all-time Steelers greats played for other teams, including Franco Harris, Rod Woodson and James Harrison.
Taylor and Polamalu played all 12 of their seasons with the Steelers, and Rooney said that means something to him.
“Very much so,” Rooney said. “It means they enjoy it here. They’re giving it everything they have. I really do think it’s a plus.”
Taylor finished his career with 14 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries, 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
“Other than having my son, playing for the Steelers has been the best experience in my entire lifetime,” Taylor told Steelers.com. “It is rare, in this day of free agency, that is super rare to play for one team. For me to have this opportunity says a lot about how they felt about me, what I gave back to the organization.
“I wasn’t cut, I wasn’t released. It was just my contract was up and it was time to retire. If you want to have pride, well that is the kind of pride I have, being able to play my contract out.”
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
Steelstoned1972 
