Chester Taylor
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| Minnesota Vikings — No. 29 | |
| Running back | |
| Date of birth: September 22, 1979 | |
| Place of birth: River Rouge, Michigan | |
| Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | Weight: 213 lb (97 kg) |
| National Football League debut | |
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| 2002 for the Baltimore Ravens | |
| Career history | |
| College: Toledo | |
| NFL Draft: 2002 / Round: 6 / Pick: 207 | |
Teams:
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Stats at NFL.com | |
Chester Lamar Taylor (born September 22, 1979 in River Rouge, Michigan) is an American football running back with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).[1]
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[edit] Early career
Taylor was a four time all-state running back and sprinter at River Rouge High School before attending the University of Toledo. While at Toledo, Taylor set school records for rushing yards and touchdowns.[2] In 2001, he led the Rockets to an impressive victory over in-state rival the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Motor City Bowl, giving Toledo their first bowl win since the 1995 Las Vegas Bowl. He was named the MVP of the game with 149 yards (Then a Motor City Bowl Record) and a touchdown.
Taylor ranked seventh in nation for the 2001 season with 1,492 rushing yards[1] (268 attempts, 5.3 yards-per-carry) and 20 touchdowns. He also hauled in 26 receptions for 242 yards and three touchdowns, with a longest reception of 43 yards.
Taylor was named North Team MVP in the 2002 Hula Bowl. This performance, along with an outstanding collegiate career in general, catapulted Chester into the 2002 NFL Draft.
[edit] NFL career
[edit] Baltimore Ravens
Taylor was taken with the 35th pick in the 6th round (207th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He spent four years backing up Jamal Lewis, seeing minimal yet increasing playing time throughout his tenure with the team.
[edit] Minnesota Vikings
Taylor was signed by the Minnesota Vikings to a four-year, $14.1 million contract on March 12, 2006. On October 22, 2006, Taylor set a Vikings franchise record for longest run from scrimmage when he ran for a 95-yard touchdown in the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks. He also broke 1000 rushing yards for the first time in his NFL career. His break-away speed has led to him being nicknamed "The Cheetah".
[edit] Interesting Facts
Taylor holds the distinction of being the back up to Jamal Lewis when he ran for a then record 295 rushing yards against the Browns in 2003 and Adrian Peterson when he broke the record with 296 yards against the Chargers in 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Player Bio - Chester Taylor. Vikings.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-20.
- ^ Chester Taylor #29. NFLPLAYERS.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-20.
