2. Lionel Taylor
Career with Broncos: 7 seasons (1960-66)
Statistics With Broncos: 543 receptions (3rd all time); 6,872 receiving yards (3rd all time); 44 (5th all time) receiving touchdowns
Career Accolades: 3-time Pro Bowler; 4-time 1st-Team All-Pro
The reason that many people probably don’t know of Lionel Taylor’s name is entirely due to the fact that he played over 50 years ago. What most people don’t know about him is that in his first year in the league, he played as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears.
Before his second season in the league, he was traded to the Broncos, moved to wide receiver and the rest was history.
Taylor led the AFL in receptions in five of his seven seasons with the Broncos, including becoming the first player ever to record 100 receptions in one season back in 1961. He also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in four of those seasons. He did all of this in just 14-game seasons as well.
He was named the Broncos MVP in 1963, 1964 and 1965, as well as a member of the organizations inaugural Ring of Game class in 1984. In 1970 he also became the first Broncos player to be elected into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.
At the time he was traded from the Broncos in 1967, he held the career records for passes caught (543), yards gained (6,976) and TD receptions (44). Nearly 50 years later, he only trails Rod Smith and tight end Shannon Sharpe in receptions and receiving yards and is fifth all time for receiving touchdowns.
Taylor was the first great receiver the Broncos, and potentially the league, ever had, and his accomplishments have withheld the test of nearly 50 years time to remain as one of the greatest ever.
