Kansas City Chiefs legend Otis Taylor passed away at age of 80

Chiefs Kingdom lost one of the true greats of the franchise’s early days with the death of Otis Taylor.

The National Football League lost one of the single most underrated pass catchers in its history this week with the word that former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Otis Taylor had passed away at the age of 80.

Taylor was a wide receiver for the Chiefs from 1965 to 1975, and in that span of time, he rewrote the franchise’s record books with marks that would stand for several more decades due to his outstanding talent and production with the Chiefs.

Not only was Taylor a vital offensive player for the Chiefs in their initial title run back in Super Bowl IV, but he went on to put up long-standing figures that showcased a sustained greatness that makes him arguably the greatest wide receiver in team history.

During his career, Taylor had 410 catches, mostly from Len Dawson, for 7,306 receiving yards and 57 touchdowns. He led the entire league in receiving yards in 2017 and in touchdown receptions in 1967 and was a two-time All-Pro during his career. What’s even more remarkable is the eye-popping average of 17.8 yards per catch for his career. (Consider that Tyreek Hill was at 13.8 yards/catch during his stint in K.C.)

Unfortunately for Taylor, he only flirted with induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during his lifetime, even though he got close this past year as a semi-finalist for the Senior Committee. He is enshrined in the Chiefs Ring of Honor.