To complement this morning’s story, some more thoughts from the Redskins on the life of Sean Taylor as they mark the one-year anniversary of his death. There will be a memorial set up at FedEx Field today, no team-organized memorial will take place at Redskins Park.

RUNNING BACK CLINTON PORTIS

“I think it is big for the outside world, but it does not take a year anniversary to make me come to the realization that Sean is gone. I think that it’s going to be nice for the fans, for the people who sometimes think about him and all of a sudden realize that this makes a year. But for myself there is not a day that goes by that we don’t appreciate Sean.”
WIDE RECEIVER SANTANA MOSS

“He was one of those guys who didn’t say much on the football field.  He might say something, but usually to the particular person that he’s talking too.  I think that he made his noise when he made tackles.  He was very passionate and didn’t have to talk about it. He would just go out there and perform.”

QUARTERBACK JASON CAMPBELL

“It was definitely an emotional time when Sean got killed last year.  This year we will be honoring him, he will be a member of our Ring of Honor and it’s exciting to see his name go up there because he is a deserving player who practiced hard, played hard, and even in the small time that he was in the National Football League, made his name be known.  He put fear into offensive players to come across the middle and he was a playmaker. 

“Outside of football, he was a guy in life that really influenced you.  I can remember sitting outside one time after a tough loss and Sean was one of the first people to come up to me in the next week’s practice.  He was having a conversation with me, telling me to keep my head up, continue to keep playing, you’re doing good, all of us have to play better, all these Ls will turn to Ws and it’s small conversations like that I remember having a lot with Sean.  Sean didn’t talk to a whole bunch of people and kind of kept things to himself, but I was fortunate enough to have a lot of conversations with him.” 

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR GREG BLACHE

“I think of Sean often only because he was such a great person.  Early in the season when we would play games and pull out tapes from last year, it was eerie to sit there and watch him playing and knowing that he was no longer with us.

“He does come to mind because of the person he was.  He was very kind to me, my family, my friends, and I couldn’t bring a kid into this building when Sean didn’t make that kid feel very special.  The real sad thing about it is that you guys never really got to know the Sean Taylor we knew.  He shied away from the media, but what a great teammate and person he was to be around.  In particular after his first year, he came in a little different and to watch him grow and mature and turn into a heck of a person…  Besides being this great football player, I think that he was a greater person.  To lose so much in life is difficult, but he will always be a part of us and as long as I’m here he will always be a part of our Redskins defense.  He has meant so much to us, not only as a player, but as a teammate.”

HEAD COACH JIM ZORN

“I have learned more and more about Sean and just the impact he had on the program and this franchise, and even to some of the players individually. He earned a tremendous amount of respect. I’ve tried to keep that in the forefront as well, because I think that when a person … a death in the family, that should never go away.

“In Seattle, Trent Dilfer lost his five-year-old son, and I think I learned a lot from that experience – to make sure that we just didn’t discount it and say, ‘Hey guys, let’s just move on,’ you know? ‘You’ve got to deal with it and move on.’

“That’s not it at all in a death, especially a death of someone as dearly loved as — in this case — Sean Taylor was. We should not forget about it. He should be remembered.  We do have to get our work done, but there’s no shame in keeping that light kindled, if you will, the fire kindled, and keep his memory alive.”