George Taliaferro

American football player (1927–2018)

George Taliaferro (January 8, 1927 – October 8, 2018) was an American professional football player who was the first African American drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team. Beginning his football career at Indiana University for the Hoosiers team, he played in the NFL for the New York Yanks from 1950 to 1951, the Dallas Texans in 1952, the Baltimore Colts from 1953 to 1954, and Philadelphia Eagles in 1955. He was the first African American drafted into the National Football League when he was selected in the 13th round (129th pick overall) of the 1949 NFL draft. On November 22, 1953, he became the first black player to start at quarterback in the NFL in the post color bar era when he saw emergency duty against the Los Angeles Rams. Taliaferro was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.

Taliaferro was born in Gates, Tennessee. Before his college years, he moved to Gary, Indiana, where he graduated from Gary Roosevelt High School. As the leading rusher and an All American at Indiana University, he led the Hoosiers team to their only undefeated Big Ten Conference championship during his rookie year in 1945, He was a three time All American, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945 and passing in 1948. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.

Taliaferro, primarily a halfback who also punted, was picked by the Chicago Bears in the thirteenth round of the 1949 NFL draft but instead chose to play for the Los Angeles Dons of the All America Football Conference. This made him the first African American drafted by an NFL team. Playing in the last season of the AAFC, Taliaferro would play in eleven of the twelve games played by the team with four starts. He would run 95 times for 472 yards with five touchdowns on the running side; in passing, he went 45 of 124 for 790 yards with four touchdowns to 14 interceptions; he also punted 27 times for 982 yards while being blocked twice. He also made 15 combined kick and punt returns for 366 total yards and one touchdown. He was named to the 2nd Team of the All AAFC Team by the league and various press sources.

When the AAFC was disassembled in 1950, Taliaferro moved to the NFL, signing with the New York Yanks. Playing at halfback for the Yanks, Taliaferro started every game of the 1950 campaign. He rushed 88 times for 411 yards with four touchdowns while catching 21 passes for 299 yards and five touchdowns. He also threw seven passes and completed three for a touchdown and 83 yards while making 34 combined returns on punt and kicks for over 500 yards (he was also plagued with 11 fumbles with five recoveries). He led the team in rushing and receiving touchdowns. Taliaferro and the Yanks were derailed by erratic circumstances for 1951, in which they had just four home games due to the tenants of Yankee Stadium forcing them out in the opening weeks of the season. Despite sub optimal conditions for the franchise, Taliaferro would have his first of two 100 yard rushing performances in 1951. He ran 12 times for 166 yards for two touchdowns while throwing 3 of 5 for 83 yards with a touchdown pass to provide all the points in a 48–21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. For the year, Taliaferro would rush 62 yards for 330 yards with three touchdowns while catching 16 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Passing the football as a single wing halfback, Taliaferro went 13 for 33 for 251 yards and one touchdown against three interceptions. He also punted 76 times for 2,881 yards (37.9 yards average) with one blocked kick. He returned a league high 27 kicks for 622 yards. Defensively he snared four interceptions — the only season where he recorded an interception. He was named to the Pro Bowl that season alongside teammates Mike McCormack and Brad Ecklund. After the Yanks went under, a Dallas based group acquired the assets of the team and moved them to Dallas as the Dallas Texans. The 1952 season was a debacle for the Texas, resulting in only one win and a folding for the franchise. Taliaferro still managed to thrive, rushing 100 times for 419 yards with one touchdown while catching 21 passes for 244 yards and an additional TD. As a single wing halfback he also threw 16 of 63 for 298 combined yards with two touchdown to six interceptions. In recognition of his efforts, Taliaferro was named to the 1953 Pro Bowl alongside his teammate John Wozniak while having a 2nd Team award from the Associated Press. The 1953 season was Taliaferro's third in three seasons, as the ashes of the Dallas franchise were picked up for a team in Baltimore. He would play in eleven games and rush for career highs in 102 carries for 479 yards while having two touchdowns and 20 catches for 346 yards for two touchdowns. He would also make appearances at quarterback, mostly during the latter part of a seven game losing streak to end the season, with most of his passes (15 of 55 for 211 yards) coming there, and he threw two touchdowns to five interceptions. On November 22, 1953, Taliaferro became the first black player to start at quarterback in the NFL in the years after the fall of the league's color bar. In his first time playing the position in his five year professional career, Thrust into action by the injury of Colts QB Freddy Enke, Taliaferro posted his second and final 100 yard rushing game, running for 136 yards on sixteen carries for one touchdown in the 21–13 loss to the Rams. Taliaferro's passing was less than stellar, however, with the Colt quarterback going just 6 for 21 with 2 costly interceptions. For the third time, Taliaferro finished the season in the top ten in rushing yards in the league as well as rushing yards per game. He also led the league in fumbles, however, with ten. Alongside teammates Art Donovan, Dick Barwegen, and Tom Keane, he was named to the Pro Bowl for his third and final time. The year 1954 represented Taliaferro's last full season. He started in nine games that year while running 48 times for 157 yards with no touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown while throwing two passes for one interception. Taliaferro moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles the following year. He made brief appearances in three games and rushed three times for 2 yards while making three catches for 17 yards.

A documentary about Taliaferro, titled Indiana Legends: George Taliaferro, was produced by WTIU public television in Bloomington, Indiana. In later years he became a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Baltimore, advised prisoners adjusting to society upon their release, got his master's in social work at Howard University, taught at Maryland, was dean of students at Morgan State, returned to Indiana as a professor and special assistant to IU president John Ryan, and helped start Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana in Bloomington. In 1972, George moved to Bloomington with his wife Viola and their four children. In the fall of 1975, Viola entered the Indiana University School of Law and obtained a doctorate in law in 1977, and began private practice in family and criminal law. In 1989, Ms. Taliaferro was appointed as a judge of the Monroe Circuit Court. In 1995, she was appointed as a judge of the Seventh Court of the Monroe Circuit. Viola Taliaferro retired in 2004. George remained a sports fan as well as an avid golfer throughout his days at Indiana University as well his retirement.

Taliaferro died at age 91 on October 8, 2018, in Mason, Ohio, from heart failure having left his longtime home of Bloomington, Indiana, a year earlier.