When selected by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft, Jason Taylor, who played collegiately at the University of Akron, was given long odds of a productive NFL career. “Experts” thought his “tweener” proportions – 6’6”” and 240 lbs. (presumed too thin to play defensive end, and too tall for linebacker) would be a major limitation.
However, over the course of his 15-year career, 13 of which were spent with the Dolphins, Taylor proved them wrong by amassing 138.5 sacks, sixth-most in NFL history, six Pro Bowl selections and the Associated Press’ 2006 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He also earned the 2007 NFL Man of the Year Award, which is awarded to the league’s player who makes the greatest philanthropic impact, and finished second on Dancing with the Stars in spring 2008 with partner Edyta Sliwinska.
On December 28, he announced his retirement from professional football, and played his final game on New Year’s Day. In keeping with his classy reputation, Taylor ordered a billboard – situated on a high-traffic section of northbound I-95 in Dade County — from Clear Channel Outdoor’s Miami office to convey a message of thanks to the Dolphin faithful.
Clear Channel hired Tampa-based OAI Corp. to fabricate the 48 x 14-ft. billboard. According to OAI project manager Chloe Richardson, the shop fabricated the board with 9-oz., black-backed media, which it printed on an EFI-VUTEK 5300 solvent-ink printer.
The billboard will be removed later this month.