Billy Taylor (running back, born 1956) facts for kids

Billy Taylor, born on July 6, 1956, is a former American football player. He was a talented running back and kick returner. Billy played for several teams during his career. He was known for his skills on the field.

Billy Taylor's Football Career

Billy Taylor was chosen by the New York Giants in the 1978 NFL draft. He was picked in the fourth round. Billy played for five seasons in the NFL. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 215 pounds.

Playing for the Giants

Billy spent his first three seasons with the New York Giants. He was their starting running back. He led the team in rushing yards in both 1979 and 1980. His best season was in 1979. That year, he started all 16 games. He ran for 700 yards and caught the ball for 253 yards. He scored an amazing 11 touchdowns in total.

Other NFL Teams

In 1981, the Giants let Billy go. The New York Jets then signed him. However, they released him just three weeks later. This happened because they needed to add a defensive player. After that, Billy played briefly for the Los Angeles Raiders in 1982.

Time in the USFL

Billy also played in another league called the USFL. He played for the Washington Federals for two seasons. In 1983, he ran for 757 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. He also caught the ball for 523 yards and 2 touchdowns. The next year, in 1984, he continued to play well.

Life After Football

After his football career, Billy Taylor did many interesting things. He became a corporate trainer for a company called Hunter Douglas. He also got involved with different charities.

Billy also had a successful career in broadcasting. He worked in both TV and radio. He was a co-host on a popular talk show on WLIB. This show was special because it was the only minority talk show in the New York City area.