Sean Taylor’s daughter Jackie will wear number 21 for UNC in honor of her late father

Jackie Taylor – daughter of murdered former NFL player Sean Taylor – has found a perfect way to honor her father’s memory.

Jackie will begin her freshman season on the University of North Carolina volleyball team, where she will wear number 21, the same number Sean wore with the Washington Redskins. She wore both number 1 and 21 when she played for her father’s alma mater, Gulliver Prep in Miami, where he wore number 1 on the football team.

Sean was murdered in a burglary in 2007, when Jackie was just 18 months old. She and her mother, Jackie García, were home when it happened, but both were unharmed.

Jackie is a 6’1″ middle blocker who was ranked the third-best recruit in the state of Florida by MaxPreps. Last season, she led Gulliver to the first volleyball state championship in school history.

UNC head coach Mike Schall had high praise for Jackie as a new team member.

“Playing the middle blocker position is difficult and Jackie’s ability to learn quickly from her outstanding coaches was important to her development,” Schall said. “Her entire family has been an integral part of her success and we are excited to officially welcome them all to the Carolina family.”

Sean Taylor was a star safety at the University of Miami and in the NFL. Drafted number 5 in 2004, he had 344 tackles (245 solo), 12 interceptions, 41 passes defensed and four forced fumbles in his career. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and (posthumously) in 2007.

Since his untimely death, no other Washington player has worn number 21. The organization inducted Taylor into its Ring of Fame in 2008 and officially retired his jersey number in 2021.