In 2010, the season Hall of Fame pass rusher Jason Taylor spent with the Jets, his family lived and thrived in the city that never sleeps, living and loving life in Manhattan. Part of that retinue of Taylors was 6-year-old Mason -- who on Friday was the Jets' second-round selection, No. 42 overall, in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"We lived there for a year, really just me, my brother, and my sister running around, and my mom at Central Park tackling each other," Mason Taylor said. "We went to the park maybe every single day to keep us entertained as kids. Running around there and running around New York I mean it was fun, it was a blast, so I mean it's definitely crazy and eye-opening knowing that I'll be there now older [21 on May 8]. It's just an amazing experience and I'm just so excited for this."
Jason Taylor, who is currently the defensive ends coach for the Miami Hurricanes, was with Mason and "about 100-150 other people" when he received the phone call from the Jets.
"First of all, it's crazy," Jason Taylor told Eric Allen and Ethan Greenberg on the "Jets Overtime Draft Special" on Friday night. "It's a dream come true for my son to play in the NFL and kind of walk in the shoes that I was so blessed to walk in and then, you know, to go to a franchise that I played for, and in the greatest city on the planet. I mean, there's so many things going through me right now, but it's real. It's really everyone having a good time, and I'm out here trying to wrap my head around it and figure out what the hell just happened."
Jason Taylor, 50, came to the Jets after 13 seasons in the NFL (12 with the Dolphins, 1 with Washington) and was part of a wild ride that season as HC Rex Ryan and QB Mark Sanchez led the Green & White to their second consecutive AFC Championship game. Taylor played in 16 regular-season games (he had 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, both which he recovered, 36 tackles, 8 TFL, 7 QB hits and a safety) and all 3 in the postseason, which ended with a crushing 24-19 loss at Pittsburgh.
"We're here with friends, families and former teammates from high school, college," Jason Taylor said. "He's got some LSU guys. His tight end coach from LSU came down. We're hanging out and obviously sitting around for the first 45 minutes, waiting for the pick, waiting for the phone call, was stressful. I've been crying since about four o'clock this afternoon, but it's all good here."
The football pedigree is strong between Jason and Mason, a point driven home by HC Aaron Glenn when he was asked about the power of bloodlines -- father-son, or between brothers.
"Listen, I just trust that Jason just, in his DNA, put what he has into his son, and it shows up on tape," Glenn said. "God makes everybody different. If you have a brother or a father, whatever, that played, the thing is it's tough not to understand and be around it for the most part."
Taylor was a ferocious defender in his days with the Dolphins, winning the Associated Press Player of the Year Award in 2006. He was also a three-time AP first-team All-Pro. And he holds the NFL record for most fumbles returned for a TD (6).
All these years later, Jason said that he and his family will always cherish their year spent in New York.
"There's nothing like it," he said. "I mean, that year we spent in New York was amazing. And, you know, the late nights, getting up out of the apartment there on Broadway and walking to Magnolia Bakery, we went there so much as well. I was so fat. Some of those pictures I forget, at the restaurant. I mean, there's so many places, you know how it is in the city, so many places to eat and all times of night.
"So it was walking to Central Park during the days, spending time together in a different environment than what we had here in Miami. Those memories are our memories forever. My kids were coming at the age where they were really understanding what was going on, what we were doing, taking in the fanfare and the excitement of the city and the excitement behind the Jets when we were winning and going to the AFC Championship game.
"So it was a special time. They always talk about it. They still do. My son Isaiah and Mason always talk about those walks. I'd get them up at 9-10, o'clock at night. We walked to the Magnolia Bakery. We'd buy cupcakes or whatever we needed to, and they would always want to give cupcakes to some of the homeless people standing around, sitting around the streets, or we would all find great joy and satisfaction in doing that. So, it was a lesson and a treat at the same time."
