Notre Dame football: Aaron Taylor to the HOF long overdue

Notre Dame football star Aaron Taylor entered the College Football Hall of Fame Monday, a long overdue honor for the two-time All-American.

Former Notre Dame football offensive lineman, Aaron Taylor, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday, capping a tremendous career in South Bend. It’s a move that only reminds you that he wasn’t already in the Hall of Fame, because Taylor is arguably the best Notre Dame offensive lineman ever, and it’s shocking that he wasn’t already inducted.

Taylor played at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz, from 1990-93. During that time, he was a two-time All-American, in both 1992 and 1993. That 1993 season was one of the best for any lineman ever, as Taylor was also awarded the Lombardi Trophy and the Jim Parker Award.

The Lombardi Trophy is given to the best college football player in the country, regardless of what position they play. Meanwhile, the Touchdown Club of Columbus gives out the Jim Parker Award, which is given to the top offensive lineman in the country and is named after former Ohio State All-American Jim Parker.

He was captain at Notre Dame, and a finalist for the Outland Trophy, an award for the best interior offensive lineman. Arizona defensive tackle Rob Waldrop won the award in 1993.

A first-round pick, Aaron Taylor was drafted by the Green Bay Packers 16th overall. There, he suffered several knee injuries but served as the starting guard for Green Bay’s Super Bowl-winning team in 1997. He moved onto San Diego in 1998, but injuries forced Taylor into early retirement.

Where is Taylor now?

Today, Aaron Taylor is a broadcaster for CBS, previously having worked for ABC. CBS Sports is the primary network that he works on, where he primarily calls Group of 5 games. He also established the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the best offensive line unit in the country.

Joe Moore is the name of Taylor’s mentor, who was an offensive line coach at Notre Dame and Pitt. The award was established in 2015, with Notre Dame winning it in 2017. The Irish offensive line were finalists again in 2020 but lost to Alabama.

Notre Dame has the most players of any program in the College Football Hall of Fame, with 48, not including Taylor. To make the College Football Playoff you need to have been an All-American, is between 10 and 50 years after they played, is not a professional player, and who they are as a citizen is considered.

For Aaron Taylor, this is an honor long overdue.