Before the NFL season starts, it’s always good to sit down and chat with former Cleveland Browns players about everything from their playing days to their personal lives.
Recently, “The Hanford Dixon Show” was lucky enough to be joined by former Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor.
Taylor was drafted by the Browns in the first round with the 21st overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
After an impressive rookie season where he collected 59 tackles and four sacks, Taylor was selected to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie team.
Unfortunately, Taylor’s rookie year ended up being the best year of his career, which was riddled by one knee injury after another.
When asked on the show about what it was like to recover from so many injuries, Taylor was very honest with how it affected him mentally and physically (via The Hanford Dixon Show on Twitter).
Despite the work ethic to compete physically, it was mentally strenuous for Phil Taylor to return after three knee surgeries.
"Each time it got harder and harder… it was mentally draining."
– @PhilTaylor98 pic.twitter.com/3bI8K4hUJ4
— The Hanford Dixon Show (@TopDawgShow) April 6, 2024
Taylor’s first two knee injuries and surgeries happened while he was with the Browns, with the second one being at the tail-end of his stint with the team.
From there, he signed with the Denver Broncos before getting cut prior to the start of the 2016 NFL season.
Upon getting cut, Taylor signed with the Washington Commanders, Redskins at the time, and sustained a terrible quad tear.
The quad tear essentially marked the end of his NFL career, as Taylor never played another snap.
Taylor said that while it was tough to recover physically and go through rehab repeatedly, the hardest part was recovering mentally.
You can only go through so many knee injuries as a defensive tackle before they catch up to you, and Taylor is living proof.
NEXT: Browns Defender Opens Up About Facing Baker Mayfield
