Fred Taylor, a longtime Jacksonville Jaguars running back, recently earned his college degree at the University of Florida. At 48 years old, Taylor had an illustrious 13-year career in the NFL and became a franchise legend for the Jaguars. Although he was just a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Taylor’s contributions to the sport were undeniable.
Technically, Taylor did not need to complete his degree, but he made a promise that he was determined to fulfill. He successfully finished the final class required for his sociology degree at the University of Florida, more than 26 years after he left for the NFL Draft. This accomplishment added to his impressive career statistics, including 11,695 career rushing yards.
The journey to earning his degree was fueled by a promise Taylor made to his grandmother, Rosetta Lusane, who was suffering from dementia and health issues last year. In her final days, Taylor vowed to complete his college education and keep this promise despite facing many challenges along the way. Despite not telling anyone about it until after completing it without any knowledge or assistance from anyone else except himself