Giving His All: Jason Taylor

By Chris Perkins

Jason Taylor knows the deal. He gets it. The Miami Dolphins’
defensive end, who stands 6-foot-6, weighs 255 pounds and
has dashing good looks, understands his 13-year-career in the
National Football League is setting the table for the rest of his life. Because as much as the 35-year-old Taylor is a student of the game on the field, he might be a better student off the field.

Taylor, who has earned millions, has taught himself how to excel in the real world. He’s learned how to sit down in a boardroom with decision-makers and talk the talk, in a manner of speaking. The knowledge he’s gleaned is why the Jason Taylor Foundation is so successful, and why he’s one of South Florida’s most dynamic philanthropic athletes alongside former Dolphins quarterback Dan
Marino and former Heat center Alonzo Mourning.

“One thing I’ve always been cognizant of is the NFL will open the door and get you in, but once you get in you need to have some substance and be able to articulate your thoughts and your desires and what you’re trying to do and be educated enough to carry on that conversation,” he said.

“From Day One, I’ve always tried to go to events where I don’t want to be the smartest guy in the room, I don’t want to be the richest guy in the room, I don’t want to be the only guy that has something going on. I’ve always put myself in a position where I’m around intelligent, successful, go-getter entrepreneurs or whatever, and allowed myself to learn from them.”

Taylor, who has donated more than $1.3 million to area youth causes through his five-year-old foundation, has been able to pad his income with endorsement deals from companies as diverse as Neutrogena, Home Depot, Pepsi, Sprint and MacArthur Dairy. He has an ownership stake in the JuiceBlendz company, an upstart chain that offers fresh fruit smoothies. And he continues expanding his circle.

Two years ago Taylor drew the ire of Dolphins executive Bill Parcells by opting to skip off-season workouts to rehearse and appear on the hit television show Dancing with the Stars. It was worth it; Taylor and dance
partner Edyta Sliwinska finished as runner-ups, introducing Taylor to a new segment of America and further helping to raise his national profile.

Taylor, who is married to Katina, the sister of former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas, has three children. He tries to share the message with young players that a well-planned, post-football life is possible for them,
too. He wants them to know there’s a bigger picture. “I try to get these youngsters to understand it’s cool to be cool, but sometimes you don’t need to be the coolest guy in the room,” said Taylor.

As far as money making ventures, aside from an ownership stake in the JuiceBlendz stores, Taylor is on the

verge of expanding his commercial real estate company to the national level. And his latest venture is a consulting company that helps people - mostly athletes, entertainers and companies, but also individuals - stage non-profit or charity events.

This all stems from Taylor’s understanding that after the door is opened he’s got to have something to offer. The one thing Taylor never ever wants to do is become a stereotype.

“I always go in thinking this person is going to assume I’m just another football player, a dumb jock or whatever you want to call it,” he said. “I hate that ‘dumb jock’ line, but it is what it is. That’s why I have to go in and be able to say something, have something to offer and not just talk football.”