Lionel Taylor

A Life Remembered, Lionel Taylor

  It is with great sorrow and yet with profound gratitude for a life well-lived that we announce the passing of Lionel Taylor, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and great great grandfather whose presence was a source of light, warmth, and inspiration to all who had the privilege to know him. He’s survived by his wife Lorencita; his daughters Loretta and Bunny; his grandchildren Lionel, Kyle, Jack, JC, and Taylor; his great-grandchildren Isaiah, Alannah, Logan, and Landen; and his great-great-grandchildren Ezekiel, Eryn, Neko, Saylah, and Kuniko.

  On August 6, 2025, he passed at the age of 89, just days shy of his 90th birthday on August 15. There is a gentle ache in knowing how close he came to that milestone—a quiet reminder that, while he did not reach ninety, his years were marked not by their number, but by the boundless love and wisdom he shared with family and friends through each one.

  Lionel grew up in West Virginia and then went to college at Highlands University in New Mexico where he met the love of his life Lorencita, and was married for 67 years. Here he also found his passion for football and began his long legacy in the game. Lionel made history with the Denver Broncos in the American Football League (AFL). He was the first player in professional football history to catch 100 passes in a single season. He led the AFL in receptions for five of its 10 seasons finishing with 567 catches, more than any other player in the league’s history. After his playing days he continued to shape the game as a coach in the NFL, college, and NFL Europe sharing his deep knowledge and love of football with a new generation. He was the first Black coach to hold a coordinator position in the NFL. His induction into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1984 was a fitting acknowledgement of his place in the team’s and the sport’s history. The NFL called him “the man who changed football forever” and created a short video of his life, https://bit.ly/4oxXY9P.

  When he told stories of his playing days his eyes would light up—not because of the glory, but because of the people he met along the way and the friendships that lasted a lifetime. To know Lionel was to know the thrill of a well told joke, a witty riddle, or a heartfelt life lesson.

  To the world, Lionel Taylor will always be a pioneer of the game, a Denver Broncos legend, a man whose name is etched in the history books. To us, he will always be the steady hand that guided us and the loving heart that anchored us, our Papa.

We love you Papa, while the stadium lights may have faded long ago, your light will keep shining in all of us.