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Veteran Jason Taylor re-signs with Dolphins

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The Associated Press

Published: May 13, 2009

MIAMI - Jason Taylor has rejoined the Miami Dolphins. The 34-year-old linebacker signed a $1.5 million, one-year contract Wednesday with Miami, his agent said.

Taylor played his first 11 seasons with Miami before being traded to the Washington Redskins. He was released by Washington last winter after one injury-plagued season.

The New England Patriots courted Taylor and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were rumored to have interest (former Dolphis defensive coordinator Jim Bates now has the same role with the Bucs), but Taylor wanted to return to South Florida, where he still lives.

"My heart has always been in Miami, and so I'm truly excited to call myself a Dolphin once again," Taylor said in a statement from his agent, Gary Wichard. "I was presented with a number of different opportunities, but in the end the combination of this being the best situation for my family, my love for this community and my tremendous loyalty to a great organization made this an easy decision."

The Redskins released Taylor after he turned down a chance to play another season with them for $8.5 million. Taylor didn't like being away from his wife and three children last season and wanted to rejoin the Dolphins regardless of how much money they offered, Wichard said.

"Jason told me, 'Tell the Dolphins whatever fits their budget, I'm ready to play,'" Wichard said. "There were no negotiations. It was always going to be Miami."

Wichard said he also turned down a couple of movie offers because Taylor didn't want to be away from his family. Taylor has talked often of a movie career after football and helped his Hollywood celebrity a year ago on "Dancing With the Stars."

But his success on the show soured his relationship with new Dolphins boss Bill Parcells, who fumed that Taylor was in California rather than spending the offseason working out with teammates. Parcells traded Taylor for a pair of draft picks.

The two have patched up their rift, however, and Taylor raves about coach Tony Sparano, who in his first season led the Dolphins to the AFC East title and their first playoff berth since 2001.

Taylor was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the Dolphins in 2006 and made the Pro Bowl six times. After the regime led by Parcells took over the Dolphins early last year, Taylor was traded to Washington for two draft picks.

Taylor, who missed only four games in his 11 seasons in Miami, was unable to stay healthy in Washington. He sprained his knee during the preseason and hurt his calf in a win over Arizona on Sept. 21. Taylor required an operation to have blood drained from his calf and a second procedure a month later.

The calf injury hampered Taylor much of the season, and he struggled to fit into a Redskins' defensive scheme that gave him less freedom than he had with the Dolphins. He had only 3 1/2 sacks for the Redskins, his lowest total since 1999.

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