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Jason Taylor admitted Wednesday afternoon he has been talking to the Miami Dolphins about a possible return.
The team's all-time sack leader wouldn't elaborate on details of the discussions other than to suggest they have been cursory. Taylor also declined to discuss his interest in other teams.
All of them except one.
Taylor still can't stomach the idea of playing for the New York Jets.
"It'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult," Taylor said while taking a break from a free, two-day football camp for local boys and girls. "But at the end of the day, if you can't find a job anywhere else and the Jets call, I guess you've got to retire or go play."
The six-time Pro Bowler recently said at another Jason Taylor Foundation event he would have a hard time playing for the New England Patriots after so many years hating them, but he also mentioned how flattered he was to read comments from Patriots owner Robert Kraft that they would love to sign Taylor.
"But the Jets are the Jets," Taylor said with a beaming smile. "I've had a lot of history saying bad things about Jets fans. The fireman hat guy [Fireman Ed] and all of the people in New York that are Jets fans are not the ones that are working on Wall Street. I've said all of those things. So I've got to leave it at that."
Taylor has been a free agent since the Washington Redskins cut him last month. Several clubs have contacted him, and countless players have lobbied for his services.
"There's opportunities out there right now," Taylor said. "There's teams I can call back and get some things working with, but right now we're waiting to see what unfolds in the draft. If somebody wants me they can call and we can talk. It's as simple as that."
Miami linebackers Channing Crowder and Joey Porter have expressed their desire for Taylor to return.
Taylor has spoken to the Dolphins' front office, but declined to reveal what was discussed.
"We talked," Taylor said. "I'm not going to get into what we talked about and the details of it, but they know how I feel and what I'd like to do. I know how they feel and what they'd like to do, what they're looking for. But we talked, and I'll leave it at that."
Taylor and Miami football operations boss Bill Parcells found themselves in a soap-opera episode last year before a trade to Washington. Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said that's no longer an issue and wouldn't play a role in whether the team signs Taylor.
Ireland did indicate last week during his pre-draft news conference that what course of action, if any, the team will take in regards to Taylor likely won't happen until after the draft when he, Parcells and coach Tony Sparano have a better idea how their roster is shaping up and what their remaining needs will be. How much room Miami has left under the salary cap also will be a factor, and while Taylor pointed to the $8.5 million he left on the table in Washington as an example of what little emphasis he puts on money, he also admitted he would not play for the league minimum.
"I don't think I'm a minimum player," he said. "There is a business side to this thing, too. You're not just going to mortgage the farm to go play in a certain position. There is fair compensation. I did walk away from a lot of money, but at the same time you still should get paid for the services you provide, and the most important thing is to be in the system where you can contribute and feel like you did something and like you belong."
Taylor's heart seems to be here. He spent 11 seasons with Miami, missing only four games. He still lives in South Florida. His foundation is based here.
"I'll always be a Dolphin," Taylor said. "There was no bigger fan last year than me. I'm leaving the field from Redskins games and running to see what the Dolphins are doing and checking my phone throughout the day. Those guys on that team will tell you: I was in contact the whole time.
"No one was happier when they went to New York and beat those guys," he said of the regular-season finale to clinch the AFC East championship.
The team's all-time sack leader wouldn't elaborate on details of the discussions other than to suggest they have been cursory. Taylor also declined to discuss his interest in other teams.
All of them except one.
Taylor still can't stomach the idea of playing for the New York Jets.
"It'd be very, very, very difficult. Very difficult," Taylor said while taking a break from a free, two-day football camp for local boys and girls. "But at the end of the day, if you can't find a job anywhere else and the Jets call, I guess you've got to retire or go play."
The six-time Pro Bowler recently said at another Jason Taylor Foundation event he would have a hard time playing for the New England Patriots after so many years hating them, but he also mentioned how flattered he was to read comments from Patriots owner Robert Kraft that they would love to sign Taylor.
"But the Jets are the Jets," Taylor said with a beaming smile. "I've had a lot of history saying bad things about Jets fans. The fireman hat guy [Fireman Ed] and all of the people in New York that are Jets fans are not the ones that are working on Wall Street. I've said all of those things. So I've got to leave it at that."
Taylor has been a free agent since the Washington Redskins cut him last month. Several clubs have contacted him, and countless players have lobbied for his services.
"There's opportunities out there right now," Taylor said. "There's teams I can call back and get some things working with, but right now we're waiting to see what unfolds in the draft. If somebody wants me they can call and we can talk. It's as simple as that."
Miami linebackers Channing Crowder and Joey Porter have expressed their desire for Taylor to return.
Taylor has spoken to the Dolphins' front office, but declined to reveal what was discussed.
"We talked," Taylor said. "I'm not going to get into what we talked about and the details of it, but they know how I feel and what I'd like to do. I know how they feel and what they'd like to do, what they're looking for. But we talked, and I'll leave it at that."
Taylor and Miami football operations boss Bill Parcells found themselves in a soap-opera episode last year before a trade to Washington. Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said that's no longer an issue and wouldn't play a role in whether the team signs Taylor.
Ireland did indicate last week during his pre-draft news conference that what course of action, if any, the team will take in regards to Taylor likely won't happen until after the draft when he, Parcells and coach Tony Sparano have a better idea how their roster is shaping up and what their remaining needs will be. How much room Miami has left under the salary cap also will be a factor, and while Taylor pointed to the $8.5 million he left on the table in Washington as an example of what little emphasis he puts on money, he also admitted he would not play for the league minimum.
"I don't think I'm a minimum player," he said. "There is a business side to this thing, too. You're not just going to mortgage the farm to go play in a certain position. There is fair compensation. I did walk away from a lot of money, but at the same time you still should get paid for the services you provide, and the most important thing is to be in the system where you can contribute and feel like you did something and like you belong."
Taylor's heart seems to be here. He spent 11 seasons with Miami, missing only four games. He still lives in South Florida. His foundation is based here.
"I'll always be a Dolphin," Taylor said. "There was no bigger fan last year than me. I'm leaving the field from Redskins games and running to see what the Dolphins are doing and checking my phone throughout the day. Those guys on that team will tell you: I was in contact the whole time.
"No one was happier when they went to New York and beat those guys," he said of the regular-season finale to clinch the AFC East championship.
