PITTSBURGH — Pass rusher Jason Taylor did build a potential Hall of Fame resume by getting a late jump on the snap. But his football career did get a late start.
Before he was allowed attack high school quarterbacks, the home-schooled Pittsburgh native had to find a high school team. Woodland Hills H.S. coach George Novak met Taylor in the summer of 1990 and suggested Taylor try out for the team.
“I didn’t think I was allowed,” Taylor said, according to Novak, “because I’m homeschooled.”
Novak invited Taylor to a practice, and it didn’t take long to recognize the talent. Someone threw Taylor a pass and the kid made the catch. And Novak informed Taylor that he was on the football team.
Or was he?
“The school board had to vote,” Novak said, because Taylor was homeschooled and was not a Woodland Hills student. Novak endorsed it and Taylor ended up playing as a junior and senior.
“I had never played football at that point,” Taylor said. “I wasn’t interested at first. I loved basketball growing up. Although I was a Steelers fan, I had never played organized football.”
That was almost 21 years ago.
“He was an athlete and he worked hard,” Novak said. “He learned the game his first year. His second year he started at tight end and free safety. He was an all-conference player.”
Taylor, who has 132 career sacks, goes for his first Super Bowl berth tonight in Pittsburgh.
Novak will be in attendance tonight. The coach actually will have two players in the game — Taylor and Steelers safety Ryan Lundy, the man who started in place of the injured Troy Polamalu when the Jets and Steelers faced off in Week 15.
“I’ll be rooting for Jason and Ryan. My two players,” said Novak, a Steelers fan. “I’ll be happy either way. I’ll be in a win-win situation. But Jason deserves a Super Bowl ring. Everything he’s done.”