Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor acknowledges the crowd as he is inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars on Sept. 30, 2012. | Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP
Published on November 30, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Legendary Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor has joined the ownership team of JAXUSL, the group planning to bring a professional USL soccer team to Jacksonville.
Taylor joins fellow University of Florida alumnus Tim Tebow as an owner. He also will serve as an ambassador for the expansion franchise.
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A semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024, Taylor owns Jaguars’ career records in rushing yards (11,271), attempts (2,428), consecutive 100-yard games (nine in 2000) and most rushing yards in a game (234). He is 17th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 11,695 yards.
“I’m honored and delighted to welcome my friend and another Florida sports legend to our growing ownership team,” Ricky Caplin, JAXUSL majority owner, said in a news release Thursday. “Fred joins us at a pivotal moment as we look forward to making several important announcements in the coming months on our progress to bring top-level men’s and women’s USL pro soccer to Northeast Florida.”
JAXUSL is working toward launching its men’s and women’s clubs in the USL Championship and USL Super League, a USL Youth Soccer Academy, and the development of a soccer-specific stadium and facilities in 2005 or later.
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The group is pursuing a potential 15-field sportsplex as a training ground and community soccer facility in northern St. Johns County. The sportsplex would comprise nine natural grass soccer fields, five multipurpose synthetic turf fields for soccer, baseball or lacrosse, and a professional turf soccer field. An eight-lane athletic track and a mini-stadium suitable for Special Olympics and regional events also is proposed, with bleacher seating for up to 3,000.
Separately, the Jacksonville Armada will join the MLS Next Pro league in time for the 2025 season. The club will play in a new stadium on the Eastside, which it plans to begin building in January.
Taylor said he was impressed with what he called JAXUSL’s plans to elevate the community, according to the news release. He said the group would work with public authorities to “lift every voice by creating facilities and opportunities that will benefit all communities.”
Others in the JAXUSL ownership group include professional soccer executive Steve Livingstone and local community innovator Tony Allegretti. Additionally, UF women’s soccer coaching legend Becky Burleigh leads JAXUSL’s efforts as a consultant to their women’s pro team.
Lead image: Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor acknowledges the crowd as he is inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars on Sept. 30, 2012. | Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP
