Played WR for the University of Utah from 1993-’97.
Caught 192 passes for 2,726 yards and 18 touchdowns.
First round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 1998.
Caught 21 passes for 263 yards and 2 TDs his rookie season.
Had a career high 54 catches in 1999.
Caught the lateral from Frank Wycheck in the Music City Miracle.
Then was stopped one yard short of the goal line in the closing moments of Super Bowl XXIV.
After an injury in 2000 limited him to two games, returned to form in 2001 and tied his career high with 54 receptions, along with 825 yards and 7 TDs.
Joined the Panthers in 2003, but spent most of the season on IR.
Spent the off season with the Chargers (’04) and Redskins (’05).
Went back to school, obtaining his doctorate, spending time in coaching, and education.
SP 2001, #85
NOTES:
Every once in a while I’m just surprised by an older card set I’ve discovered. Case in point- SP 2001. Simple, elegant, lots of space to work with.. it’s just great design, and the landscape format helps make autographs pop and look more cinematic.
He helped anchor down an impressive defense notching 3 sacks on the season, as the team won World Bowl II.
After the World League collapsed, Bill signed with the Sacramento Goldminers of the CFL that year.
This led him to the Atlanta Falcons during that same year in 1992.
Bill played with the Falcons through 1994.
In a preseason game against the Eagles, Bill tore his abductor muscle from his pelvis.
This caused him incredible pain while he searched for a proper diagnosis.
Ultimately he’d be cut by the Falcons, and then later picked up by the new expansion franchise, the Carolina Panthers.
And… he’d be the first player cut by the Panthers.
In the meantime, during his rehab, he’d met many wrestlers and was eventually convinced to try his hand at the sport.
He quickly ascended the ranks of WCW and made his debut as ‘Goldberg’ in 1997.
Won 173 straight wrestling matches.
When WCW was bought out by the WWE, Goldberg wrestled in Japan for two years before returning stateside to the WWE.
Took a break from wrestling, returning to the sport in 2015 during Legends of Wrestling.
Officially returned to WWE in 2016, retiring from the sport unofficially in 2022.
Rumors continue to swirl about his return to the sport.
Has appeared and been in numerous movies and TV shows.
Ultimate WL 1992 Team Checklist, #147
ACCOLADES:
WWE Hall of Fame
WWE Championship
WWE Universal Championship x2
WCW World Heavyweight Champion x2
WCW World Tag Team Champion
WcW United States World Heavyweight Champion x2
NOTES:
Bill is passionate about his charitable causes, notably Purple Heart services for wounded veterans. He also is Jewish- And while he’s extremely respectful of his religious upbringing, it’s something that’s just not talked about a lot.
So a few months ago when the XFL Brahmas opened up shop, some of my friends were invited to a special gathering for the team at the stadium. There they met many of the players and there was a special appearance by Bill Goldberg! (I had not realized he was still so passionate about the sport of Spring Football.)
When this event popped up in Boerne, I got that feeling that, maybe Bill would show up. Y’know a gut feeling. I told my friend who was going with me (Jeff) to not be surprised and to plan as if he might be attending. When we got to this really good taco joint, everything just seemed to line up. Jeff noted the autograph on the wall from Goldberg. Then I texted my friend Brandon, and he said, “Oh yeah, Goldberg will be there.” Just as we were about to step out, the man himself walked in.
Jeff nudged me and we played it cool. When we did speak to Goldberg, I talked to him about the World League and told him about how I probably walked by him at that last game when he was with the Surge, and they beat the Riders in the ‘Do or Die’ game. And while we lost, I left satisfied that next year might be the Riders’ year… <insert audible trail off>
He gave a chuckle and told me that it was a great time. That back then he was pretty close to the stadium since he was living in San Marcos… but that it was from SO LONG AGO. He then took this awesome photo with me.
Later right before he left I approached him one more time and thanked him for his time in the World League. And I’ll say this to any World League player I run into or get the autograph of: It meant so much to me that you guys were chasing your dreams. My father was not the greatest father, but he tried, and the way he got started was by taking me to those World League games. It really helped us bond. And I am forever grateful for every player who played in that league.
He told me that it meant to him more than I’d know- and that honestly meant to me, so, so much.
CARDS: Topps XFL 2020, Sage 2015, Panini Prestige 2015 ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o The Washington Commanders SENT: 8/22/22 RECEIVED: 4/1/23 (222 days) FAILURE: TTM 2020, C/o The Washington Football Club
No clue as to why I didn’t get the cards I sent out in 2020 back from Taylor. He was signing at a really good click and I guess that’s the luck of the draw right? I reloaded and waited until a better time- which appeared in 2022. He became sort of a folk hero for the Commanders over the last few years, but the team opted not to resign him after the ’22 season, so he packed his bags and headed out for Atlanta. I figured these cards were lost as well but eventually they made their way back to me.
Taylor has seen stops with the Texans, Panthers and Washington since his time as a rookie in Minnesota. In 2020 he joined the XFL and was widely expected to be a star in the young league, but got beat to the punch by Jordan Ta’Amu. Despite not seeing almost any playing time in the XFL 20, Taylor is considered one of the more ‘famous’ success stories of that league.
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
