Football is a family thing for the Taylors.

Mason Taylor’s journey has come full circle. As a young boy, he once watched his father - Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor - play for the New York Jets while he ran around Central Park. Now, after carving out his own identity at LSU, Taylor is back in the Big Apple trying to build a legacy of his own.

The Taylor family legacy is stronger than most already. Taylor’s uncle, Zach Thomas, is also in the Hall of Fame, while his younger brother, Isaiah, currently plays college football for Miami. Despite the perceived burden of his father and uncle’s success, Taylor is focused on carving his own path.

“We weren’t forced into it at all - it was always something we wanted to do. But we didn't play tackle football until about middle school. My dad kept us in flag for a while because he didn't want us banging our heads too much, but yeah, we loved it, and we’ve been playing ever since.

“A lot of people say it's pressure to live up to the hype and live up to his name, but I think it's just a blessing. God's given us this opportunity to keep it going. Where I’m at now, I just feel like it's my duty to keep the legacy going, so I'm working hard towards it. I don't feel like it's a pressure. I feel it more of a blessing than anything.”

Ultimately, having not one but two Hall of Famers as family is a great resource. What has been the biggest lesson Taylor has learned from his father? “Just being where my feet are,” Taylor said. “It’s a big thing I try to implement every single week through the ups and downs. With this sport, there are a lot of bad times and a lot of good times too, but it’s about staying level-headed and being grounded in where your feet are.

“At the end of the day, you come to work every single day, no matter if you win or lose, to get better. I just try to get better each and every day, and I think he taught me that.”

Now, after being selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Taylor is suiting up for the Jets. His father spent most of his career with the Miami Dolphins, but signed for the Jets ahead of the 2010 season. While Taylor’s dream was simply to make it to the NFL, the fact that it’s with the Jets is a welcome touch as he has fond memories of his time growing up in New York.

“We were always at Central Park with my mom, who would bring me and my brother and sister there,” Taylor recalled. We would have a football and be out there playing for three or four hours every single day, and that is probably my best memory of New York growing up. We just always went to that park and threw a football around, tackling each other and all that stuff.”

Does he still tackle his family playing in Central Park these days?

“Yeah, no,” Taylor said with a laugh. When we get the family together, we’re not as physical as we were back then.”

Why was LSU the right place for you to establish your identity as a player?

“Throughout my senior year, I wasn't that big of a recruit. Before my senior year, I was actually going on visits with my dad and two other teammates. We went to a bunch of colleges for like camps during the summer to get my name out there and let these schools see me in person, and that's when my offers really started to come in. I felt like LSU was a team that always kept up with me; some of the other teams didn't even really reach out as much, so I didn't really feel as if it was a real offer. Everything pointed to LSU, and it was like that for a reason. I wanted to play big-time football, and I knew LSU was the program to do so. ”

You caught the touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion versus Alabama. How did that night change how you felt you could impact the game at the highest level?

“It was definitely a big confidence booster, especially as a freshman, being able to adapt to that environment. To this day, that's probably the craziest environment I've ever played in. I remember it vividly, just every big time moment, every call of every big time moment. And just staying in that game, you know, through ups and downs, like I was saying earlier, the hard times, the good times, the good plays, the bad plays, staying level-headed and finishing that game victorious was definitely a very big moment for me.”

Was there a moment in college where you started to realize you were putting together a legacy at LSU?

“Just getting the opportunity to play early was my biggest thing. I know now it seems like every freshman is starting in college, but I feel like during my freshman year, it wasn’t really common. When I get the opportunity to play early, I knew I had to take my advantage. The ‘Bama game definitely solidified that, too.”

What did it mean to get drafted in the second round by the Jets, a team your dad played for?

“It was a surreal moment, just waiting for the call. Honestly, I didn’t know about the Jets. I had a formal meeting at the combine, but I didn’t know where I could have gone. Every pick, I was just holding my phone, waiting for the vibration. When I saw the New York or New Jersey number, I knew it was the Jets - and my family got really emotional because of that, because my dad was here. Being able to share the same locker room, the same building that he walked in as a player, is definitely a great opportunity.”

Coach Glenn has spoken highly of your blocking and how you've developed that side of your game. Why was it important to you to be an all-around player?

“It’s important to be versatile in this game, especially as a tight end. The more you can do, the more you'll be on the field. Being more consistent as a blocker was definitely an emphasis for me heading into this offseason. So we focused on the fundamentals, doing the little things at a more consistent level and building confidence. You know, I think half of this game is just your confidence. If you have confidence in your ability, and you show that confidence in practice, you gain more and the more confident you are in your game, the more you'll play at a higher level and at a consistent level.”

Having played the Kansas City Chiefs close in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium last week, the second half was a different story as the defense relented. But the offense knows it needs to elevate its play in the red zone; the Jets are ranked 31st in red zone touchdown efficiency (40.7 percent) heading into the clash with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Taylor is confident the offense will get back on track: “I know we have so much talent in this offense. We have been moving the ball downfield, but once we get down in the red zone, we’ve been stalling out. That’s definitely been a big point of emphasis, but we have the talent, and we’re confident in our guys.

“We’re going to have our playmakers make plays, and that’s the biggest thing when we go on our side of the field in plus territory. We need to take advantage of every opportunity and let these players make plays. I know Geno’s going to get the balls in the right hands, so we’re going to pick it up.”

The 2-7 Jets take on the 7-1 Bills at MetLife Stadium in Week 10 on Sunday, Nov. 15.