Taylor Gabriel

Speedy Bears receiver who scored three first-half touchdowns in one 2019 game.

Taylor Gabriel (born 1991) is a former NFL wide receiver who played six seasons for Cleveland, Atlanta and the Chicago Bears, joining Chicago in 2018 on a four-year, $26 million contract. He went undrafted out of Abilene Christian, where he set the career touchdown record.

Quick Facts

Number

Position

Wide receiver

Born

17 February 1991

Birthplace

Dallas, Texas, U.S.

High school

John Horn (Mesquite, Texas)

College

Abilene Christian

Former teams

Cleveland Browns (2014–2015)
Atlanta Falcons (2016–2017)
Chicago Bears (2018–2019)

Facts from the source article.

Background

Gabriel made his Bears debut with five catches in the 24-23 opening loss at Green Bay in 2018 and had his best day of the year on September 30 with seven receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns in a 48-10 win over Tampa Bay, followed two weeks later by 110 yards against Miami. He finished his first Chicago season with 67 catches for 688 yards.

In Week 3 of 2019 at Washington he caught three touchdown passes in the first half of a 31-15 win before leaving with a concussion. That made him the 35th player in NFL history with three receiving scores in a first half, the first Bear to do it in the Super Bowl era, and only the fourth in team history to score three in one quarter after Red Pollock in 1935, Frank Minini in 1948 and Gale Sayers in 1965. He ended the season with 29 catches for 353 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bears released him on February 21, 2020, to free salary-cap space, and he announced his retirement in April 2021. Earlier he had played in Super Bowl LI for Atlanta, catching three passes for 76 yards in the overtime loss to New England.