Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
6 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A dam Taliaferro feared that he'd broken his arm when he tried to get up after tackling Ohio State running back Jerry Westbrooks on a pitch play in the final minutes of Penn State's visit to Columbus on Sept. 23, 2000. The arm wouldn't move, and Taliaferro, a freshman cornerback playing in only his fifth college game, couldn't think of another explanation. Then he realized he couldn't move his legs, either. Must be a stinger, he told himself. He'd never had a stinger before, and he figured this was probably what they felt like. Soon enough, the numb- ness would subside, and he'd be back to normal. It wasn't until he was being wheeled to the Penn State sideline on a stretcher, still unable to move his limbs, that darker thoughts began to cloud his mind. Taliaferro knew that his parents, Andre and Addie, would be watching on TV back home in Voorhees, N.J. Ad- die had never wanted him to play such a violent sport, and Adam was worried about what she must be thinking. "I wanted to give her a thumbs up while I was laying there just to let her know I was OK," he recalled. "When I couldn't get the thumb up, that's when I realized I was in some trouble." Many Accomplishments Taliaferro told that story during a recent appearance on the "Uncorked: Wine, Business and Life" podcast, a South Jersey-based production co- hosted by attorney and sports agent Jerrold Colton, who has known the for- mer Nittany Lion since he was in high school. In the 25 years since he was injured, Taliaferro has become one of the best known and most inspirational figures in Penn State athletics history. Defying a grim prognosis, he regained much of his strength and movement, returned to school and was healthy enough to lead the Nittany Lions onto the field when they opened their 2021 season against Miami less than a year later. After graduating, Taliaferro went on to become one of Penn State's most professionally accomplished football alumni. He earned his law degree from Rutgers in 2008, worked as a labor at- torney for the Duane Morris law firm, served as a county commissioner in New Jersey, later spent three terms in WALK-OFF VICTORY Adam Taliaferro's inspirational comeback story had a harrowing start 25 years ago M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M Taliaferro led the Nittany Lions onto the field ahead of their season opener against Miami in 2001. Only 11 months earlier, he had suffered a spinal injury that left him unable to move. PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS